'It's going to explode' - Luca Brecel predicts rise of European snooker after stunning World Championship triumph
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 02/05/2023 at 10:38 GMT
Newly crowned world champion Luca Brecel believes that snooker is 'going to explode' in mainland Europe after he became the first Crucible winner from the continent. Brecel earned a stunning 18-15 win over Mark Selby in Monday's final to become just the fourth non-British winner, keeping his cool despite a spirited late fightback from the four-time champion.
'Unreal, I was absolutely gone' - Brecel on 'intense relief' of winning Crucible final
Luca Brecel predicted that snooker will ‘explode’ across Europe after the Belgian Bullet completed a stunning victory over Mark Selby in the World Championship final.
The 28-year-old’s 18-15 victory made him the first world champion from mainland Europe and only the fourth non-British winner, after Canada’s Cliff Thorburn, Ireland’s Ken Doherty and Australia’s Neil Robertson.
And Brecel believes that his achievement could be a landmark moment for the spread of the sport.
“It’s definitely going to explode," Brecel said in the Eurosport studio.
"I would never imagine it to be like this, because the newspapers were all going mad and there were so many people texting me.
“It’s been absolutely crazy and now that I’ve won it I don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s going to be so fantastic.
"I’m so proud of myself for holding myself together in this situation because I was under so much pressure.
“I just wanted it to happen for Belgium, for Europe and for snooker in general.”
Brecel’s victory came against the odds, as the Belgian had previously never made it past the first round at the Crucible.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/05/02/3696186-75213648-2560-1440.jpg)
Luca Brecel
Image credit: Getty Images
He had to hold off a spirited comeback from Selby, who won five straight frames to reduce the deficit from 16-10 to 16-15, but Brecel managed to keep his cool and get over the line.
Brecel admitted afterwards that he was “absolutely gone” and “didn’t fancy winning” as he watched Selby steadily work his way back into the match.
The four-time world champion was the first to congratulate Brecel on his victory at the end and was gracious in defeat, telling the Belgian: “you deserve it mate, you played fantastic.”
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2205.png)
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2208.png)