Returning to competition after his title of French champion, Alexis Lebrun defeats Kao Cheng-Jui in the first round of the WTT Champions in Incheon

De retour à la compétition après son sacré de champion de France, Alexis Lebrun l’a emporté 3-1. XinHua – Yao Qilin

Returning to the WTT circuit after winning his third French championship title, Alexis Lebrun won his duel against the Taiwanese Kao Cheng-Jui this Thursday, in the first round of the WTT Champions in Incheon (South Korea).

The three-time French champion did not give details against the 31st in the world. A match that he started with a bang, with six points won consecutively in the first set. An iron defense, which quickly allowed him to have six set balls. Just one was enough for him to win the first round with a score of 11-4.

Alexis controlled the Taiwanese in the second set, pushing him to make mistakes on numerous occasions. Despite everything, we felt a little less influence from the Frenchman in this second act, which he still won 11-9.

In less good control since the end of the second round, the 31st in the world took, for the first time in the match, the advantage in a set. After winning six points in a row, Kao Cheng-Jui won the third set with a score of 11-8.

Alexis avoids tipping

"Everything is fine" tries to reassure Nathanaël Molin, Alexis’s trainer, at the end of the third act, feeling the tide is turning in favor of the Taiwanese.&nbsp ;The Montpellier player even lost the first two points of the fourth set on his serve. But Alexis recovered well. And it’s with "TCHO" that he won, with authority, the following four points.

𝐖𝐓𝐓 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐧 🏓

Alexis Lebrun imite son frère et prend le meilleur sur Kao Cheng-Jui en quatre manches (3-1) 😍

📍 Programme et résultats ➡️ https://t.co/s4o6EtR2UU

📺 RMC Sport pic.twitter.com/6GQJf04Nbf

— Fédération Française de Tennis de Table (@ffttofficiel) March 28, 2024

Mentally recovered, the 22nd in the world very quickly found himself with a first match point, saved by Kao. Alexis finally folded the match on the next point, d&rsquo ;a magnificent forehand.

In the next round, the French champion will face the Brazilian Hugo Calderano, 8th in the world.