Félix Lebrun qualified for the final of the WTT Champions in Montpellier on Sunday by sharply eliminating Chinese world No.2 Lin Shidong four sets to zero.
The 18-year-old Frenchman, seventh player in the world, won 14-12, 11-9, 11-9, 11-3 and will play the final at the end of the afternoon (5 p.m.) against the Japanese Tomokasu Harimoto.
A victory at the end of the day, on home soil, would be an achievement since no Frenchman has so far won a WTT Champions, a second-level tournament on the international circuit just behind the Grand Smashes, the equivalent of a tennis Grand Slam. .
“There is still one more match to go, we are going to do it all together, we are going to go for this title”proclaimed the young man at the organization’s microphone after the meeting, almost prevented from speaking in front of the crowd who were then singing the Marseillaise.
Facing him, Tomokasu Harimoto presents himself as world No.8, one place behind the Frenchman in the WTT rankings.
The Japanese had qualified for the final a few minutes earlier at the expense of the German Benedikt Duda, four sets to two.