Harmeet Desai’s first Olympic appearance came to a disappointing end on Sunday as he was defeated 0-4 by world No. 5 Felix Lebrun of France in the second round of the men’s singles table tennis competition.

The 31-year-old from Surat struggled to find his rhythm throughout the match, ultimately falling 8-11, 8-11, 6-11, 8-11 in just 28 minutes. The loss to the 17-year-old French prodigy marked the end of India’s participation in the men’s singles table tennis events at the Paris Olympics.

Desai, who has previously achieved notable success, including winning gold with the Indian team at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and 2022, had advanced to the second round after a commanding 4-0 victory over Jordan’s Zaid Abo Yaman on Saturday. Despite his strong performance in the earlier rounds, Desai was unable to overcome the formidable challenge posed by Lebrun.

The early exit underscores the tough competition faced at the Olympics and concludes a brief but eventful campaign for Desai. His performance in Paris reflects both the promise and the unpredictability of the sport on the global stage.