Table tennis – After the doubles with his brother, the singles: Alexis Lebrun crowned European champion

A huge Alexis Lebrun and a fantastic double. A little over an hour after being crowned in doubles with his brother Félix, the Frenchman became European champion in singles. In the final, the 21-year-old table tennis player did not give the German Benedikt Duda the slightest chance, dispatched in 4 sets (11-5, 11-8, 11-6, 11-2). Alexis Lebrun wins the greatest individual title of his career and becomes the 3rd French European champion in history.

We have to go back to 2016 and the coronation of Emmanuel Lebesson to see a tricolor on the roof of Europe. Alexis Lebrun scored a double blow on Sunday in Linz (Austria). “JI’m not going to party right away because I’m playing again in 30 minutes“, the Montpellier native told the L’Equipe channel after his doubles coronation. He remained focused on this objective to finish a competition dominated from start to finish.

After dismissing the reigning European champion in the quarters (4-1) then dispatching his half (4-0), Alexis Lebrun was still on cloud nine. A one-sided final, where the Frenchman was only behind once and where he was simply too strong. Benedikt Duda, German No. 4, eliminated Félix Lebrun in the quarterfinals. He couldn’t do anything against the big brother.

After winning a fairly tense first set, the 21-year-old table tennis player saw the German hang on during a second round where he expressed his offensive talent a little better. Not enough to move a solid Alexis Lebrun, capable of varying the game, and of serving very well to always be in the lead.

Disgusted as the points went by, Benedikt Duda definitely gave up in the 4th and final round on a point where the tricolor put everything back on the table to lead 6-2. Then it continued to unfold until the coronation which was well worth a shirtless celebration. A little more than two months after the Olympic Games, the Lebrun dynasty continues to expand and this time, it is the eldest who shines in singles.