Alexis Lebrun Falls Short in Historic Grand Smash Semi-Final at Singapore

The French table tennis player, despite a strong tournament run, was defeated by world No. 2 Lin Shidong in four sets, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Alexis Lebrun, 21, reached his first-ever Grand Smash semi-final, becoming the first Frenchman to achieve this milestone since the competition's introduction in 2022.
Lebrun was defeated in four sets (11-8, 12-10, 11-7, 13-11) by Lin Shidong, the world No. 2, despite a competitive performance in the second and fourth sets.
During a tense timeout, Lebrun and his coach Nathanaël Molin had a heated exchange, which ended amicably but highlighted the pressure of the high-stakes match.
Lebrun's performance in Singapore ensures his debut in the ITTF top 10 rankings, a career-best achievement for the French player.
Lin Shidong will face Liang Jingkun, who previously defeated world No. 1 Wang Chuqin, in the Grand Smash final on Sunday.