Table tennis player Hugo Calderano was crowned champion of the WTT Star Contender this Sunday (26) in São José dos Campos. In front of the local crowd, the Brazilian, currently 8th in the world ranking, overcame Frenchman Alexis Lebrun in the singles final, consolidating his excellent form this season.
The final was marked by intense balance between the Rio native and the 19-year-old Frenchman. After a dominant start by Calderano, Lebrun reacted to tie the match. The Brazilian managed to open a 3-set-to-1 lead, but his opponent managed to level the score, taking the match to a decisive set.
In the final game, Calderano's experience was the difference in securing the title. Even after the Frenchman tied the score at 6-6, the Brazilian maintained emotional control and closed out the match, securing his second victory of the year, following his title at the ITTF Americas Cup in February.
In addition to his success in singles, Calderano had an exhausting journey in the competition. Before the singles final, the athlete also competed in the mixed doubles category alongside Bruna Takahashi. The pair, known as 'Calderashi', reached the final after defeating Japan's Yukiya Uda in an exciting match.
In the mixed doubles final, the Brazilian and Takahashi faced the Japanese pair formed by Shunsuke Togami and Satsuki Odo. Despite a great performance, the Brazilian partnership was overcome by the Asians 3 sets to 1, resulting in a runner-up finish in the category.
The tournament reinforces Calderano's prominence on the international stage, highlighting his ability to recover and his technical consistency even in high-intensity and long-duration matches.
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