Beijing Grand Smash: Felix Lebrun loses in the round of 16

Félix Lebrun est tombé face à un Chinois. MAXPPP – Ju Huanzong

Le pongiste montpelliérain de 18 ans, N.5 mondial, a craqué 3-1 (9-11, 12-10, 9-11, 10-12) devant son adversaire 68e au classement WTT.

Felix Lebrun was eliminated on Thursday in the round of 16 of the Grand Smash of China, the first major tournament after the Paris Olympic Games, by the Chinese Peng Xiang.

Nearly two months to the day after his bronze medal in singles in Paris, the 18-year-old table tennis player, world No. 5, lost 3-1 (9-11, 12-10, 9-11, 10-12) to his opponent ranked 68th in the WTT rankings, despite a final set in which he hung on for a long time.

In the doubles semi-final with Alexis

Having become a star in his discipline and a figure of the Olympic Games in France, where he also won bronze in the team event, the Montpellier native is still competing in doubles in Beijing, alongside his older brother Alexis, 21 (19th in the world).

The French pair won earlier in the day against the Japanese Shunsuke Togami and Hiroto Shinozuka 3-1. They will face the Chinese Liang Jingkun and Wang Chuqin, world number 1 in singles, for a place in the final.

The Grand Smash of China is one of the most prestigious on the WTT circuit, equivalent to a Grand Slam tournament in tennis.