Alliance Nimes/Montpellier TT will arrive in Saarbrücken carrying confidence, momentum and unfinished business.
The French champions will face Borussia Dusseldorf in the semi-final of the HYLO® ETTU Champions League Men Final 4 on 15-16 May, in a meeting that already carries extra emotion after last season’s quarter-final defeat to the German powerhouse.
This time, however, Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier TT arrive as a more mature and battle-tested side, strengthened by another year of experience and the continued rise of one of the most exciting line-ups in European table tennis.
Their journey to the Final 4 started earlier than most. Entering the competition from Stage 1, the French club had to build their campaign match by match. Victories against ASD TT Santa Tecla Nulvi, SF SKK El Nino Praha and Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61 helped establish rhythm and confidence from the beginning.
That momentum continued into the knockout stages. Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier comfortably overcame SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt in the Round of 16 before facing a much tougher challenge against KS Dekorglass Dzialdowo in the quarter-finals. Once again, the French side delivered under pressure, winning 3-1 at home before confirming qualification with another strong away performance.
At the centre of the project stand brothers Felix LEBRUN and Alexis LEBRUN, currently ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in Europe. Alongside them, Indian international Manav THAKKAR adds further quality, while experienced players such as Esteban DORR and Brian AFANADOR provide valuable depth.
The club also arrives in Saarbrücken as reigning French champions, having completed an almost flawless domestic campaign last season. Their title confirmed the remarkable rise of the club, which only two years earlier had celebrated promotion from Pro B.
Felix LEBRUN also arrives in Saarbrücken full of confidence after a remarkable World Championships campaign in London, where he lost only two matches and produced one of the standout performances of the tournament by defeating world No. 1 LIN Shidong in the semi-final against China.
“It was a great tournament for us that unfortunately ended in the semi-finals,” said Felix. “I’m proud of our team and the way we played. We all showed our best level so far. This match against China will motivate us more than ever to take the next step in the future.”
The younger LEBRUN brother believes his current form gives him extra belief ahead of the Final 4.
“My level over the last six or seven months has been really good. I enjoy playing every match and I feel confident, so this World Championships will keep me going in that direction.”
For Felix, Montpellier’s greatest strength this season has been the unity within the team.
“Our team spirit was the key point of our qualification to the Final 4 this year. We had tough moments, but we always stayed together and pushed each other to give our best.”
Asked about the rematch against Düsseldorf, Felix insisted the motivation comes from the occasion itself rather than revenge alone.
“It’s not extra motivation because it’s against them, but because it’s a semi-final and nobody wants to lose in the semi-final. They have experience as a team, expertise inside the club and regularity at the highest level.”
Like Alexis, Felix values the opportunity to experience these moments together with his brother.
“It feels so nice to share moments like this with him. I’m glad we can be on the same team and share these emotions together.”
And with Saarbrücken expected to deliver another packed arena and electric atmosphere, the French star cannot wait for the event to begin.
“Everyone is looking forward to the event. With Saarbrücken being the favourites this year, I think the atmosphere will be amazing. I cannot wait to be there.”
Fresh from winning bronze with France at the ITTF World Team Championships Finals in London, Alexis Lebrun admits the recent success has only strengthened his confidence ahead of the Final 4.
“It gave me a lot of confidence. We played a great tournament in London and finished with a beautiful medal, so I come to the Final 4 with a lot of confidence,” said Alexis LEBRUN.
The French star also reflected on the dramatic semi-final against China, where France came extremely close to reaching the final.
“For sure it’s not easy to lose such a big match. I was also very close to winning my individual match and had two match points, but that’s table tennis. I will keep working hard to have more chances to win these kinds of matches.”
The quick transition from the World Championships to the Champions League Final 4 will not be easy.
“It’s very difficult to play the week after a World Championships. I will try to rest as much as possible to be ready and do my best in the Final 4.”
There is also no hiding the additional motivation created by last season’s defeat to Düsseldorf.
“For sure we want to take our revenge. But the real goal is to reach the final.”
Despite the pressure of the occasion, Alexis believes one of the team’s greatest strengths is the atmosphere inside the squad.
“We like to play together as a team. It’s always a pleasure to share the court with my teammates. We are very happy about our journey in this competition and we want to continue like this.”
Still, the French club knows exactly how difficult the challenge will be against one of the most decorated clubs in Europe.
“They have a lot of experience and very strong players, so we will need to play our best table tennis if we want to have a chance to reach the final,” concluded LEBRUN.
