French table tennis players Charlotte Lutz and Alexis Lebrun settled for the silver medal in the mixed doubles event at the European Championships in Ljubljana, Slovenia, after losing a five-set final to Germany’s Benedikt Duda and Nina Mittelham on Friday, October 16, 2026. The 3-2 defeat (11-7, 7-11, 13-11, 6-11, 17-15) came after the French pair squandered four match points in a tense deciding set.
Missed Opportunities in a Fierce Five-Set Final
The gold medal match showcased a relentless battle between the two duos at the continental tournament in Slovenia. After dropping the opening set 11-7, Lutz and Lebrun responded in the second by building a four-point lead and leveling the match with an 11-7 scoreline. The third set proved particularly cagey, with the French pair saving three set points before yielding 13-11 as Mittelham capitalized with a deceptive forehand spin.
Lutz, competing in her first European final, anchored a strong response in the fourth set with precise blocking, driving the match to a decisive fifth frame with an 11-6 victory. In an extraordinary final set featuring swings in momentum, Lebrun and Lutz erased two German match points before earning four of their own. However, the French pair failed to convert any of them. Duda and Mittelham ultimately secured the European title on their third match point, taking the fifth set 17-15.
Heavy Workload for Alexis Lebrun in Ljubljana
The mixed doubles final capped a demanding day of competition for Alexis Lebrun. Earlier in the tournament, the French player secured a qualification for the men’s doubles final alongside his younger brother, Félix Lebrun, and followed up with a victory in the Round of 16 of the men’s singles. Between his doubles commitments and the mixed doubles showdown, Lebrun had a five-hour recovery window before returning to the table.
For Lutz, the tournament appearance marked a significant milestone as the Alsatian athlete competed for her first major continental title in the category.
Quick Turnaround for Upcoming Quarters and Finals
Despite the disappointment in the mixed doubles, Lebrun’s campaign at the European Championships continues across multiple fronts. The French player advances to the quarterfinals of the men’s singles event, where he is scheduled to face Germany’s Dang Qiu with a spot in the semifinals on the line.
In addition to his singles campaign, Lebrun prepares to join forces with his brother Félix for the men’s doubles final. The French pair will face Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson and Anton Källberg in a match offering an immediate opportunity to convert their mixed doubles frustration into gold.
Unfinished Business in French Mixed Doubles History
With this defeat, France missed an opportunity to claim a fourth European title in the mixed doubles event, a category where the nation’s last victory dated back to 2022 through Emmanuel Lebesson and Jia Nan Yuan. Whether the delegation can now reclaim continental supremacy in other disciplines remains the open question as the tournament continues.
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