MONTPELLIER, FRANCE – Alexis Lebrun is one step closer to matching his brother’s success after a thrilling quarter-final victory at the WTT Champions in Montpellier, securing his place in the semi-finals.
Lebrun defeated Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic 4-2 in a captivating match at the Sud de France Arena on Saturday evening (8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-4). The win follows his remarkable victory over world number 13 Tomokazu Harimoto the previous day.
“It was more in control than yesterday, where it was big nonsense.I managed to lead my match well. It’s a real step in my journey. Winning the second set did me a lot of good. Quite quickly I managed to get back into it. I managed to get into the match from the 2nd set,” Lebrun told RMC Sport after the match.
Fueled by a fervent home crowd, Lebrun demonstrated increasing dominance throughout the contest, ultimately closing it out in six rounds despite a momentary dip in the fifth. “We have the best audience in the world. The objective was to benefit. For us french,it’s crazy!” he exclaimed.
The semi-final will pit Lebrun against Sweden’s Truls Moregard, a highly-ranked contender and the tournament favorite. The two players are familiar opponents, having met seven times previously. While Moregard currently leads their head-to-head record 4-3, Lebrun has emerged victorious in their last two encounters: 4-0 at the 2024 European Championships and 3-1 in Montpellier last year.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s match, Lebrun acknowledged Moregard’s strength, stating, “Last year he was in good shape after the Games. He is very fit, his course is stunning. Truls is one of the best in the world.”
Lebrun is now aiming to follow in the footsteps of his younger brother, Félix, who won the prestigious WTT Champions tournament – a Masters 1000 equivalent in tennis - in Montpellier last year. The semi-final is scheduled for around 1:15 p.m. on Sunday.
