Brecel becomes mainland Europe's first world snooker champ

Mon, May 1, 2023
Other News (AP)

SHEFFIELD, England (AP) - Luca Brecel of Belgium became snooker's first world champion from mainland Europe after beating four-time winner Mark Selby 18-15 in the final on Monday.

Brecel hadn't won a match at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in five previous visits to the home of snooker.

Yet this year, he beat three multiple world champions - Mark Williams, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Selby - with a fearless brand of attacking snooker on the way to ending the stranglehold of mostly British players on the sport's biggest stage.

In the modern era, only two players from outside Britain and Ireland - Cliff Thorburn in 1980 and Neil Robertson in 2010 - have been world champion.

Brecel compiled a century break to complete the victory over Selby, who won five straight frames from 16-10 down to turn the final into a tense affair.

In the semifinals, Brecel produced a record-breaking comeback from 14-5 down to get past 20-year-old Chinese player Si Jiahui. No player had ever come from more than eight frames back to win a match at the Crucible.

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