Jancarik – Winning in Chennai at the age of 39

Posted on February 15, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)

WTT’s Star Contender series events bridge the gap between lower-level events at the Contender level and the highest-level events at the Champions level. The prize money is less than $250,000, the ranking points are 600 for the winners, and depending on the location, the participants are often a mix of young players who are quickly rising in the rankings and older players who are working to regain some of the prestige they have had in the past (or players who have previously been blocked by top players in their country and are trying to break free and move up the rankings late).

This week’s Star Contender event in Chennai was a mix of interesting players. Oh Junsung from Korea is only 19 years old and already number 21 in the world. Dimitrij Ovtcharov came in as the second seed (world number 25), but with his skills as a former world number 1 he is capable of beating anyone. Flavien Coton, a 17-year-old from France who has risen to world number 32 despite having compatriots Simon Gauzy and the Lebrun brothers ahead of him, taking valuable places in international competitions.

Junsung Oh, the top seed, went through three rounds before withdrawing due to injury. Thibault Poret of France benefited from the withdrawal as he did not have to play a quarter-final and went straight to the semi-finals. Poret faced Flavien Coton in a match between young Frenchmen (Poret is 21 and Coton is 17). Poret won that game 3-0 and advanced to the Final.

The other semi-final was not between two young, promising, rising stars. Rather, it was a case between two bright veterans who haven’t always had the opportunity to play in international events. Both emerged from their sections of the draw by beating higher ranked players.

Korea’s Ganghyeon Park was 29 years old and ranked only No. 76. That didn’t stop him from winning four matches on his way to the semi-finals, including upsets against France’s Lilian Bardet and Dimitrij Ovtcharov. Lumbomir Jancarik was an even more unlikely semi-finalist – he’s a 38-year-old from the Czech Republic who is currently ranked No. 174 and has never been as high as No. 66.

When Jancarik and Park faced off in their semi-final, it was Park who led twice, winning the first and third games. But Jancarik walked away twice in a row (11-7 and 11-9) and won. After a short break, it was 39-year-old Jancarik with 21 years of experience on tour against a young Frenchman of only 21 years old. All matches were close, but it was Jancarik who won 4-2.

Jancarik records his first WTT victory. More importantly, these 600 ranking points have an astonishing effect on number 174 (where he only had 106 points). His new total (believed to be 706 points) should put him in the World Top 40 – his highest ranking in his 21-year professional career.

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