The WTT SMASH of Las Vegas is an opportunity to discover that the Lebrun brothers are not the only Pongis players to be on the FFL in table tennis. Lilian Bardet is not bad in this game either.
Lilian Bardet, a tournament to forget in table tennis
If Le Wtt Smash De Las Vegas Start turning to vinegar for our federationeven if Alexis Lebrun does everything in his power to cheer us up with his elimination in the round of 16, it is nothing compared to the distressing spectacle proposed by Lilian Bardet. Indeed, the world number 84 had to go through the tournament qualifications to end up in the main draw. And guess what he does in his first game? He eliminates Liang Jingkun, incidentally the world number 5. We are only in the first round, and his competition already looks like a bitter failure.
Exceptional Lilian’s victory against Liang Jingkun 🦖#TeamFrance 🇫🇷
– France table tennis (@ffttoffiel) July 7, 2025
There followed a victory over Ricardo Walther in the next round (n ° 51), before challenging Jonathan Groth, 28th world player, in the round of 16. And guess what? Perfidie continued more beautifully. Faced with the Danish skewer, Lilian Bardet won the first set, then when he was led 9-5 in the second, he inflicts a 9-3 at worst moments, to glean the set. The Frenchman finally won in four rounds (11-9, 14-12, 9-11, 14-12) and joined a certain Félix Lebrun in the quarterfinals, forcing a Frenchman to qualify in half of the tournament. Of nameless pain.
This is the tournament of his life! 🇫🇷😍
The Frenchman Lilian Bardet, n ° 84 in the world, is in the quarterfinals of the US Smash, it’s crazy! 🤯
He becomes the third French to reach the quarters of a large Smash after Félix and Alexis Lebrun!
WHAT A GAME ! 🥵 pic.twitter.com/0iP5wAUhtC
– Cho Come on! 🏓 (@choallez) July 10, 2025
When you see Lilian Bardet’s hunting board in this 84th world row tournament, if we were Félix, we would not be very serene.
The less well classified players to have reached the quarters of a large smash:
🇮🇳sharath achanta (N ° 87, Singapour 2024)
🆕🇫🇷lilian Bardet (N ° 85, USA 2025)
🇨🇳Xiang Peng (n°68, Chine 2024)
🇩🇰Anders Lind (n°50, Chine 2024)
N ° 48, SINGAPOUR 2022) pic.twitter.com/oxl7yMJ5Ft– Cho Come on! 🏓 (@choallez) July 10, 2025
