The young Félix Lebrun, hope of French table tennis, qualified on Tuesday for the final of the individual tournament of the European Games in Krakow (Poland), while his older brother Alexis bowed in the semi-finals and will have to be content bronze.
At only 16 years old, Félix Lebrun (31st player in the world) did not give details against the experienced Croatian Andrej Gacina, reduced by persistent pain in the adductors, winning in four sets (11-9, 11-4 , 11-3, 13-11)
“I’m super happy to get to the final. I have a style of play that has bothered my opponent a lot (…) A final is always a little more pressure but I will go there with confidence, as for the other matches since the start of the tournament ”, reacted the Montpellier, one of the few Europeans to have adopted the pen holder.
The eldest of the siblings, Alexis Lebrun, (19 years old, 18th player in the world), lost to him in six sets (9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 8-11, 6- 11) against the Portuguese Marcos Freitas, 35 years old.
“After this match, I am obviously quite disappointed. Now I need to refocus. There is one meeting left, if I have a medal it will remain incredible, ”said the French champion just after his defeat.
A few tens of minutes later, he finally won the bronze, without playing, Andrej Gacina having announced his withdrawal through injury. His little brother Félix will try to take gold against Marcos Freitas on Tuesday evening (7:20 p.m.).