“I’m going to pose an RTT”: when the Lebrun brothers’ coach doesn’t even want to watch their duel in Montpellier

He is one of those people disgusted by the draw, disappointed by the duel between the two stars of French table tennis, the Lebrun brothers. “I only accept this match if it’s in the final, otherwise I hate it,” smiles Nathanaël Molin, the coach of the Montpellier team, who has been around them since they were very young. But fate decided otherwise. This Saturday evening, at 9 p.m., the brothers will compete in the quarter-finals of the WTT Champions in Montpellier. A highly anticipated match which he will not attend.

“I will come to the gym to see people during the afternoon but I will leave before the match, I don’t want to see that,” he whispered after Alexis’ victory against Truls Möregardh on Friday. I won’t go with them at all and I won’t even watch the game. I will still look at the result but this Saturday, I am on vacation, I will do an RTT.”

“I don’t want to go through this”

Usually on the brothers’ bench during each of their matches, he will therefore take some distance for this quarter-final and enjoy an evening at home, with a bottle of wine that he has “not yet chosen”. And there is no question of advising one or the other on the tactics to adopt either. “I’m not going to tell them anything at all, it’s no longer my problem, they’re managing,” he assumes. I’ve done my job to get them to this point but I don’t like it, it’s not pleasant. I don’t want to live it. »

“We’re going to take it easy during the warm-up, that’s for sure”

Alexis and Félix Lebrun will therefore have to adapt, and prepare for this match differently. “We share all our staff so no one is going to help us, we will have to fend for ourselves,” emphasized the eldest after his superb success against the Olympic vice-champion. Felix will watch videos, prepare a little tactic. I know he likes to give me little surprises at the start of the match, I’ll see what happens. I can’t wait, I hope it will be a good match. »

No war however, at least until entering the playing area. Because the people of Montpellier are above all brothers. “Until the tunnel, we’re brothers, we’re going to laugh and we’re going to have fun during the warm-up, that’s for sure,” laughs Alexis. When we enter the room, it will be a fight and then when we shake hands, we will laugh about it. » The European champion nevertheless hopes to emerge victorious from this match, and add a fifth victory in as many senior matches against his little brother.