Belgium's Luca Brecel wins Snooker World Championship title

LONDON – Belgium’s Luca Brecel “didn’t fancy” winning against Mark Selby, and he could not believe it when he became the first player from continental Europe to win snooker’s World Championship after he beat the four-time champion to triumph 18-15 in the final on Monday.

His victory also meant he joined Canadian Cliff Thorburn (1980), the Republic of Ireland’s Ken Doherty (1997) and Australian Neil Robertson (2010) as only the fourth modern-era world champion from outside the United Kingdom at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.

Having overturned huge deficits to

defeat both seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan

and China’s Si Jiahui in the quarter- and semi-final rounds respectively, Brecel held his nerve after Selby had eroded his lead.

“It’s amazing, I can’t see any more, I don’t know why,” he told the BBC, after receiving the trophy and a £500,000 (S$833,100) cheque.

“So tough, he (Selby) is the worst opponent to have in a final, he just keeps coming back, he’s such a fighter. When it was 16-15, I didn’t fancy winning at all, I was missing balls by a mile, but then I made a good break.”

The 28-year-old, who had never won a match at five previous World Championships before this edition, started Monday’s concluding session 15-10 up.

Selby, however, won five of the next six frames as he closed to within one at just 16-15 behind.

But the Englishman then missed a black off its spot and Brecel capitalised to move within a frame of victory at 17-15.

Brecel was first in come the next frame and then demonstrated excellent cue-ball control around the black in a match-winning break of 112.

Asked what went through his mind when he potted the final balls to secure the title, he added: “A lot of things. All the stories I heard about myself not being good enough and things like this.

“But also the positive thoughts, like my family is here, my best friends, my girlfriend is here. It’s an unbelievable moment for me, it’s so special.

“If I would have lost that, I would have felt so bad for so long, which I normally wouldn’t do. I had so much pressure on myself and there was only one way, that was winning.”

Crucially, the former child prodigy also felt that his win could have a big impact on European snooker.

He added: “It’s going to explode, I was so nervous because I wanted it to happen for Belgium and Europe and now I can’t wait to see what it brings, I’m so happy I did it.”

Something of a throwback, the crowd-pleasing Brecel’s path to the final was notable for his unconventional “drunk” approach to match preparation.

“It’s been a crazy week, no practice, just partying, it shouldn’t be legal!” he said.

Selby, who on Sunday became the first player to make a maximum 147 break in a World Championship final, paid tribute to the new champion by saying: “Congratulations to Luca, he’s a great talent and a great lad, a great family. Enjoy the year, you deserve it mate, you played fantastic.

“It was great to make a 147 at the Crucible, never thought I would do it in a final, the atmosphere was amazing and something I will remember for the rest of my life.”

The 39-year-old, however, added: “But it’s not about me today, Luca played fantastic.

“Every time he potted a ball, I fancied him to clear up but I battled – but every credit to Luca, he deserves it.” AFP, REUTERS