Calderano wins 3rd and will have Félix Lebrun ahead of him in Smash China

Number 6 in the world, the Brazilian table tennis player asserted his favoritism this Thursday (8) by defeating German Patrick Franziska (22nd in the rankings) and advancing to the quarterfinals of China Smash, the tournament with the highest score (2,000) on the world circuit. Calderano prevailed over his opponent with a 3-0 victory, with scores of 11/2, 11/5/ and 11/7).

The next clash will be against an old acquaintance of the Brazilian, the Frenchman Félix Lebrun, second in the world rankings, who today beat the Croatian Tomislav Pucar (30th) also by 3 sets to 0 (11/9, 12/10 and 11/5). The departure day and time have not yet been defined.

Calderano and Lebrun have been leading fierce disputes on the international circuit. In 2024, the Rio native lost to the Frenchman in the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics. The two have already dueled eight times, with five victories for Lebrun against three for the Brazilian. Calderano's last victory against Lebrun was last year, 4-2, in the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana final.

In March this year the two fought a seven-set battle at WTT Champions Chongqing, before Lebrun sealed the victory by 4 sets to 3. The most recent meeting took place in August, in the quarterfinals of Europe Smash 2026, in Sweden, when the rival won by 4 sets to 1.

Calderano's China Smash wins

First round: Hugo Calderano 3 x 0 Dimitrij Ovtcharov (ALE) - 11/9, 11/9 and 11/8

Second round: Hugo Calderano 3 x 0 An Jaehyun (COR) - 11/5, 11/9 and 12/10

Round of 16: Hugo Calderano 3 x 0 Patrick Franziska (ALE) - 11/2, 11/5 and 11/7