This Sunday, Félix Lebrun made Ping history a little further, becoming the first European to win a WTT Champions at the end of an exceptional journey.
When it’s not one, it’s the other. We were buzzing last week for the exploits of the eldest of the Lebrun siblings. Alexis Lebrun had just been crowned European champion after his victory in the final against the German Duda.
This Sunday, it’s his little brother Félix who answers him. The 7th player in the world won at home in Hérault at the WTT Champions in Montpellier against the Japanese Tomokazu Harimoto (11-7, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4). A major feat since he is the first Frenchman to win a tournament of this ilk. Better yet, he is the first European in history to win in this category.
A debut against a compatriot
The European doubles champion began his competition against his compatriot and partner in the French team with whom he won the bronze medal this summer at the Paris Olympics Simon Gauzy (39th). A victory in three sets despite a good fight 11-8, 11-9, 12-10.
Revanchard, the bronze medalist at the last Olympics then offered himself the scalp of one of his former tormentors. In the round of 16, carried by the warm atmosphere of the Montpellier Arena, he brought down the Chinese Peng Xiang in four sets (11-3, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7).
A first success against his brother
In the quarter-finals of the first WTT tournament in France, the Lebrun brothers offered us a clash of legends and legendary points. And among these points, there is one «extraordinaire»during a contested third set (16-14), where more than twenty blows were exchanged, causing the whole room to explode when Félix finally won while Alexis had defended even after falling to the ground.
“The point is completely crazy, he (Alexis) brings everything back, then he acts a bit like a joke, he jumps in all directions”laughed Félix Lebrun, who subsequently won the round. “Both of us at the end looked at each other and laughed, normally these are points that only happen in training”said Alexis for his part.
A fratricidal duel concluded in four sets by the cadet Félix 11-6, 7-11, 16-14, 11-9. The first success of the small over the big, in 2024, Alexis Lebrun remained on two victories, in the quarter-finals of the European Top 16 (4-2 victory) in Montreux in January, and in the final of the French championships, again in Montpellier (4-2).
Last two matches for history
“He who does not jump is not Lebrun”rocked this semi-final. The Ultra Lebrun Collective with the sweet nickname of «C.U.L» sang it in chorus throughout the meeting. And for good reason, the step was damn high, Félix Lebrun had to bring down the mountain Lin Shidong to get a place in the final. The Chinese world number 2 has had a perfect run so far.
But facing the French in front of their home crowd, the scenario turned to the local’s advantage, winning four sets to zero: 14-12, 11-9, 11-9, 11-3. Very serene after his exploit already focused on his next deadline: “There’s still one more match to go, we’re going to do it all together, we’re going to go for this title.”
In the final, stood the 8th in the world Tomokasu Harimoto. Without trembling, the 7th in the world delivered a perfect performance to win in four sets (11-7, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4) and enter a little more into the history of his sport .