In a nail-biting men's singles semifinal at the inaugural United States Smash 2025 in Las Vegas on July 12, French teen sensation Felix Lebrun (world No. 7) pushed China's Wang Chuqin (world No. 2 and Olympic champ) to the limit, losing 3-4 despite scoring more total points (67-66).

The 18-year-old Lebrun, from Montpellier, had never beaten Wang before but showed explosive form after teaming with brother Alexis to beat Wang in doubles earlier. Wang, 25, cruised through prior rounds but looked vulnerable.

The Back-and-Forth Battle

  • Game 1: Wang edges 11-9 after Lebrun rallies from 0-4.

  • Game 2: Lebrun dominates 11-5.

  • Game 3: Wang wins 11-6.

  • Game 4: Lebrun ties it 11-7.

  • Game 5: Tense 10-12 loss for Lebrun.

  • Game 6: Lebrun forces decider 11-9.

  • Game 7: Lebrun saves three match points from 6-10 down but falls 9-11.

Four games decided by two points, highlighting the razor-thin margins. Lebrun's semifinal run included a 4-0 quarterfinal win over Lilian Bardet.

Though defeated, Lebrun's resilience proves he's a rising threat to Chinese dominance. Wang advances to the final against the winner of Lin Shidong vs. Tomokazu Harimoto. This near-upset cements Lebrun's bright future at just 18.

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