Mumbai: Manav Thakkar, India’s No.2 male paddler, noticed how the Lebrun brothers, the French siblings who have taken the table tennis world by storm, would “invent stuff” post training sessions even as the others would wind down. They’d play a quick game with two bounces on the table, or with just high balls, or simply stationed at the net.

“It would last only for 10-15 minutes, and there is no goal as such in what they do,” Thakkar said. “But who knows, maybe once in 10 or 20 times, that would come in handy.”

The 24-year-old Thakkar has had a ringside view to the meteoric rise of 18-year-old Felix (world No.4) and 21-year-old Alexis (world No.16) — they are also the No.1 men’s doubles pair — training and playing alongside them in France. That is also helping spur the growth of Thakkar, who has risen to world No.59 from outside the top 100 until mid-2023.

For about a month in September-October, Thakkar played for French club Nimes Montpellier Table Tennis Alliance, the Montpellier club that has produced, and is home to, the Lebrun brothers. Felix and Alexis are his teammates on match days in their top division French league, and sparring partners on other days.

Thakkar moved from the German to the French league in 2024, making sporadic appearances for the club in the first three months. The latest stint post the Paris Olympics was longer, and he is eager for more sustained blocks this year. “I have seen a significant improvement during my time there,” Thakkar said.

Having sparring sessions almost daily with the two bespectacled French sensations is key to that.

“If I play well sparring with them or beat them, I get the confidence that I’m beating the world’s best players. At the same time, jab maar padti hai (when I get thrashed), it does hurt but also motivates me to see how good they are. Knowing that I’ll have to compete with them, the will power shoots up,” the player from Gujarat said.

On his latest visit, Thakkar stayed with Felix in his apartment for some days. The two played video games, volleyball, went for morning runs and ordered in Mexican food.

“They do things their way, but they are confident in whatever they do,” Thakkar said. “They might be the top players in the world currently, but they’re so down to earth. They see the sport as fun. And I’m having fun with them too.”

While picking up nuances from their training, sparring sessions are often treated as matches, even if it is aimed at improving a specific aspect of one’s game. “Let’s say there’s a session where balls are peppered only to my forehand. Even in that, we count points. So, every day we tend to play 6-8 matches,” Thakkar said. “You can see why the Lebrun brothers are so fearless. Because they are playing so many matches in training itself and pushing themselves so hard.”

That goes for the larger group in the club, Thakkar said, which comprises around a dozen players, all of them “young and energetic”.

“In India it’s hard to find that kind of quality and quantity of sparring partners,” he said. “There are many coaches too, and they work closely with you. Because of the brothers, things like funding and system are already set and it is world class. And since I’m part of their team, I get access to all of that — coaches, fitness trainer, etc.”

Thakkar singled out a couple of aspects in which he has seen tangible improvement through his French connect: fitness and power.

“I’ve gained weight, and the focus on fitness here is second to none. In Europe, conditions are a bit slower compared to India, so you need to generate more power behind the ball in every training session. My game is speed centric, which, after a point, can get predictable against a higher level player. I’m therefore also building that power. In the longer process, it will also improve my quality of strokes.”

Thakkar looks back at a “very good” 2024, attaining a career-high ranking that places him only behind Sharath Kamal, making his Olympic debut and beating a few top-50 opponents. The Surat-based player is also experiencing the joy of playing table tennis again while training in Montpellier, where they make sessions as much fun as productive. Thakkar wants more of that this year. And to break into the top 50.

“And then into the top 30. That will get me into the WTT Champions events, where I’ll start to compete with the top players,” he said. “Like the Lebrun brothers.”