France booked their place in the semi-finals of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London with an impressive 3-0 victory over Brazil in the quarter-finals, setting up a blockbuster clash against China.
The French side delivered a dominant team performance, led by an outstanding opening win from Flavien COTON against Brazil’s star player Hugo CALDERANO.
France knew the opening match would be crucial, and COTON rose to the occasion in spectacular fashion by defeating CALDERANO in straight games.
“We knew the first match was very important to launch the tie because he is by far their leader,” explained COTON. “I really wanted to produce a strong performance and put the team on the right track. I’m very happy with my level throughout the entire match. In the third game I was down 8-4, but I managed to turn things around and win in straight games. Honestly, it was a very good performance from both me and the team.”
The victory gave France immediate momentum, and Felix LEBRUN followed with a ruthless display against Guilherme TEODORO, conceding only ten points across three games.
“It was incredible today. Special mention to Flavien for beating their number one player. That was an unbelievable match and it gave us huge momentum,” said Lebrun. “It’s already a great achievement to secure a medal, but tomorrow against China will be an incredibly exciting match.”
After dropping the opening game, Alexis LEBRUN completed the sweep by overcoming Leonardo IIZUKA to seal France’s place in the last four.
“Flavien played probably the match of his life at exactly the right moment for us,” said coach Nathanael MOLIN. “He put the team on the right track brilliantly. We can really feel that everything is smooth inside the team. The guys are fully committed, growing stronger and stronger. We already felt that during the preparation camps and everything that was put in place before the championships.”
France will now face China in the semi-finals, with the French camp embracing the opportunity to challenge the reigning world champions.
“Playing China in a World Championship semi-final is something exceptional,” added Coton. “Of course, we also want to win and try to dethrone them. They have been world champions for many years, but we believe we can produce a great performance.”
France – Brazil 3-0
- Flavien COTON – Hugo CALDERANO 3-0 (12-10, 11-8, 11-9)
- Felix LEBRUN – Guilherme TEODORO 3-0 (11-4, 11-2, 11-4)
- Alexis LEBRUN – Leonardo IIZUKA 3-1 (11-13, 11-3, 11-4, 11-7)
