Table tennis at the Paris 2024 Olympics: Félix Lebrun qualifies for the quarter-finals after an incredible match in a magnificent atmosphere

Félix Lebrun a rejoint les quarts de finale. MAXPPP – MARTIN DIVISEK

Frenchman Félix Lebrun (world number 5) won 4-3 in the round of 16 against German Dimitrij Ovtcharov (14th) to reach the quarter-finals of the table tennis tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Wednesday, July 31.

He had a close call, but it finally passed. A serious contender for a medal at this table tennis tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Montpellier's Félix Lebrun (17 years old) finally came out on top against a former big name on the world circuit, now 14th, the German Dimitrij Ovtcharov (4-3).

Thanks to his victory, just before his big brother Alexis Lebrun's match and under the eyes of Zinédine Zidane, Félix Lebrun became the first Frenchman to reach the quarter-finals of an Olympic tournament since Alésien Jean-Philippe Gatien at the Barcelona Games 1992.

Lebrun gave himself a scare

On Wednesday in a Paris Sud Arena 4 still in fusion with the young prodigy, the Hérault player started his match ideally by leading three sets to nothing against the former German world No. 1 (11-9, 15-13, 12-10).

But Ovtcharov then came back with completely different intentions, perhaps taking advantage of a slackening off on the part of the Frenchman to also win three consecutive sets (11-8, 11-3, 11-8).

Driven on by the French crowd, Lebrun masterfully managed the last set to win in seven sets thanks to an excellent level of play in the last set. For a place in the last four, he will face the winner of the duel between Taiwanese Lin Yun-Ju (world number 8) and Slovenian Darko Jorgic (18th).