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.”
