Headliners, program, favorites, broadcast… Everything you need to know about the WTT Champions of Montpellier with the Lebrun brothers and Simon Gauzy

A little over a week after their title of European team champions, the Lebrun brothers and Simon Gauzy are already back for the WTT in Montpellier (October 28-November 2), of which Félix is the title holder. If the world number ones are missing, both among men and women, the tournament maintains a strong field with several members of the top 10. Headliners, Tricolores, program, broadcast, prize money… here is everything you need to know about the competition broadcast exclusively on RMC Sport.

This is the big table tennis event in France. The WTT Champions of Montpellier will be held from October 28 until November 2, in a Sud de France Arena (Montpellier) which will undoubtedly be hot again after a historic edition last year. If the tournament, equivalent to a Masters 1000 in tennis, will take place without several of the best players on the planet, starting with the world numbers one, the field remains strong with several members of the top 10 and French stars.

A final historic edition

A year ago, at home, Félix Lebrun made history. At 18, the French ping star became the first Habs, and even the very first European player, to win a WTT Champions tournament. He beat the Japanese Tomokasu Harimoto in the final, sweeping four sets to one.

At home in front of the blue public and his family, the “Féfé” phenomenon swept away the Japanese prodigy after notably defeating Lin Shidong in the semi-final. Repeat in 2025? The fans are asking for just that.

Among the women too, the last edition had a historic character since the two Japanese Miwa Harimoto and Satsuki Odo faced each other in the final.

The latter not only became the first player from her country to win such a tournament but also the first non-Chinese player to win in a WTT.

Félix Lebrun spearheads the French delegation

Félix Lebrun (5th) will be back in Montpellier for this 2026 edition, just like his brother Alexis (12th) – whom he beat in the quarter-final – and Simon Gauzy (18th), with whom he has just won the European team championships. The three men will therefore arrive after a short rest. “Obviously, if it had been in another country, perhaps we would ask ourselves the question, is it worth it? But there, clearly, we all want to be there,” confided Félix Lebrun.

The male delegation will be completed by two young French people: Thibault Poret (21 years old, 33rd in the world) and Flavien Coton (17 years old, 42nd), invited by wild card and who will discover the Montpellier experience. The first reached the final of the WTT Star Contender in Chennai (India) and recently reached the top 16 at the WTT Champions in Macau while the second won his first title on the world circuit in the spring (the WTT Feeder of Havirov in the Czech Republic) and reached the round of 16 of the China Smash.

On the women's side, Jia Nan Yuan (26th) will also be there. This year, the Frenchwoman won her first title at the WTT Contender in Skopje, North Macedonia in June, where she toppled Satsuki Odo, then 8th in the world and number one seed, in the quarter-finals. Prithika Pavade (28th) and Charlotte Lutz (70th) will also be present.

A raised and open plateau with some missing favorites

While all the Chinese players were announced in Montpellier, the best in the world finally withdrew a few days ago. World number one Wang Chuqin, winner of the recent China Smash against Félix Lebrun, as well as world number two Lin Shidong and Liang Jingkun (7th) will be absent. The massacre is also visible in the women's draw, since the n°1 (Sun Yingsha) and n°2 (Wang Manyu), who faced each other in the final of the China Smash, will not compete in the WTT Champions either.

Relations between the Chinese federation and the WTT have been strained since the announcement of the new system of non-participation fines, which came into force on the WTT circuit in 2025. Chinese and table tennis legends Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng and even Ma Long have withdrawn from the world circuit. Since then, Chinese table tennis players have favored tournaments in their country or on the Asian continent.

But the WTT Champions field in Montpellier still remains strong, and the race for the title is all the more open, particularly on the men's side. Hugo Calderano (3rd), Tomokazu Harimoto (4th) and Truls Moregard (6th) will be present, as will Benedikt Duda (8th) and the Chinese Xiang Peng (9th). Félix Lebrun will therefore have a lot to do if he wants to retain his title, but he remains on excellent momentum, having become the first Frenchman to reach the final of a Grand Slam in the history of table tennis at China Smash.

Among the women, the casting is also dense. The Chinese world number 3 Chen The Japanese title holder Satsuki Odo (10th) as well as last year's finalist, her compatriot Miwa Harimoto (7th) are also there.