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Beijing grand Smash: Félix Lebrun Makes History in Final Against World No. 1 Wang Chuqin
Beijing – Félix Lebrun, 19, has reached a monumental milestone for French table tennis, becoming the first player from his nation to compete in the final of a Grand Smash tournament. He will face the world number one, Wang Chuqin, in a highly anticipated match set to begin at 12:00 p.m. local time.
This marks a historic moment for French table tennis, equivalent to reaching a Grand Slam final in tennis. Lebrun’s journey to the final included a stunning semi-final victory over Lin Shidong,the world number 2,winning 4 sets to 2 (11-5,7-11,6-11,11-9,11-6,11-6). Wang Chuqin advanced to the final after defeating compatriot Xiang Peng 4 sets to 0.
While Lebrun has never defeated Wang Chuqin in their four previous encounters,their most recent match in July at the Grand Smash in Las Vegas was a close contest,with Lebrun losing 9-11 in the decisive round after a strong semi-final performance.
The men’s final follows the conclusion of the women’s final, where Wang Manyu defeated Yingsha Sun in six sets (10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-2). The atmosphere in Beijing is electric as spectators eagerly await the start of the men’s championship match.
