Table tennis: the madness of ping and the Lebrun brothers arrives in Montpellier for the French championships

The Lebrun brothers and the elite of French tennis are expected in Montpellier this weekend. Free Midi – GIACOMO ITALIANO

From March 22 to 24, the elite of French table tennis arrive in Montpellier for the French championships. The Lebrun brothers will be the headliners, in addition to being the locals.

The sports capital can add a string to its bow. Another discipline has chosen Montpellier to build its new stronghold: table tennis. The small white ball world will be able to see it this weekend during the Championships of France, organized at the FDI Stadium.

Well, the Hérault town does not owe this choice to chance. She benefits from quite a boost: the advent of the Lebrun brothers, Alexis (20 years old, 22nd player in the world) and Félix (17 years old, 5th). The two blond guys with glasses, from Montpellier, are the new little princes of the world table. Wherever they go, they create excitement. Each room is full as soon as their name is on the poster.

"We talk about our sport thanks to them. It helps us when canvassing and exchanging with communities. For example, with each performance by Alexis or Félix, we experienced a peak in ticket sales for "France"", assures Claire Chevanssus- Rosset, co-president of the ANMTT (Nîmes-Montpellier table tennis alliance). So much so that Saturday and Sunday are sold out. In total, around 8,000 people are expected over the three days of the Championships.

The Metropolis did not fail to respond to this craze. In recent months, initiatives have been taken to promote ping-pong. An agreement with the French Table Tennis Federation (FFTT) was signed last December to build outdoor tables and launch the “one school, one table” system.

Rockstars in Asia

The Lebrun madness goes beyond the borders of France. It is even exacerbated in Asian countries. So much so that the two boys are the new leaders of the social network Weibo, the equivalent of Twitter in China.

"It’the enthusiasm around them" is incredible, assures the director of High Performance of the FFTT, Rozenn Jacquet-Yquel. "We saw him at the Worlds in Ruzan (China), it’s crazy. At the Singapore tournament last week, we asked to have part of the stand somewhat protected so that Félix could watch the matches without being too disturbed. This means attractiveness."

Welcomed like rockstars in Asia, particularly in China, the country of ping (60 million licensees), the Lebrun brothers are beginning to make a place for themselves in the French sporting landscape. Their story and their good nature are a delight on TV sets. They embody a discipline lacking a headliner since Jean-Philippe Gatien, Olympic champion in Barcelona in 1992.

Despite the madness that surrounds them, Alexis and Félix keep their feet on the ground. And Lansargues (Hérault) remains their pied-à-terre, the family cocoon.

Some figures

210,000

The French Table Tennis Federation has regained its pre-Covid number of licensees. The performances of the Lebrun brothers are no stranger to this. The FFTT has 3,110 clubs in the country, including 41 professional clubs.

8,000

Around 8,000 people are expected at FDI Stadium from Friday to Sunday. Saturday and Sunday have been sold out for ten days.

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The percentage increase in registrations within the Montpellier club, attached to the ANMTT, last September. Today, ANMTT has around 600 licensees (200 in Nîmes, 400 in Montpellier). "Montpellier is a very strong place for French table tennis. The identity of the Lebrun family has a lot to do with it. The city is taking initiatives and starting to organize events, assures high performance director Rozenn Jacquet-Yquel.

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For the first time, Montpellier will host a WTT tournament (equivalent to a Masters 1000 in tennis) in October 2024. "There may be others in the following years", assures Rozenn Jacquet-Yquel.

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