French table tennis championships: at the Lebrun home, Félix is ​​always chasing Alexis

Quand ils ne se tirent pas la bourre en simple, les frangins jouent souvent en simple, formant une paire intraitable. Midi Libre – DORIAN CAYUELA

Le cadet de la fratrie, pourtant 5e joueur mondial, n’a toujours pas gagné face à son aîné, 20e. Une question de temps, sans doute, et d’émotions.

Félix Lebrun covers all the steps. At 17 years, 6 months and 7 days, the Montpellier table tennis player reached the Top 5 in the world on Tuesday. There are only four Chinese left in front of him.

Also read: PODCAST. Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Félix Lebrun, new phenomenon of "ping" world and candidate for an Olympic medal

In history, only two other kids, the Japanese Tomokazu Harimoto (15 years old) and Fan Zhendong (16 years old), n°2 in the ranking this week, had been even more precocious .
In France, he is the fourth, after Jean-Philippe Gatien (1991-1995), Jacques Secutin (1976-1977) and René Rootjooft, in the 1950s, to defy time, the game and the Middle Kingdom .

Soon n°1 ?

Félix Lebrun goes quickly and, barring an industrial disaster, he is promised first place. "You never know what could happen but if he develops his power (thighs, arms and upper body) and the technique follows, he will be world n°1 in the next five years" , predicts his dad Stéphane, n°7 French in another life.

Today, his grip on the racket in a pen holder (with two fingers, like holding a pencil) does not quite compensate for the muscle deficit. "Because at some point, you have to hit the ball", summarizes the father.

"Between them, there is something else at stake"

Félix Lebrun is accelerating but he still has a lot to learn. And a step, more personal, more intimate, to take. Before these French Championships organized all weekend in Montpellier, the pitchman of the family has never gained the upper hand over his three-year-old senior, Alexis, n°20 in the last ranking.

Also read: "We are examples for each other" : the Lebrun brothers take part in a few days of the World Championships

"Even in training, he never wins, admits Stéphane. Is it the Happy New Year? I doubt it. Between them, there is something else at stake. Félix knows he is stronger overall in the game. But for the moment, he is folding. Because he also knows that Alexis is the one who can play the best in the world against him."

Until when ?

"Often, adds the dad, the big brother collapses. I experienced this with mine. There was a time when he let me pass. But this is a little different. Alexis is installed (at the highest level). He always knew that Félix would be very strong and that by continuing to beat him he himself would be very strong."

Alexis the Unifier

The two brothers take it out on each other without consequences on their relationship. This is the other moral of this unique family story. Alexis’s personality contributes a lot to this. In everyone's opinion, the double national title holder (2023 in Antibes, 2022 in Mouilleron-le-Captif) is a young adult "who brings everyone together, who does not have a misplaced ego".

He is also an incredible player, the more talented of the two brothers if we are to believe Papa Lebrun: "He has always been in even advances to walk (at 7 months)." Hindered by a fragile physique, he also knew how to bounce back, move forward, persevere: "Several doctors told us that he had to stop playing table tennis otherwise he would be disabled for life" , remembers Dominique, the mother. Alexis preferred to return to the room, play with his left hand, be positive, under the caring eye of the little one.

Felix, Alexis. Alexis, Felix. Whatever the result on Sunday afternoon, they will never be far from each other.

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