Félix Lebrun captured his first European men’s singles title on Sunday, October 18, 2026, defeating Sweden’s Anton Källberg in a seven-set final at the European Table Tennis Championships in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The 20-year-old French player secured the victory with a dominant 11-1 scoreline in the decisive seventh set, finishing 4-3 overall (7-11, 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-1).
The triumph arrives two months after Lebrun’s Grand Smash victory in Malmö on August 16, 2026, and follows his doubles title alongside his brother Alexis Lebrun. Ranked second in the world, the Montpellier native entered the continental final as the favorite but faced pressure from the 29-year-old Källberg (29th in the world).
A Rollercoaster Final Against Anton Källberg
The championship match did not follow a straightforward script. Källberg capitalized on his service game and backhand to catch Lebrun off guard in the opening frame, taking it 11-7 to put the French player on the back foot. Lebrun responded by adjusting his tactics, edging out a tight second set 11-9 after nearly squandering a five-point lead at 10-5.
CHAMPION D'EUROPE !Félix Lebrun réalise une démonstration dans cette belle pour s'offrir succéder à son frère sur le toit de l'Europe#lequipePING pic.twitter.com/rz3KyDFP4k
Intensity peaked in the third set as both competitors traded blows before Lebrun secured a 13-11 win to pull ahead. Källberg refused to fold, claiming the fourth set 11-8 and the fifth 11-9 to push the favorite to the brink of elimination. Staring down a 3-2 deficit, Lebrun tightened his service game in the sixth frame to win 11-6, setting the stage for a seventh set where he conceded only a single point.
Early Rounds and French Campaign in Slovenia
Lebrun’s path to the gold medal match required overcoming compatriot Léo De Nodrest earlier in the tournament. In the quarterfinals, Lebrun dispatched Germany’s Patrick Franziska in straight sets (4-0: 11-2, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8), reaching the final four of the European championships for the first time.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2026/10/03/image-111278e3-cdcf-4633-b973-7c35ba9b0dc3-85-2560-1440.jpeg "Photo: Eurosport")
Meanwhile, the broader French contingent experienced mixed fortunes in Ljubljana. Alexis Lebrun, the previous year’s singles champion, saw his title defense end in the quarterfinals following a 4-1 defeat to Germany’s Dang Qiu. Despite that exit, the French delegation secured five total medals across the events, improving upon their three-medal haul from 2024.
Prithika Pavade Reaches the Semifinals
In the women’s draw, 22-year-old French left-hander Prithika Pavade advanced to the semifinals by defeating Romania’s Elena Zaharia in straight sets (4-0: 11-4, 11-9, 16-14, 11-8). Building on her victory over ninth-ranked Sabine Winter, Pavade secured her first senior European individual podium finish, marking the first time a French woman reached the singles podium since 2012.
Au vu de ma lancée j’ai envie de penser à la suite et de continuer,
Pavade stated in remarks broadcast by L’Equipe TV, adding that gaining experience helps her advance.
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