With videoThe 28-year-old Belgian Luca Brecel has written snooker history. He was crowned world champion tonight, making him the first player ever from the European mainland to do so. Brecel previously defeated snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan and in the final he was too strong for Mark Selby (18-15).
In the modern era (since 1969) the snooker world champions have always come from England (26 times), Scotland (12 times), Wales (10 times), Northern Ireland (3 times), Canada, Ireland or Australia (all once) . But even before that time, from 1927 (!), it was only English and Scots who could call themselves among the best in the world within the snooker sport. And now there is a Belgian: Luca Brecel, who was too strong for Mark Selby.
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It will take a while for this to fully sink in
“This is the best moment of my life, a dream come true, a cliché, but it is true,” said Luca Brecel deep in the English night at the press conference. “Especially the way I did it, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Williams and Mark Selby, the toughest opponent of them all, makes it special.”
,,I could have easily gone out in the first round, but made a good break in the last frame against Ricky Walden and then produced my best snooker here. After not being able to win a single game here all these years, this is unreal.”
The Belgian was referring to the first round match he won 10-9 after having been eliminated in the first round five times before.
Brecel saw Selby come back from 16-10 to 16-15 yesterday, including a maximum break of 147, the first ever in a World Cup final. But nothing or no one could take Brecel off his pedestal this World Cup. He won convincingly 18-15, after which he was treated to a standing ovation in The Cruciblethe legendary theater in Sheffield that has hosted the World Snooker Championship since 1977.
Brecel had been deep down. ,,At 16-13 I already had the feeling that I was not going to make it. I was too nervous, couldn’t play my shots and couldn’t pocket any long balls. The good feeling was completely gone. I needed one good chance to get back on track. I got it and after that I felt a bit more relaxed. In the last frame I knew I wouldn’t fail again.”
“If you win the World Cup you get £500,000, okay great, but all I could think about was sharing that moment with my family. That was the biggest motivation for me. It will take a while for this to fully sink in. The last two weeks have been incredible and this trophy is beautiful!”
Brecel hopes that his performance will boost sport in the Low Countries. “Interest in snooker has already exploded in my country in recent days. I am curious what will happen now.” Earlier on Eurosport, the French-speaking Belgian addressed – in Dutch – to his Belgian fans. “Thank you very much for the support,” he said. “This title is also for you, for the fans who have always believed in me. It’s been an incredible ride.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan
@ronnieo147
Via Twitter, Brecel has already received a lot of congratulations from the Belgian sports world (including Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Steven Defour, Marc Sergeant…) and also from colleagues. ,,Congratulations. An incredible achievement, you totally deserve it, enjoy it” posted Ronnie O’Sullivan. “Didn’t I say it? Congratulations Luca,” tweeted Mark Williams, who had already predicted in January that Brecel would become world champion.
“Congratulations on an amazing performance over the last 17 days and especially in the final. Winning this tournament is incredibly difficult and for a non-Briton it is ten times more difficult. A huge achievement,” said Judd Trump, a former world champion like O’Sullivan and Williams. And Scottish snooker legend Stephen Hendry, seven-time world champion, even wanted his picture taken with Brecel. “If he wants a selfie with me, you know you made it,” Brecel said on his Instastory last night.
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