Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier made a powerful start to their Round of 16 campaign, leaving Austria with a well-earned 3–1 victory over SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt. The French champions showed their star quality, with Félix and Alexis LEBRUN once again proving decisive in crucial moments.
Montpellier entered the match with firepower and justified their status as one of the prime contenders for a place in the Final Four.
Wiener Neustadt, seeded No. 5, battled valiantly and managed to take one point through Navid SHAMS, but ultimately could not match the French visitors.
The opening match saw Alexis LEBRUN overcome Piotr CYRNEK 3–1, with both players producing long, high-quality rallies. After the French star claimed the tight first game, CYRNEK responded well, but Alexis regained control and closed the match with authority.
In the second singles, Félix LEBRUN delivered a trademark performance, sweeping Andrei ISTRATE 3–0.
Wiener Neustadt struck back through Navid SHAMS, who produced a superb 3–1 win over Antoine HACHARD, giving the home crowd a well-deserved moment of celebration. SHAMS handled the key points with maturity, taking the fourth game 12–10 to keep his team in the tie.
However, Félix LEBRUN returned to the table for the fourth match and sealed Montpellier’s victory, again defeating CYRNEK 3–0.
“It was a very good match, and we finished it in the best possible way, a 3–1 win, which gives us a strong advantage before the return leg. I’m proud of Alexis and Felix’s performances. The whole team handled a very difficult encounter well. We knew we were the favorites, but it’s never easy to play under pressure when you’re expected to win every time. It was a particularly tough match for Alexis in the opening match, not only because the opposing team played well, but also because the atmosphere was intense. Their supporters were fantastic and very loud, which made it hard to stay focused. Alexis was outstanding, and Felix, with two identical wins (7, 6, 6), performed at the highest level and kept everything under control. Antoine HACHARD had his chances against Navid SHAMS, but playing away is never easy you arrive on the day of the match, everything feels unfamiliar, and there’s no time to adapt, unlike the home team. Now we have a month to prepare for the return leg at home, and we’re one step closer to the quarterfinals,” said coach Vincent AVRIL.
SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt – Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier 1–3
- Piotr CYRNEK – Alexis LEBRUN 1–3 (10–12, 11–7, 6–11, 11–13)
- Andrei ISTRATE – Félix LEBRUN 0–3 (6–11, 6–11, 7–11)
- Navid SHAMS – Antoine HACHARD 3–1 (11–6, 6–11, 11–6, 12–10)
- Piotr CYRNEK – Félix LEBRUN 0–3 (7–11, 6–11, 6–11)
