World number one, European champions and bronze medalists at the world championships in double, Alexis and Felix Lebrun played this Saturday their first WTT Grand Smash final, more prestigious world circuit tournament. They were beaten 3-1 by the Koreans Lim Jong-Hoon and An Jae-Hyun (4th in Ranking) despite four balls to lead two sleeves to zero.
Alexis Lebrun, given the scenario of this final, do you feel more of frustration or disappointment?
A bit of both, necessarily disappointed but we put it into perspective, it is when a final of Grand Smash, it is very positive but given the scenario, we are disappointed because we had a way to get this match. I don't think we played the important points badly, they also went to get them. It was not easy but it was a big match especially in the hot moments. It was hard to win this match but it is frustrating.
You have long made them doubt …
We had the means to put their heads underwater and we let them breathe. And when they started playing at their top level we were a little stuck. We could hurt them and we failed to seize the opportunity, that's how it is.
What's going on when you have these four second-handed balls?
They play the four points super well, we make the small technical mistakes but nothing very blatant. They play the points really well and from 10-10, it's not easy, the dynamics are reversed a little and it was complicated afterwards.
This is the second time in a row that you have stuck against this Korean pair. Does it particularly be a problem for you?
They are problematic for many people. The Chinese pair in general is above and after there are four pairs of equivalent level (Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taïpei, France). We beat them at the start of the year in Singapore, they beat us twice (after the WTT Star Contender of Ljubljana in June). It wins, it loses, it's a bit the same level. They are playing super well at the moment, we have a little less automatisms with Felix, we got a little less trained so it's not easy.
You still haven't won a large smash double but it remains a very good performance …
It is a final of a big home, like Wimbledon which ends at the same time! So yes it's already very good.
