Alexis Lebrun, after his victory in the round of 16 of the WTT Champions in Montpellier: "One of the best moments of my life"

"Can you explain what happened during that match ? Pretty good stuff (he smiles) . No, honestly, it was, I think, one of the best matches of my life. In terms of emotion, definitely, and in terms of skill level, it was close. Even if everything wasn't perfect, it wasn't far off. I managed to really hold on and keep playing my game, no matter what was happening. In any case, I think we both played an exceptional match. After that, it comes down to very little. And I think the extra support from the crowd helped."

There were those first two sets that didn't go your way, and then that frustration before the third. Nathanaël Molin, your coach, waited before speaking to you... "Nath" let me express my anger because I think it was deserved at that moment. It wasn't inappropriate; there was nothing wrong with it. Afterward, he told me I had to keep going because I was on the right track; it was just a matter of fine-tuning a few details. I told him I agreed, that for me, it was just my level of play that needed to improve a little.

And what did you say to yourself at 6-10 in the final set? I thought I was done for. That it sucks. I play a great match and it goes wrong, I concede two or three " lucky points" (points my opponent wins) at the end. It's tough. And then I tell myself , "You're on a long road, you're coming back too." So, I play every point to the fullest. Every extra point is a point I really enjoy. And it went magnificently. I won't be able to do it every time, but it's fantastic.

"What's happening right now with table tennis in France, in Montpellier, is just exceptional. To be able to experience this is incredible."

And then there were all those emotions, the Marseillaise with the crowd... I think the Arena was close to collapsing, it was shaking so much! It's one of the best moments of my life. What's happening right now in table tennis, in France, in Montpellier, is just exceptional. To be able to experience this is incredible. So, I'm trying to enjoy every moment, because I know these are things you don't experience often and you have to make the most of them.

Only one seed remains in the quarterfinals, Sweden's Truls Moregard. Is the draw wide open? It's a bit more open than usual, but frankly, given the level of play right now, it's incredibly even. Anyone can beat anyone; we're seeing guys ranked around 30 (around 30th in the world) playing at an insane level. It's a unique tournament so far, with new faces, new matchups—it's a real treat for everyone.