FULL MATCH | Wang Chuqin vs Felix Lebrun | MS Final | #ChinaSmash 2025

It's on the semi-final with Xiang Peng earlier today. Here we go. Not to mention, they know the week that Wang Chuqin has been through. He's playing right now for a triple crown. He's already got two titles to his name. It has been a very productive week, to say the least. Yeah, we saw a special occasion appearance with him and Sun Yingsha. They won the men's doubles with Lin Shidong partnering up for only the second time they won the men's doubles. Like you said, I'm going for a triple crown. His second triple crown had a smash. He did it in Saudi last year. Now, you had a chance to call Felix's semi-final match to get here. He was quite impressive. I'm sort of curious what your take was. What a comeback. Drop shots. Wang Chuqin has an incredibly high success rate taking drop shots. And Felix was right there with no panic. And he comes back with that down the line winner to follow. Aiyah. I'm not going to lie, Adam, I kind of forgot what you asked me. Oh, yeah. What did I make of the Lin Shidong-Felix match? I thought he was outstanding. And I'm not just saying that because he won him, because it takes an outstanding performance to be a Lin Shidong. I was particularly impressed with his mental performance. Yeah, he had some testing trying times, indeed. Had a chance to watch that from the field of play. Good start here for Wang Chuqin. In terms of concern, I just, I don't know. Xiang Peng played so well. I can't remember the last time I saw Wang Chuqin looking so distraught, so disheveled. And words that don't start with DIS. But yeah, just sort of gutted and really challenged in that way mentally. There's a couple of things going on with the flashes in the crowd. We know how Wang Chuqin's put on his captain hat really, really well at this event in a few different moments. But yeah, battling back 3-1. You would have expected it really took his toll on him. But look how he's bouncing back. Look how he's managed to reset in such a short space of time. Yeah, it's a wonderful start. Now the penhold grip, something that has been mainly Chinese dominated. Little shallower arc here to make that a bit challenging. I've heard you talk about it, and I know other than Wang Hao, I mean, Wang Hao is the best RPB I've seen. And the reverse penhold backhand, that RPB leaks very strongly. Yeah, incredible with the reverse penhold backhand. There he is, former world champion, three-time Olympic finalist and some of the Chinese coaches and players there as well. Yeah, I mean, it's interesting with Felix, for a penhold player, fairly backhand orientated, and a lot of people have observed that. He's been looking to develop his forehand power, but look, Wang Chuqin's forehand here, I'm sure he's going to be a difference maker. Hands on song, his board line unstoppable. Yeah, this is a wonderful long serve right to the baseline here. Something deep, it's OK, just to mix it up. Nice serve, or call in for a ball, that's usually how I call for a ball. Four-nine. Just thinking of the penholder situation as we see Stéphane Le Grand there, former top seven for France, the father of Felix and Alexi. Nice to see him, I haven't seen him at one of these major international events. Yeah, Montpellier, of course, runs the club and whatnot, but yeah, that wasn't there last year, will be this year. Outside of Montpellier, can't see him either. From the table tennis family, their uncle as well, Stéphane Le Grand. Christophe Le Grand. Yeah, everyone in the family, great. At Panael Milan. He's been with Felix since he was three. Speaking of three, just down by three, Felix making a comeback. Here is Nyo Guan Kai, Xiao Zhan and the gang, Sun Xun. Cheer him on. These are the shots that when he's free, we didn't see so many of these against Xiang Peng. Four game points, but one saved here. Change of pace and Wang Chuqin after covering a big shot. My pleasure. Learn from the best. One long. I'm going to find out who that is and study as well. Good times, good times. So Wang Chuqin starting off game number two. That was a charming little break there. Nice to get some exercise. And thanks to Joe Dow and the whole team for putting that on. That was really cool. Inside out forehand dismissive. He looks free. I want to talk about in the zone. You and I have talked about this. We've seen it being on tour with the players. They get into tunnel vision. They get really focused. Now, I had a little chat with Felix after his semifinal on court and afterwards. But I saw him just before this match, and it was like he was hypnotized. He said, thank you. And I held the door, but he said, thank you like a warrior. Wow. That was just he had so much going on and nothing could distract him from it. That's pretty cool. That said, Wang Chuqin up one game to zero, four points to zero. He's clearly done his work as well. Edge of the table, Wang Chuqin. Felix knows exactly what it takes against a man as complete as this. Unbelievable. I mean, Felix played out of his skin in that United States smash semifinal just came out short against Wang Chuqin. But this is a final. This is different. You can imagine what it would mean for him to become the second European to win a smash so soon after Charles Moragard and to do it in China. Can you imagine to do it in the Dragon's Den against this man? The world number one would be some story straight up to beating Lin Shidong. It would be. That said, right now, Wang Chuqin quite secure. One six. The crack in the windshield. We'll see if it continues a step in the right direction. For Felix, it might be a better analogy at this point. Beautiful backhand flick from Wang Chuqin. He's in cruise control here. He's been able to test the forehand recovery of Felix LeBrun. Vary the spins, mostly very, very rotation balls into the Felix forehand. When he's playing that backhand flick like that as well, it's cause for concern. Wow, there's some serious cause for concern here. I don't have to think back very far to the match with Xiang Peng and just feels like he's broken out of whatever handcuffs Xiang Peng had on him earlier, but a different player here. There are nine different strengths. I realized I'll save it for later. Something to clarify from our video between breaks earlier. Fans might enjoy. Two nine. Tight serve. This is tough here for Felix LeBrun. It's hard to even tell whether he's playing well or not. Wang Chuqin's locking him down tactically here. I'm sure it won't be as one-sided as this on the scoreboard in the next game, no matter what happens, but you never know. Wang's a man on a mission. Peru's junior national team, China all over. So even more credit to Fraser on that. And yourself, mate. It was great fun and it was a wonderful thing. So right now, the whole world is watching as France battles China. But these two individually and Wang Chuqin. Think about when he played Ugo, not at the World Championships, but the last time as we've got a time out. Let's see words of encouragement here, the fighting spirit for the Frenchman. Wow. Even falling back, he fought and it paid off with his father here and a father figure in his coach, someone who's been with him for 16 years of his life. It's going to be a strong team, a strong pairing. Oh, extending it on the defense, falling back twice, he's still able to put up serious counterloop exchanges. It's doing well after Wang Chuqin gets in with that first attack. Two, three. Good here from Felix de Bruyne. Nice out of the timeout, playing well, playing with freedom. Going to try and take a leaf out of the Radzimski handbook. Problems in that match started for Wang Chuqin at 2-0. So it's not too dire of a situation right now for the Frenchman. Best of seven as I remember. You just have to do so many things right. It's tough to generalize tactically against someone like Wang Chuqin. Who's just won 12 of the last 16 points. 5-2. And continuing. I think the whole world was wondering how, what form he would be in, how he would come back after that Xiang Peng match. That was just as mentally draining as almost anything I've seen, other than maybe Liang Jingkun and Hugo Calderano. And Wang Chuqin looks like he's been cryogenically frozen and just thawed off and he's ready. Had a nice ice bath, good night's sleep. It's the man who came here prepared. Wow, a few more shots, a bonus after that big Wang Chuqin opening. Standing recovery. Felix raises his hand in apology. Did he top edge one of those balls? I'm not too sure, but still great recovery. Nice parallel. Oh, my word. No chance on this one. Do whatever you want with that receipt. Steve Dayton and Petra Serling know that that right there is just next level. What can you do? When you thought it was turned up to full blast, he's like, no, actually, these speakers are more powerful than you realize. Check out the forehand on this. A strong deep serve as well. The apology from before, I think sometimes when you're out of position and you feel a little bit lucky to return something awkwardly. Yeah, sometimes you'll see an apology there. And as much spin as you can put on a shot, Wang Chuqin gets the whole body behind this, gets low. It's that long stroke and a lot of racket speed. Just think of the number of finals where you've been maybe thinking, wow, Wang Chuqin is under the cost here. This player is going to be up against is on fire. And then he just completely locks it down, shuts it down. And went fairly convincingly in the end. The world final against Colorado, Fukuoka against Aramato, US smash final against Aramato. It's incredible what he does. And after some serious momentum, 23 of the previous 32 points. It's a game point saved. Still, still six more to go. The difference between their world rankings and their scores on screen. Ten five. Eleven five. And this serve is tough to receive. He tries to drop it. It might have been really hard for a lot of fans and of course, for Wang Chuqin to have so many upsets against him. But I think it's made him stronger. One long. It's the times where you feel like quitting when it gets hard, that you just build the strongest muscle around whatever you need to protect you and continue growing. And man, has he grown. Just looks like a completely different guy. Can ask an actor, singer, chef. This is not going to be the way that Felix wins a lot of points, but on a few occasions changes the timing with a slightly more arcing spin shot from behind the table. He normally stays right on top of the table and a good tight serve. That's part of the reason if you talk to other pros, they're like, it's ridiculous how fast he is. I talked to Adi Serene. He's like his pace is just another level. It's suffocating. It's tough to compete with. And Adi even took him to a time out. Nine in one game. Yeah. But just that one. Just amazing. There's only so much Felix De Bruyne can impose himself from that that forehand half against Chuqin. Middle. A little bit wider, then into backhand. No, two balls are the same. Right in the middle. Smart started last point with a similar attack. This is classic tactics. Timo Boll would always say, hit it at the elbow. Then you get something slightly off balance to get a weaker shot back and then you can exploit the opening. Just to give you a wonder impression there for a moment. Three, four. A beautiful fluid backhand there from Felix De Bruyne. It's tough to find belief at times, but that's what they get paid to do. And there were moments against the former world number one, as dad launches on, Stéphane Lebrun, that Felix looked like he was in trouble. That time out in game number four when he was, what, five, six down and never turned back after that. Four, five. Chop block is waiting, but it's unnecessary. We'd love to see an RBV chop block. Just the table tennis heads out there. Yeah, not something you see every day. So we miss you, Chuqin. Five, all. Remember, this is a must win for Felix De Bruyne, as every game will be, as Lin Shidong sits next to the team doctor and the rest of the squad watching on. Six, five. The deception, subtle pendulum serve there. I like the expression on the face there of Shidong, as I say, you get him, big brother. Yeah, there is incredible chemistry between them. Six, all. After all, Wang Chuqin during his interview reminded the fans, hey, we're all part of the same team here. We're supporting Team China, right? Lin Shidong's played some incredible table tennis. He's a lovely guy and he works really hard. Still, what, five years younger than Wang Chuqin? Serve success wise, nearly 80% for Wang Chuqin. Wow, 32% plus better. Right near the baseline, lots of top spin. These are not as easy as they look. I often look to see if the racket's twiddled here. Wang Chuqin, keep your eye on his racket. Doesn't twiddle because he wants to keep the top spin on. And that changes things a bit. The ball arcs down into the net. The beauty of creating something suspenseful. In continuing to level, does not want any confidence to creep into his opponent. The respect is always there, but he knows that he wants to close this door as quickly as possible. Oh, great adaptation there with the backhand from Chuqin. Just three away from winning this whole thing. Big serve to come, looking to level, Felix. But the three to it as can be on receive, those two points. This is the Wang Chuqin that we're used to seeing. A man who decides and rarely gets the ball back long enough, but has the finishing shot. You know that's a world class serve, right? Never mind. And he now has three championship points for his third title here, a triple crown the first time since the Saudi smash. For Wang Chuqin. Lionheart takes it. It has been a tough week. And this is right back at the coach and for the team. He has completed a triple crown.