VIDEO. Alexis Lebrun leaves with the bronze medal of the European Top 16 table tennis, the Frenchwoman Jianan Yuan succeeds the Alésien Gatien

After the victory against his brother Félix on Saturday, Alexis lost in the semi-final on Sunday. XinHua – Zhang Fan

Montpellier's Alexis Lebrun finished in third place in the European Top 16 after his defeat in the semi-final against the Swede Truls Moregard on Sunday January 21, the day after his victory against his brother Félix. The Frenchwoman Jianan Yuan created the feat of winning the women's draw.

He still hasn't managed to find the solution. As in his two previous matches against the Swede Truls Moregard (19th in the world), Alexis Lebrun did not manage to beat the Scandinavian who a victory would allow him to do. ;reach the final of this European Top 16, bringing together the best players from the Old Continent.

In a match that was nevertheless close between the two men, Lebrun (23rd in the world) was down three sets to nothing (11-13, 9-11, 8-11)   before reducing the gap against the Swede, with authority (11-3). But the latter reacted immediately by winning the fifth round (4-11) and the match at the same time (4-1). 

Il y aura des regrets pour Alexis Lebrun qui se fait éliminer du Top 16 Européen. pic.twitter.com/nRKxOLE8CO

— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) January 21, 2024

Having no match to decide between the defeated semi-finalists, Alexis Lebrun finished with the bronze medal in this Top 16, tied with the Portuguese Marcos Freitas (18th in the world). The final was won by Slovenian Darko Jorgic (15th) 4-1 against Moregard.

Frenchwoman Jianan Yuan crowned among the ladies

As for the women's tournament, the competition was won masterfully by the Frenchwoman Jianan Yuan, player from the Poitiers club. Ranked 27th in the world, Yuan beat Romanian Bernadette Szocs (12th) in the half to reach the final. 

During the latter, the Habs, seven times champion of France, faced the 20th in the world, the Austrian Sofia Polcanova, finalist in the singles and doubles tables last year.

💪🇫🇷 VICTOIRE DE LA FRANÇAISE JIA NAN YUAN EN FINALE DU TOP 16 EUROPÉEN ! pic.twitter.com/FgTzU7bjlo

— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) January 21, 2024

And after seven rounds, Yuan ended up winning the biggest title of his career, at age 38 (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 10-12, 5-11 , 11-4, 11-6). She becomes the first French woman to do so, succeeding the Alésien Jean-Philippe Gatien, titled in 1997.