
Alexis Lebrun is already taking the door at the Grand Smash in Beijing. The Frenchman was beaten this Monday in four sets (3-1) by the Romanian Eduard Ionescu. Coming from qualifying and 74th player in the world, Ionescu managed to overcome a first set won by the Montpellier native to finally win 6-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-9.
Author of a very good start to the season, managing to reach the semi-final of the Singapore Grand Smash in February (equivalent to a Grand Slam tournament in tennis), Alexis Lebrun also had a checkered year following a hand injury contracted at the French championships.
Gauzy plays Tuesday
The injury itself, then an operation, kept him away from the field for several months. The start of the competition in Beijing was much simpler for his little brother Félix Lebrun – with whom he is engaged in doubles – who beat the Australian Aditya Sareen (3-0) in just 16 minutes 11-5, 11-9, 11-2.
The world No.7 will be accompanied in the second round by several other French people: Simon Gauzy – opposed Tuesday to the Brazilian Hugo Calderano -, Flavien Coton and Thibault Poret. Among the women, only Prithika Pavade made it past the first round by beating the American Amy Wang 3-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3).