Cornilleau didn't give up on table tennis. They are very much in table tennis!
It is just that they want to concentrate more on Leisure than Professional.
XIOM as one of the strongest professional table tennis brand, Hugo signed a professional contract with XIOM.
Sincere congratulations, but I just want to add (by the way, I often speak about Cornilleau products, not because of national preference but because I am indeed often exposed to them due to living in this country): they are not out of competitive TT yet.
Sorry for the small font. Names are Can Akkuzu, Bruna Takahashi (WR#73), Stéphanie Loeillette (WR#93), Jules Cavaille, Romain Lorentz (WR#105), Paul Gauzy, Thomas Le Breton, Damien Llorca, Charlotte and Camille Lutz - no threats collectively to the CNT, but neither "leisure" players.
I do agree that the whole thing reads slightly like Cornilleau are giving up, but it is what it is: money doesn't grow on trees. Xiom and Andro are becoming powerhouses in their own ways, but marketing plays a big role (I assume there have been substancial investments at some point for both of them) and national markets are a thing. It is clear from the list of players that Cornilleau are aiming at such a sustainable national base first (and a pinch at Brazil with Bruna Takahashi, too, and of course Hugo until now) but taking over Europe is a different thing - not sure we should even mention Asia.
Still a fair compromise for all parties I guess, both players had been supported for so long it feels like the decent thing to do (not yet for free, I know) that their image will still be used for Cornilleau leisure equipment.
And best of luck to both!! I don't mean to sound like a Cornilleau fanboy and I have long been over national preferences (not to mention my beloved Xiom Offensive S), it is more a case of supporting the smaller manufacturers and overall diversity.
