Table tennis: Félix Lebrun retains French championship title against brother Alexis

Félix Lebrun has retained his French table tennis singles title, once again overcoming his older brother Alexis in a dramatic final. The younger Lebrun sibling secured his second national championship by defeating Alexis 4-2 in a six-set match on Sunday in Laval.

The 19-year-old Félix, currently ranked 4th in the world, faced off against his 22-year-old brother, the 12th-ranked Alexis. This marked the fourth consecutive year the brothers competed against each other in the national final. While Alexis had won in 2023 and 2024, Félix claimed his first title last year in a thrilling 4-3 victory.

In this year's final, Félix initially established a comfortable lead. However, Alexis fought back, decisively winning the fifth set 11-2. The sixth set proved to be a nail-biting affair, captivating the audience with a back-and-forth battle that ultimately leaned in favor of the defending champion. A service error by Alexis at the very end of the set proved crucial.

"He helped me a little bit... to turn the situation around, take the set and the victory," Félix commented after the match. He added, "It's always extremely difficult to play against Alexis, but I really enjoyed it." The now two-time French champion expressed pride in sharing the table with his brother.