Crowned Sunday at the WTT Champions in Montpellier, Félix Lebrun “played at our best level”better than“at the Olympic Games”he who continues to dream very big for the rest of his career.
In Montpellier, his birthplace, the 18-year-old table tennis player became the first Frenchman to win a WTT Champions, the second level tournament on the world circuit, by beating the Japanese Tomokasu Harimoto, four sets to one.
“I don’t know what it would have taken to beat me but I played at my best. When I play at this level, I manage to compete and beat the best, I’m super happy”he enjoyed in the mixed zone, trophy at his feet, adding that he was nevertheless “far from thinking” that he could win this tournament in the first place.
At the South of France Arena, the 7th player in the world, crowned a week earlier in doubles alongside his brother Alexis at the European Championships in Linz, flew through a day which had started with a 4-0 slap inflicted in the semi-finals. final to world No.2, the Chinese Lin Shidong.
“Playing like that in Montpellier – even at the Olympic Games I played less well -, especially my semi-final, where I had a perfect match”he declared, knowing “that from the end of the match against Lin Shidong, I thought I had my chance, I felt great”.
In the final, although he left a set to his opponent, he still dominated the debates in a big way, pushing an audience totally committed to his cause.
“Given my results when we play in France, it helps me more than it stresses me”he noted, in the wake of the Paris Olympics from which he brought home bronze this summer in singles and in teams with Alexis Lebrun and Simon Gauzy.
To celebrate his victory on Sunday, he jumped on the table, like his big brother did last March at the French championships won against him.
“I wanted to do it in the final, I’ve never done it and it’s a blast! Especially with the clapping, just to thank the public”.
And does this new victory, a first for him in a tournament of this level, give him the desire to dream bigger? “Since I was little, I have always had very high goals, perhaps higher than was possible. I’m getting closer and I hope I can get there.”he replied
