Snooker star at risk of being kicked off tour has warning for O’Sullivan, Trump and rivals | Other | Sport
Former world snooker champion Luca Brecel has warned rivals he’s close to being back to his best just weeks after his place on the the tour seemed under serious threat. ‘The Belgian Bullet’ reached his first ranking quarter-final of the season at the Scottish Open this week, before being hammered 5-1 by Chinese opponent Xiao Guodong.
But prior to his humbling defeat, the 29-year-old had shown glimpses of the form that saw him stun the sport in 2023, going all the way at the Crucible after beating Mark Selby in the final.
Along the way that year he knocked out Ronnie O’Sullivan, and came back from 14-5 down to Si Jiahui in the semi-final, becoming the first player to overturn a nine frame deficit at the World Championship.
And before leaving the Meadowbank Centre, Brecel had a stern message for the likes of O’Sullivan and world No.1 Judd Trump. He claimed he’s nearing the kind of form that sparked that remarkable his triumph in Sheffield 18 months ago.
“I’m playing well. It’s been coming for a long time, but I’m close to my best again,” he said. “I’m probably going to be better than ever before because I’m putting more work in. I’m more hungry and really dedicated again.”
Brecel is now back inside the world’s top-10, having looked perilously close to a return to qualifying school in October. He slipped down to No.60 in the rankings, with only the top 64 guaranteed their place on the World Snooker Tour next season.
And he further threw his future in the sport into doubt by revealing he had plans to compete in an IronMan race in 2028. The event famously incorporates a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle, and 26.2-mile marathon run, with participants traditionally dedicating months, often years, to the training regime required.
Brecel’s attempt to juggle his commitments then came under fire at the Northern Ireland Open, when he traveled in from his training base Mallorca just hours before his first round match, which he duly lost. But he later appeared unfazed by the prospect of losing his place with the world elite.
“I’m not worried about losing my Tour card as I would see it as a challenge to be in qualifying school,” he told the BBC. “I’d love to play in Q School one day so maybe this is the right time. Obviously, I’d love to stay on tour as well so I’ll try my best. For now, I’m heading back to Majorca, I don’t know for how long.”
Despite his three wins on his way to the last eight Brecel struggled to keep pace with Guodong, who made top breaks of 106 and 81. And he result raised the prospect of a Chinese winner this week, with the 18th seed facing compatriot Wu Yize today.
In the other final-four match, Lei Peifan will take on Mark Allen. Brecel himself was the last non-British winner of the tournament, prevailing in 2021 when the tournament was staged in Wales due to the Covid pandemic.
