Flavien Coton vs Iulian Chirita | MS R32 | #WTTAstana 2026

He's Alexi Lepreux, French No. 2. He's not had a bye because he's the 8th seed. Chivica beat one of Turkey's very best, Ibrahim Gunduz. Three games to one. I think the Flavian Coton is when someone sometimes pushes into his middle and he takes on a backhand from there instead of a forehand. If you can play a backhand flick, then you can take control with the backhand on the next ball. You play them wide. That's a glorious receive. It's under pressure. You've got to look to get that forehand in. Footwork from Coton. It's too in front here. Frenchman. Too good. Oh, but Chivica. Oh my goodness, this is just wonderful. Smother you. Frenchman. Bit of fortune. Don't just sneak his way through here on receive. It's that thundering backhand of Coton. The spinny flick. Might lose a little bit of control with the touch. I think in the serve receive, Coton might just be a little bit stronger. Hard to see off a player like Chivica. So athletic, but Coton just about won all of their first four encounters in their last three meetings. Could be the equivalent of watching, I don't know, Timo Boll. They're already concerned for some of the Asian teams. In love with his backhand. Doing dirty. Has to try and win a couple of quick points. Well, that hasn't helped him at all. The net. Top from Flavio Coton. Calm customer. Decent flick, but this 18-year-old sensation from France. 10-9. He does take it. Game number three. Serve back with Coton. Challenging the players that he's beaten. The results that he's getting. Just look at that shot right there. More singles action coming up. But what's going to happen here? They were beaten by France in the final. Muscat. As well in Chennai as well. Seven. The last eight points, the Romanian. That one lands too shallow. Deep, fairly quick if you want to lob someone down. It has to be deep. Very high. Ideally with a little bit. Oh, on the lean. Coton couldn't get it out of the crossbar. Oh, the backhand goes long. And he takes it. Tenacious turnaround there from the Romanian. Romania getting back to their best, I would say, as a team. Apparently a little bit more of a serious guy than some of his teammates. Stunning striking. Coton will be there in the singles ahead of Alexis Lebrun. They had a ding-donger of a match at the Star Contender in Muscat, by the way. Coton with that throw. The smoke has settled now on this fourth game. And let's see who wants it. Let's see who's more about it. Belgium or Omar Assar, the 11th seed from Egypt. The backhand winner. The point's been given to Coton. Again, it's that backhand flick. First one was nice, but Chirica. It's becoming a very absorbing affair, this one. Sounded like he might have caught his hand or his... Nine-all. Got him away from the table. He's still alive, Chirica. Places the backhand away from the table, but Coton wins it. What a rally to close the curtains there. He did catch his finger on that edge of the table, but he's okay. He's won the match. A first senior encounter between two players.