Felix Lebrun vs Eduard Ionescu | MS R64 | #EuropeSmash 2026

Good first force, Lebrun. The number three seed would have... He's just so powerful, Lebrun. He got forced backwards. Ionescu was then on cork in forehand, so it was a really short technique that he used, but he got forced wide. And this is where Felix... A disrespect to the Romanian, such is their historic record. Champions Yokohama had arguably the match of the year with the U.S. Smash champions. I mean, how wide open is this draw now? There's no obvious candidate. Of course, no one should... I am not ready to write that man off. What a story it could be, and this is really being pinged back at him so fast. Six game points for the Frenchman to take this opener. 11-4. Does it be... First time of Asking, 11 points to four. Ionescu didn't really get a look in. He didn't, and it's hard to throw punches because you're getting countered every single time you do. What he did to Felix over the last 18 months. And that's good. Ionescu's shorter strokes. Try and change location. That'll give you a bit more time. Felix guessing about what's coming. This firework battle with the Frenchman. The worst it becomes when he's really at his peak. Serving really well, Lebrun. I saw these serves. Five. Straight to the number three seed. Trying something a little different. You've got the sensei, Ionescu. Just falling short there, Ionescu. But he's not making his way through there. He's not finding a breakthrough when he's doing that. That's a wonderful, wonderful point. And Ionescu deserves a lot of credit because not many people can force Felix back. And he is. Those long, fast ones. This time he just goes short and heavy back. Five. And he can't move left or right. You're just gonna get battered. 11, five. Gay, Lebrun. If he's to have any chance of making his way back into this one. One. Long. Oh, brilliantly done. It's just that slight change of direction. Three. Four. Hits himself ahead. It's pretty much at this point in the last two games that this is where the turning point came. Three. Four. So looking down the draw, it is four. In the previous two games. Seven. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Seven. Big shift in momentum. Nine. Eight. Keep in touch, rather. Eight. Well, that was a really difficult one for the 21-year-old. And Ionescu. Eight. Takes game number three. 11 points to eight. Got the job done one year for Felix Lebrun. He must attempt to win it in four if he's to go through. Levon. To the quarterfinals. So here we go. It's game number three, Ionescu. Responding to the pressure with a must-win game. But look at that placement from Lebrun. Four. So he's strong with the serve success, dropping down to the 80-something percent that we saw earlier on in this. Lovely fast serve, he felt no need. And he's still got that in his back pocket. Oh, so strong with the forehand. Just going long, and Ionescu gets his. This time it's Ionescu. Needs a good serve now. Two. Oh, Lebrun offering up the apology. Nine. I'm sensing that he's safely through. No mistake that time. Felix Lebrun maintains his one. Lebrun, winner.