Alexis Lebrun qualifies for WTT Star Contender Astana final

French table tennis star Alexis Lebrun secured his place in the final of the WTT Star Contender in Astana on Sunday, September 20, overcoming a slow start to defeat China’s Zhou Qihao in four sets (6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8). As the tournament’s top seed and world No. 9, Lebrun survived a tense opening exchange before dictating the pace of the match to advance in just over 27 minutes.

A Shaky Start Overcome in Four Sets

The semifinal clash at the Kazakhstan venue began with trouble for the French camp. Facing Zhou Qihao—the world No. 18 and tournament No. 4 seed who also competes for the French club GV Hennebont—Lebrun struggled to find his footing during the opening exchanges and dropped the first game 11-6. However, the Montpellier native quickly adjusted his tactics. Bringing greater precision to his shot sequences and asserting control over the rally rhythm, Lebrun leveled the match by taking the second set 11-7. He then seized firm command in the third, winning 11-5, before withstanding late pressure from his opponent to seal the fourth set 11-8.

Chasing a Rare WTT Title and a Ranking Milestone

This victory places Lebrun one win away from capturing an individual WTT crown since his triumph at the WTT Contender in Zagreb in 2024. Beyond the silverware, the tournament carries significant implications for the global rankings. Currently positioned as the world No. 9, a victory in the final could propel Lebrun to the No. 8 spot in the international standings, which would mark a career-best ranking for the 23-year-old. His path to the final included victories earlier in the week, notably defeating Germany’s Kay Stumper and Japan’s Ryoichi Yoshiyama (11-5, 11-3, 12-10).

Alexis Lebrun qualifies for WTT Star Contender Astana final — Photo: ouest-france.fr

The Final Checkpoint

The WTT Star Contender tier carries a competitive weight on the international circuit comparable to an ATP 500 event in professional tennis. Lebrun will return to the table on Sunday at 14:45 to contest the championship match. His opponent will be determined by the outcome of the other semifinal between China’s Li Tianyang and Germany’s Dang Qiu.