Defending champion Alexis LEBRUN of France, Germany’s Patrick FRANZISKA and Benedikt DUDA, and Sweden’s Anton KÄLLBERG secured their places in the Men’s Singles quarterfinals at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana on Friday. While KÄLLBERG and DUDA progressed with convincing victories, FRANZISKA survived a dramatic seven-game battle against Croatia’s Tomislav PUCAR, and LEBRUN overcame a demanding challenge from Sweden’s Kristian KARLSSON.
LEBRUN, the No. 2 seed, defeated KARLSSON 4-2 (11-13, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9), gaining a measure of revenge for his Round of 16 defeat against the Swede at the European Championships in Munich four years ago.
“I’m very happy and relieved. It was a difficult match against an exceptional player who always rises to the occasion in major competitions, across all events. To have beaten KARLSSON twice here is a great source of pride, especially considering his achievements and experience. He is an extremely difficult opponent to face. He knocked me out in the Round of 16 at the European Championships in Munich in 2022, so this was also a little personal revenge. I’m really pleased,” said LEBRUN.
The Frenchman admitted that the opening game had been particularly frustrating, with KARLSSON successfully countering his attacking play.
“In the first game, KARLSSON countered my opening attacks extremely well. I was frustrated because I felt I had started the match well, but he immediately produced an exceptional level of play. Against a player like him, it is always better to take the lead.
“Normally, it isn’t easy for opponents to adapt to the quality of my shots, but he managed to do that superbly. I had to find the resources to fight back, and that’s what matters.”
LEBRUN, who earlier on Friday also reached the Men’s Doubles final alongside his younger brother Félix, emphasised the demands of competing at this stage of the Championships.
“For the past two or three days, I’ve been giving 110 per cent in every match. At this stage of the competition, we’re playing matches at the very highest European level, even world level. You cannot hold anything back. You have to give absolutely everything you have and see whether it pays off.”
One of the most dramatic encounters of the day saw eighth seed Patrick FRANZISKA overcome 12th seed Tomislav PUCAR 4-3 (5-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7).
The German described the contest as a tactical chess match between two players who know each other’s strengths extremely well.
“Playing against PUCAR is always extremely difficult. It feels almost like a game of chess. We are both tall, we both take quite a lot of risks, and he has such a strong backhand that you are constantly trying to take it out of the game. His forehand has also improved significantly, which makes him a very uncomfortable opponent for me.
“When I lost the third game after leading 10-6, I had to sit down for a moment because I knew how important that game was. Once he gains the upper hand and starts playing with confidence, he can attack from absolutely any position. Fortunately, I managed to come back from 1-5 in the fourth game, and in the end it was a real battle of nerves.”
Despite the exhausting encounter, FRANZISKA admitted that he enjoys the challenge of long matches and the mental demands they bring.
“In a way, I love these kinds of matches. I am a big fan of the best-of-seven format because you really have time to get into the battle. There were moments during the match when I thought, ‘This is fantastic, a proper fight!’ In best-of-five matches, everything sometimes happens so quickly that you barely feel you have settled into the match. Even if I had lost today, I would still feel the same about best-of-seven. I am happy that I embraced the fight.”
He added:
“I am not sweating just because it is physically demanding. That is what I love about our sport. It is not only about physical effort and spectacular rallies, but also about battles of nerves like today’s match. It becomes extremely tactical, and you have to stay calm, constantly finding new solutions. If you make a bad decision, you have to forget it quickly and move on.”
Looking ahead to a potential meeting with top seed Félix LEBRUN, FRANZISKA welcomed the opportunity to test himself against one of Europe’s strongest players.
“Félix is coming through the draw very convincingly. I never really look at the draw, although I knew before today’s match that I could face him next. There are certainly easier opponents to draw at the moment! But you want to play against the best, and for me, Félix is probably the best player here right now. I am really looking forward to that challenge.”
Germany’s Benedikt DUDA, the No. 5 seed and silver medallist from the 2024 European Championships in Linz, advanced with a 4-1 victory over Finland’s Benedek OLAH (11-4, 11-6, 11-2, 5-11, 11-5).
DUDA dominated the opening three games before OLAH briefly interrupted his momentum, but the German quickly regained control.
“The conditions here are quite challenging because the table is very fast and the ball has a lot of spin. But I am getting more and more used to the conditions with every round, and I am really happy to have reached the quarterfinals,” said DUDA.
Looking ahead to Saturday, he added:
“It’s the quarterfinals of the European Championships, so I will give it everything I have. I won’t make any excuses tomorrow. I’ll go out there and do my best. My goal is to take another step forward, although I know it’s going to be a tough match. I’ll give it my all, and we’ll see what happens.”
Sweden’s Anton KÄLLBERG, the No. 6 seed, continued his impressive campaign with a commanding 4-0 victory over Greece’s experienced defender Panagiotis GIONIS (11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-1).
The Swedish player, who has yet to suffer a defeat in either Singles or Doubles in Ljubljana, was particularly pleased with his form and physical condition as the tournament approaches its decisive stages.
“Everything has been going great. I’ve played well, I feel fit, and I’ve coped with the demanding schedule very well. I’ve been feeling better and better throughout the tournament, which is always encouraging because the most important match is always the last one you play,” said KÄLLBERG.
Against GIONIS, the Swede’s aggressive approach proved decisive, preventing the Greek defender from establishing his preferred rhythm.
“It was important to keep finding ways to put pressure on GIONIS throughout the rallies. I had to stay aggressive, find opportunities to attack even from difficult positions, and avoid giving him easy ways back into the points once I had gained the advantage. I managed to do that well today, and overall, I think it was a great performance.”
KÄLLBERG had already secured a place in Saturday’s Men’s Doubles final alongside Kristian KARLSSON earlier in the day, following their 3-0 semifinal victory over Moldova’s Vladislav URSU and Andrei PUTUNTICA.
KÄLLBERG also had valuable experience in his corner, with former European champion Michael MAZE guiding him from the bench. The Dane knows GIONIS particularly well, having faced the Greek defender numerous times during his own playing career. GIONIS is even older than MAZE.
“I know him well, but KÄLLBERG was superb today. He did everything right,” said MAZE, praising the Swede’s commanding performance.
