French table tennis stars Alexis and Félix Lebrun advanced to the men’s doubles quarterfinals at the European Table Tennis Championships in Ljubljana, Slovenia, overcoming a testing opening challenge on Wednesday, October 14, according to reporting by ouest-france.fr.
Defending Champions Battle Past Local Pair in Ljubljana
Entering the tournament as the defending champions and the top-ranked pair in the world for the category, Alexis and Félix Lebrun secured their spot in the top eight by defeating local Slovenian competitors Darko Jorgic and Deni Kozul. Ouest-france.fr reported that the French brothers clinched the round of 16 victory in three straight sets, though the encounter proved fiercely competitive with set scores of 15-13, 11-9, and 11-8.
🏆 Les vainqueurs du WTT Europe Smash en double : Alexis et Félix Lebrun !Suivez le WTT Europe Smash en direct sur la chaine L'Équipe #lequipePING pic.twitter.com/yVhX0XzXaT
The win aligns with expectations for the world number ones, who recently reached the final at the Grand Smash in Beijing, China, as noted by ouest-france.fr. Following Wednesday morning’s victory, the Lebrun pair faces a heavily favored upcoming fixture in the next round against Finnish opponents Benedek Olah and Alex Naumi.
Broader French Successes Across Singles and Mixed Events
The morning session yielded multiple advancements for the French delegation in Slovenia. Compatriots Esteban Dorr and Florian Bourrassaud joined the Lebrun brothers in the men’s doubles quarterfinals by defeating Sweden’s Truls Moregard and Elias Ranefur in four sets, recording scores of 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, and 11-9.
In the women’s draw, Prithika Pavade and Charlotte Lutz progressed to the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles after overcoming Romania’s Andreea Dragoman and Adiana Diaconu in straight sets (14-12, 11-5, 11-7). Later on Wednesday, both Pavade and 23-year-old Alexis Lebrun—who also holds the European singles title—along with his 20-year-old brother Félix, were scheduled to begin their respective singles campaigns alongside other qualified French players.
Mixed Doubles Battles and Contested Departures
While the doubles brackets brought early success, mixed doubles action delivered intense battles for the French squad. Prithika Pavade, competing alongside Thibault Poret, and Charlotte Lutz, paired with Alexis Lebrun, both contested the mixed doubles schedule on Wednesday for a place in the semifinals. Pavade ultimately bowed out in a grueling quarterfinal match alongside her partner against Romanian opponents Eduard Ionescu and Bernadette Szocs, falling 11-9, 11-13, 10-12, 11-6, 9-11.
