2024-11-11 11:34:00
After his historic coronation at the WTT Champions in Montpellier, Félix Lebrun is increasingly establishing himself among the best table tennis players but his climb to the podium in the world rankings is becoming a little more complicated.
It’s crazy what’s happening around the Lebrun brothers. After wowing the French public during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Alexis and Félix Lebrun suddenly put the table tennis circuit in the spotlight. They absolutely did not disappoint. The two brothers were crowned in doubles at the 2024 European Championship, in Linz, and Alexis even won the singles title three weeks ago. The prodigy Félix, barely 18 years old, then won the WTT Champions in Montpellier, becoming the first French table tennis player to win what is the equivalent of a Masters 1000 in tennis.
Bronze medalist at the Olympic Games, Félix Lebrun is getting ever closer to the podium in the world tennis rankings. The little French phenomenon, 5th in the ITTF world ranking, could have climbed to the third step in the event of a final at the WTT in Frankfurt last week, but he failed in the quarter-finals on Friday, ahead of the Swede Truls Moregard, 11th. world, in four sets (11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11). “Féfé” had a pretty crazy opportunity to overtake the current third in the world rankings, Fan Zhendong, who did not come to play in Germany.
Félix Lebrun very far from the top 2
But if Félix Lebrun is part of the international elite, he also has to deal with Chinese champions who are absolutely not giving up. The world number 1 Wang Chuqin certainly sank in Germany, falling against the 27th in the world, the Swede Anton Kallberg. This was without counting the new crack of the
table tennis Lin Shidong, 19, who dominated Kallberg in the final to win his fifth tournament in the last three months. Lin had already overtaken Fan during the month of October and is now closing in on number 1 Wang. Wang/Lin/Fan, that’s it for the 100% Chinese podium.
The suspense is at its height since all these beautiful people are meeting next week in Japan! In singles, the 16 best players in the world will be at the WTT Finals in Fukuoka (November 20-24). Félix and Alexis, respectively seeded number 4 and 13, will try to string together exploits against opponents that the new “ping” followers now know well. The brothers will be seeded number 3 in doubles and there will be another French pair composed of Florian Bourrassaud and Esteban Dorr.
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**Interview with Table Tennis Prodigy Félix Lebrun**
**Editor:** Félix, congratulations on your historic win at the WTT Champions in Montpellier! How does it feel to be the first French table tennis player to achieve this milestone?
**Félix Lebrun:** Thank you so much! It feels incredible to make history for my country in such a prestigious tournament. Winning the WTT Champions has been one of the proudest moments of my career so far, especially given how competitive the field was.
**Editor:** You’ve had an incredible year alongside your brother Alexis, especially with your success in doubles at the European Championship and his recent singles title. What’s it like to share this journey with him?
**Félix:** It’s amazing! Having someone like Alexis by my side makes all the hard work worthwhile. We motivate each other, and training together helps us both improve. Winning the doubles title with him was special, and it’s exciting to see both of us performing well on the big stage.
**Editor:** The Paris 2024 Olympic Games certainly put the spotlight on you both. How did that experience influence your recent performances?
**Félix:** The Olympics were a game changer for us. The atmosphere was electric, and the support from the French public really powered us up. It showed us that we could compete with the best in the world and gave us the confidence to go after more titles.
**Editor:** Looking ahead, you’re rising in the world rankings, but it seems the competition is fierce. What challenges do you anticipate as you strive to maintain your place among the elite?
**Félix:** The competition is more intense than ever, and I know I need to stay focused and keep improving. Each match I play is a learning opportunity, and I’m working on my mental toughness alongside my physical skills. I’m excited for the challenges ahead, but I understand it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
**Editor:** Lastly, what’s next for you in your training and competitions as you prepare for future events?
**Félix:** I’ll be focusing on refining my techniques and tactics over the coming weeks. There are several key tournaments approaching, and I want to ensure that I’m in the best shape possible. My goal is to keep climbing the rankings and aim for more podium finishes.
**Editor:** Thank you, Félix! It’s been a pleasure speaking with you. Best of luck in your future competitions!
**Félix:** Thank you! I appreciate it!