Lebrun brothers effective in doubles in Beijing and qualified for the quarter-finals

Les frères Lebrun poursuivent leur aventure en Chine. MAXPPP – Wang Dongzhen

Les deux Montpelliérains participent cette semaine au Grand Smash de Chine, l’un des plus prestigieux du circuit WTT, équivalent d’un tournoi du Grand Chelem au tennis.

French table tennis stars Félix and Alexis Lebrun qualified for the quarter-finals of the Grand Smash in China on Wednesday, for their return to doubles after the Olympics.

The French pair, bronze medallists in the team event in Paris, easily won 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 11-6) ahead of Sweden's Anton Kallberg (world number 24) and Slovakia's Lubomir Pistej (world number 121). The two brothers will face the Japanese Shunsuke Togami and Hiroto Shinozuka on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals, whom Alexis Lebrun, then partnered with Simon Gauzy, beat in the race for the bronze medal at the Olympics.

Félix in the round of 16 against the Chinese Peng Xiang

In Beijing, Félix Lebrun (world number 5), 18, is also still involved in singles where he will face the Chinese Peng Xiang (68th) on Thursday in the round of 16. His older brother Alexis (19th), 21, was beaten on Monday in his first match, knocked out by the Brazilian Hugo Calderano who had already prevented him from going for an individual medal at the Games.

The China Grand Smash is one of the most prestigious on the WTT circuit, the equivalent of a Grand Slam tournament in tennis. In the women's doubles, the Frenchwoman Prithika Pavade, partnered with the Puerto Rican Adriana Diaz, was due to play her round of 16 later this Wednesday.