Table Tennis – World Team Championships (M): The French beaten by China in semi

Mathieu Warnier, Media365: published on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 11:40 p.m.

The French team, also known as the Bleus, managed to create doubt among the Chinese players, but they were unable to clinch victory and lost in the semi-finals of the Team World Championships (3-1).

Despite a valiant effort, the French team fell short once again, just like two years ago when they were defeated by China in the finals. However, they did manage to unsettle the Chinese players. Following an impressive performance by Flavien Coton against Hugo Calderano on Friday, the French team decided to start the semi-final match with Coton facing off against the world number 1, Wang Chuqin. Coton managed to challenge Wang Chuqin from the start, saving two set points before ultimately losing the set. The match was far from decided.

In the second set, Coton initially took the lead, but Wang Chuqin fought back, leading the French team to call for a time-out to regroup. The advice given during the time-out helped Coton to level the match after a suspenseful battle. The two players went back and forth, with Coton eventually winning the set. This motivated Wang Chuqin to elevate his game, resulting in a one-sided fourth set, although it was not an easy victory.

Felix Lebrun then took over for the French team, facing off against the world number 6, Lin Shidong. Lebrun dominated the match, earning a crucial point for France. The momentum continued as Lebrun won the match in straight sets, bringing France level with China.

Alexis Lebrun then stepped up to face Liang Jingkun, with the French team sensing an opportunity to take the lead. After a strong start, Alexis Lebrun struggled in the second set, but managed to win the match, putting the French team in a good position.

However, Wang Chuqin managed to turn the tide, winning the final set and securing China’s spot in the finals. Despite a valiant effort from Felix Lebrun, the French team was defeated, setting up a final showdown between China and Japan.

The French team’s journey in the Team World Championships ended at the hands of China, who will now face Japan in the final match.