Day 2 of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 nearly delivered a major upset in the Men’s Doubles draw, as top-seeded French duo Alexis and Félix LEBRUN were pushed to the brink by Spain’s Juan PEREZ and Daniel BERZOSA, before narrowly avoiding elimination (7-11, 5-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7). Reigning European champions and recent winners of the WTT Finals Fukuoka, the LEBRUN brothers entered the tournament as strong favourites to contend for gold. However, their title campaign began with a serious reality check. The young Spanish pair, well aware of the challenge before them, rose to the occasion with fearless play and aggressive tactics. Dominating the opening two games, PEREZ and BERZOSA stunned the crowd at Lusail Arena, momentarily placing the French stars on the edge of a first-round exit. With momentum firmly against them, Alexis and Félix had no margin for error. Displaying the resilience of champions, they regrouped in the third game and began to find their rhythm. Once the momentum shifted, they tightened their grip on the match, taking the fourth and then closing out the decider with confidence to complete the comeback and move into the next round. There was clear relief in their celebrations — the LEBRUNS had survived a massive scare and will now shift focus to their next opponents: Benyamin FARAJI and Amirmahdi KESHAVARZI. Alexis LEBRUN: “I hadn’t played a match in a long time, so it was not easy to start and they also played very well in the second game, they destroyed us. We talked with our coach and we said, “okay, we need to accept that they play good and fight with this,” and we started to play better and better. I think we played three good games after, and I’m very happy about this.” Felix LEBRUN: “We were pushing each other to stay in the match, to stay focused. We know it’s not easy to finish a match when we are close to making a big performance, so we were just thinking about it game by game and we would see what happens.” However in Men’s Doubles, there was a surprise exit for Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Patrick FRANZISKA, who were knocked out by the inspired Australian pairing of Hwan BAE and Aditya SAREEN. The Aussies produced a high-energy performance, winning 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 14-12) and claiming one of the most notable upsets of the day. Sweden’s Mattias FALCK advanced to the Round of 64 after a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Argentina’s Santiago LORENZO (14-12, 11-8, 11-3, 2-11, 10-12, 7-11, 11-3). “The first game was a bit up and down, we were both nervous. I didn’t feel great at the start, but still managed to lead 3-0. Then he changed his serve and it threw me off. I told myself I had to be proud no matter what—go for it, play my game, and if I lose, at least I gave everything,” said FALCK. “I’m happy to be here for another World Championships. I had good tournaments recently, especially in Tunis, and I’m feeling optimistic. The level is so close now. Next, I face DAESONG, and if I win, FRANZISKA is waiting in the third round. Plus, in doubles with Kristian KARLSSON, we’re aiming for a medal.” France’s Simon GAUZY had a convincing start with a 4-0 win over Egypt’s Mahmoud HELMY (11-6, 11-6, 11-2, 11-6). “You’re always a little nervous at the World Championships, no matter how many you’ve played. So I’m very pleased with how I performed today,” said GAUZY. “I left Durban last time with regrets. I was playing well but couldn’t close out my second-round match. But now, I’ve been playing at a high level for several months. Whether it’s CHAN or LIND next, it’s going to be tough. I’ve beaten Anders before, but also lost to him—so it’s all about focus. I just want to enjoy each round and give my best.” In Women’s Singles Hana MATELOVA of Czechia defeats Dina MESHREF of Egypt 4-0 (11-7, 11-3, 11-3, 11-7) in Women’s Singles, Round of 128 “We played at the Star Contender a year ago, and she completely dominated me. But today, it was the other way around. This was our rematch, and I think I was more aggressive and active from the start. I played with a lot of intensity, especially on serve and receive and that made the difference today. I really want to enjoy this victory. It’s my last World Championships, so I want to go as far as I possibly can. Tomorrow, we have the doubles as well, and I’m looking forward to that next challenge.”

The second day of play at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals in Doha saw a strong start from Charlotte LUTZ of France. Ranked No. 92 in the world, LUTZ came from two games down to defeat Korea’s Eunhye LEE (World No. 52) 4-2 (7-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8). European champion Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria, seeded No. 12, overcame Orawan PARANANG of Thailand in six games. In the Round of 64, she will face Andreea DRAGOMAN of Romania, who defeated another Thai representative, Jinnipa PARANANG, in the opening round. Germany’s Annett KAUFMANN made a dominant start to her Women’s Singles campaign, cruising past NG Wing Lam of Hong Kong in straight games. “I go to the table with confidence and give my best,” said KAUFMANN, looking ahead to her upcoming clash with China’s Chen Xingtong. “I believe I can cause problems for the world No. 3.” Despite ongoing foot issues, KAUFMANN stayed focused and also impressed in doubles alongside Xiaona SHAN, defeating the Canadian pair Ivy LAO / Mo ZHANG. “We trained together before the Olympics, but this is our first tournament as a pair. Overall, we played well,” commented SHAN. KAUFMANN added: “My foot still hurts a bit, but our physios tape it up so well I barely notice it. We get along really well, and I trust Nana completely.” It was the opposite outcome for Germany’s Xiaona SHAN in singles. She lost to Turkey’s Sibel ALTINKAYA 3-4 (–5, 7, 7, 9, –9, –7, –4), despite leading 3:1 and 9:5 in the fifth game. Ioana SINGEORZAN of Romania overcame Audrey ZARIF of France in straight games. In the second round, she will meet No. 9 seed Yubin SHIN of Korea. In another all-European encounter, Giorgia PICCOLIN of Italy defeated Lilou MASSART of Belgium in straight games. Germany’s Sabine WINTER also advanced with a 4-0 win over Mariam ALHODABY. “I’m happy with the 4-0 win. My regular game worked well, although my anti-spin shots were a bit shaky. I’m looking forward to the next match,” said WINTER, who will face Hanitra RAHARIMANANA of Madagascar in the Round of 64. Jieni SHAO of Portugal defeated CHANG Li Sian of Malaysia 4-2 and will next face No. 7 seed Satsuki ODO of Japan. Poland’s Natalia BAJOR came through a 4-2 win over Singapore’s Li Qian SER. Two Serbian players also secured spots in the second round: Andrea TODOROVIC and Izabela LUPULESKU.

On the opening day of competition at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025, last week’s European Under 21 Men’s Singles runner-up, Iulian CHIRITA of Romania, made a confident performance on the global stage. Ranked 88th in the world, CHIRITA upset world No. 38 Finn LUU of Australia in straight games to reach the second round (12-10, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7). “It was a tough match because we know each other quite well,” said CHIRITA. “I tried to focus and stick to my game plan from the beginning, and it worked well. Even when I was ahead, he showed great mentality and kept pushing, but I stayed focused on executing my tactics.” France’s Felix LEBRUN, seeded sixth, also advanced with a commanding 4-0 win over Slovakia’s Lubomir PISTEJ (11-7, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8). “It doesn’t really matter if I win 4-0, 4-1, or 4-2 — the goal was simply to reach the second round, and I’m happy to have done that,” said LEBRUN. “We had a great 10-day training camp with the French team before this, which was very valuable since it’s hard to align schedules. I also played well at WTT Contender Tunis 2025 just before, so I’m feeling confident about my form. Let’s see what happens next.” Germany’s Dang QIU needed all seven games to overcome Filip ZELJKO of Croatia, coming back from a 4-6 deficit in the decider to win. His doubles partner Benedikt DUDA also faced a tough start, losing the first game against Ecuador’s Alberto MIÑO, but responded well to claim victory in five. The win was particularly meaningful for DUDA, who had suffered a first-round exit to ZELJKO two years ago at the World Championships in Durban. “It was a tough battle with myself,” DUDA reflected. Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC, seeded 11th, progressed to the round of 64 with a straight-sets win over Madagascar’s Fabio RAKOTOARIMANANA (11-4, 12-10, 11-6, 11-4). There were also strong performances from several other European players. Tomislav PUCAR of Croatia defeated Izaac QUEK of Singapore, while Romania’s Eduard IONESCU overcame Aly GHALLAB of Egypt. Austria’s Robert GARDOS prevailed against Belgium’s Cedric NUYTINCK, Sweden’s Kristian KARLSSON secured a win over Lubomir JANCARIK of Czechia, and England’s Tom JARVIS defeated Benedek OLAH of Finland. “He’s a very tricky player with a lot of quality. If you’re not focused, he can make it very tough,” said JARVIS. “I lost a close match to him at the end of last year, so I reviewed that game carefully with my coach, created a new game plan, and prepared well. I’m trying not to focus on results — just on executing the plan and performing at my best. If that leads to a win, great. Then it’s on to the next one.” Spain’s Alvaro ROBLES also impressed with a 4-2 win over Croatia’s Andrej GACINA. “I think I played quite well today. I knew it would be a tough match. I’ve known Andrej for a long time — he was one of the players I looked up to when I moved to Germany to turn professional. It’s a great honour to face him and to come away with the win,” said ROBLES.

With the 2025 ITTF World Individual Championships about to begin in Doha (17–25 May), the German table tennis team travels to Qatar in full force and with a clear sense of purpose. Just days before departure, concerns surrounded the fitness of rising star Annett KAUFMANN, who twisted her ankle during final preparations in Düsseldorf. Thankfully, a quick medical assessment revealed only a ligament strain with no structural damage, and after a successful fitness test, the reigning U19 World Champion received the all-clear to join the team. This year’s Championships return to a familiar venue—Doha hosted the 2004 Team World Championships, where Germany claimed silver in the men’s event. Two decades later, the DTTB contingent once again hopes to shine, this time in singles, doubles, and mixed events across the Lusail Sports Arena and Qatar University Sports Complex. Germany heads into the Championships with one of its strongest male lineups in recent history. World No. 8 Patrick FRANZISKA, European Champion Dang QIU (WR: 11), World Cup quarterfinalist Benedikt DUDA (WR: 13), Olympic bronze medalist Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (WR: 20), and Ricardo WALTHER (WR: 35) are tasked with carrying German hopes. FRANZISKA, seeded in the top eight for the first time at a Worlds, opens his campaign against his former Saarbrücken teammate, Liao Cheng-Ting (TPE). “We trained together for a year – I know what to expect,” said FRANZISKA, who, alongside OVTCHAROV, won bronze in men’s doubles at the 2023 Worlds in Durban. DUDA will also face a familiar face—his former clubmate Alberto MIÑO (ECU)—in a potentially tricky first-round encounter. “I know I can beat anyone, but the margins at this level are razor-thin,” DUDA admitted. QIU begins against Croatia’s Filip ZELJKO, while OVTCHAROV takes on Austria’s Daniel HABESOHN, with a possible rematch against Taiwan’s Lin Yun-Ju looming. WALTHER starts Sunday against Eugene WANG (CAN). Despite the absence of injured Nina MITTELHAM, national coach Tamara BOROS believes in her five-player women’s squad: Sabine WINTER (WR: 45), Ying HAN (WR: 47), Xiaona SHAN (WR: 50), Yuan WAN (WR: 62), and Annett KAUFMANN (WR: 111). KAUFMANN, whose opening match is against Hong Kong’s NG Wing Lam, faces a daunting path, with China’s world No. 3 Chen Xingtong potentially waiting in round two. “The draw is tough, but they also just use water to boil their noodles,” she joked. HAN, returning from two Achilles tendon injuries, could meet 2019 World Champion Wang Manyu in round three. “Not my dream draw,” she admitted, “but if I get there, I’ll give everything.” WINTER, Germany’s current No. 1, begins against Egypt’s Mariam ALHODABY and may face Japan’s Satsuki ODO later. SHAN and WAN also face experienced international opponents in their openers. The men’s duo of FRANZISKA/OVTCHAROV begin their bid against former World silver medallists IONESCU/ROBLEs (ROU/ESP), while DUDA/QIU face early challenges from India after an initial tie against Zambia. In women’s doubles, WAN/WINTER may face Chinese contenders QIAN Tianyi and CHEN Xingtong as early as round two. KAUFMANN/SHAN begin against Canada. Mixed doubles offers no easy path either: KAUFMANN and FRANZISKA face French pair Simon GAUZY and Prithika PAVADE, with a potential second-round clash against top seeds LIN Shidong and KUAI Man (CHN). DUDA/WAN open against reigning European champions MARIA XIAO and ALVARO ROBLES (ESP). While the Chinese team remains the dominant force on paper, recent breakthroughs—such as Hugo CALDERANO’S stunning World Cup victory—prove that upsets are possible. With strong squads from Brazil, France, Japan, Korea, and Chinese Taipei in the mix, the 2025 World Championships promise a tightly contested affair. Sport director Richard PRAUSE put it succinctly: “A medal is always a dream, but one that becomes real only if all the pieces fall into place. In Durban 2023, they did. Why not in Doha, too?” Men: Women: Doubles: Staff:

The French national table tennis team is on its way to Qatar for the 2025 ITTF World Individual Championships, which will kick off on Saturday, May 17. With five events on the program—men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles—France will be represented across the board by a dynamic and ambitious lineup of players. As the competition nears, Jean-Nicolas BARELIER, the National Technical Director of the French Table Tennis Federation, shared insights into the team’s goals and outlook. “We are still in a phase of transition following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” BARELIER stated. “Our sport’s profile has evolved nationally, and our international standing has shifted. This is leading to changes in our structure and will culminate in a new three-year preparation cycle for Los Angeles 2028. But make no mistake: this World Championships is a key competition, and our athletes are driven to perform. They are competitors through and through, and given their level, our ambitions are justified. However, this is the most competitive international event on the calendar—with up to five top-level players per major country—which makes reaching the podium an enormous challenge. Our last medal at this event dates back to 1997, when Jean-Philippe GATIEN and Damien ELOI won bronze in men’s doubles. That speaks volumes about how tough it is to medal here. The preparation has gone well, and now we’re eager to begin.” Team France: Players and Pairings in Qatar Men’s Singles Women’s Singles Men’s Doubles Women’s Doubles Mixed Doubles

The French Table Tennis Federation (FFTT) has officially submitted its bid to host the 2027 World Table Tennis Championships in Montpellier, presenting a comprehensive project built around the theme “A Vision for the Future.” The proposal reflects France’s ambition to deliver a high-quality international event while investing in long-term legacy and development for the sport nationwide. If awarded, this would be the fifth time France hosts the World Championships, following previous editions in Paris (1934, 1947, 2003, 2013). The event will also coincide with the 100th anniversary of the FFTT, giving special symbolic weight to the occasion. Montpellier has been chosen as the host city for its proven experience with international events and its accessibility. The centerpiece of the bid is the Sud de France Arena, which successfully hosted the WTT Champions event in 2024 and is well-equipped for a global championship. All key sites—including competition halls, practice venues, hotels, and the airport—are located within a 10 km radius, enabling a streamlined and athlete-friendly experience. The “5-minute venue” concept ensures optimal logistics for players, officials, and media. Beyond the competition itself, the FFTT’s bid places a strong emphasis on legacy and community impact. Key initiatives include: These projects are designed to extend the benefits of hosting well beyond the event dates, strengthening participation and visibility across the country. France’s history in the sport is long and established. As one of the founding nations of international table tennis, it has produced world champions like Jean-Philippe GATIEN, who serves as an ambassador for the 2027 bid. The FFTT has grown from just 5,000 members in 1927 to over 265,000 registered players today. The 2027 World Championships would represent a milestone—both a celebration of a century of French table tennis and a launching point for the sport’s continued evolution in France.