Alexis and Félix LEBRUN did it again! The French brothers battled past Sweden’s Kristian KARLSSON and Anton KÄLLBERG in a dramatic five-game final to retain their Men’s Doubles crown at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana. Their 3-2 (5-11, 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8) victory at Arena Stožice secured a second consecutive European title, while the Swedish pair settled for silver. France’s Esteban DORR and Florian BOURRASSAUD and Moldova’s Vladislav URSU and Andrei PUTUNTICA completed the podium with bronze medals.
With their latest triumph, the LEBRUN brothers joined an exclusive chapter of European Championships history. Having won gold in Linz in 2024 and bronze in Munich in 2022, they became only the second pair ever to successfully defend the Men’s Doubles title. Germany’s Timo BOLL and Christian SÜSS were the first, winning four consecutive crowns between 2007 and 2010.
The final also brought a landmark achievement for KARLSSON, whose silver medal took his European Championships collection to ten – one gold, three silver and six bronze. The Swede joins a select group of players to reach double figures, while Germany’s Timo BOLL remains the all-time record holder with 28 medals, including 20 gold, four silver and four bronze.
However, their latest triumph was anything but straightforward. KARLSSON and KÄLLBERG made an impressive start, taking the opening game 11-5 and immediately putting the defending champions under pressure. The LEBRUN brothers responded strongly, winning the next two games 11-5 and 11-8 to move within one game of the title.
The Swedish combination refused to surrender, taking the fourth game 11-7 to force a decider. The final game was another intense battle, with the French pair having to recover from a difficult position before finding their best table tennis when it mattered most. Alexis took the initiative in the closing stages, while Félix produced a spectacular backhand to seal the victory and spark emotional celebrations.
For Félix, winning a second consecutive European title alongside his brother was an unforgettable moment, made even more special by the presence of their family.
“It’s incredible, really incredible. It was a very difficult match, and to come through it as winners is just amazing. We know how difficult it is to defend a title, especially at European level. To share this achievement with Alexis and the whole team makes it even more special. My parents were here as well, so there are so many emotions. I’m extremely happy,” said Félix LEBRUN.
The younger brother paid tribute to the quality of their Swedish opponents, who pushed the defending champions throughout the five-game contest.
“It was a tremendous battle, but we expected that because we were facing two exceptional players. Kristian KARLSSON is one of the best doubles players, while Anton KÄLLBERG is outstanding in both singles and doubles. We knew how difficult it would be, and the match proved exactly that.
“I think we were even a little bit under pressure and being outplayed in the deciding game, but we managed to come through it very well. We are incredibly happy and very proud of ourselves.”
For Alexis, the victory carried particular significance after an exhausting week in Ljubljana. Having already secured silver in Mixed Doubles alongside Charlotte LUTZ, he was determined to finish the Championships on the highest possible note.
“It’s incredible. This one was particularly difficult, and I really had to dig deep within myself to keep fighting and never give up. These European Championships have been extremely demanding for me, and I’ve had to push myself to the limit.
“My goal was to finish the Championships with a title, and to finish with a gold medal and a silver medal is simply extraordinary. It’s an amazing feeling, and I’m absolutely delighted.”
Alexis also highlighted the importance of the brothers’ teamwork during the decisive moments of the final, particularly when the Swedish pair appeared to have gained the upper hand.
“First of all, I think they are an extraordinary pair. The playing conditions also suited them very well, so we really had to fight for everything because they put us under tremendous pressure.
“I think it was a genuine 50-50 match, but we never gave up and kept looking for solutions. I feel that I took the initiative halfway through the deciding game, which allowed Félix to relax a little and then finish the match with an unbelievable backhand. It was absolutely incredible, almost impossible to return. I think he is probably the only player in the world capable of producing a shot like that.
“We really worked together as a team in the closing stages of the deciding game, and that makes this victory even more special.”
The French pair’s road to gold had already tested their resilience. In the quarterfinals, they survived a five-game battle against Finland’s Alex NAUMI and Benedek OLAH before overcoming their French teammates DORR and BOURRASSAUD in the semifinals.
Alexis believes those demanding encounters made their achievement even more satisfying.
“We know how difficult it is to be the favourites, especially in doubles, where matches are played over the best of five games and everything happens so quickly. We have seen throughout the tournament that anyone can beat anyone. We almost lost to a relatively new partnership in the quarterfinals.
“We work very hard on our doubles together, and we have big ambitions as a pair. To see that we can remain strong even when things become difficult is a real source of pride.
“Winning this title again is extraordinary. I don’t know how many pairs have managed to win consecutive European titles, but I don’t think there have been many.”
For KARLSSON, the silver medal adds to an outstanding European Men’s Doubles record. The experienced Swede won gold in 2022 alongside Mattias FALCK, silver in 2018 and 2012, and bronze in 2024, 2016 and 2015, all with the same partner. In Ljubljana, he reached another European final with KÄLLBERG, who added another silver medal to his European Championships collection after finishing runner-up in Linz in 2024.
Despite entering the competition as defending champions and among the leading contenders, the LEBRUN brothers never underestimated the challenge of retaining their crown.
Alexis insisted that success at the European Championships could never become routine, regardless of how many titles they collect.
“I wouldn’t say that I celebrate every single victory in the same way. If I win a training match on a Tuesday morning, I might not make too much of it!
“But winning a European Championships title is something completely different. We would never take that for granted. It’s an extraordinary competition featuring all the best players in Europe, and it means so much.
“Just because we came here as one of the leading pairs doesn’t mean winning is easy. All the best European players are here, and everyone places enormous importance on this competition.
“To have fought our way through and won this title is simply extraordinary.”
The Swedish pair reflected on a narrow defeat after pushing the defending champions to the final points of the deciding game.
“We both played a good match, and we were right there, putting pressure on them until the very end,” said Anton KÄLLBERG.
Kristian KARLSSON added:
“It really hurts that we couldn’t get the job done. It’s tough when we play such good table tennis but still fall short in the end.”
