LUCA BRECEL has revealed he has hardly played snooker this season because he is battling a mystery illness that has left him feeling fatigued.
The Belgian’s appearance at last week’s English Open, he lost to Zhou Yuelong in the quarter-finals in Brentwood, was his first tournament since the Crucible World Championship in April.
Luca Brecel admits he’s been struggling with a strange health issue
AlamyBrecel banked £500,000 when he beat Mark Selby in the 2023 world final[/caption]
GettySome people have speculated that he has mental health issues[/caption]
Brecel, 30, withdrew from qualifying for the Saudi Arabia Masters due to medical reasons and then he failed to show up for the Wuhan Open as he stayed at home.
The former world champion did make it as far as the qualifiers in Leicester for the Xi’an Grand Prix but he had to borrow a cue and was quit halfway through his clash.
Some people had speculated online that his troubles were mental health battles.
But in a chat with SunSport, the maverick potter says it is an undiagnosed health issue that has left medics baffled.
At times, he has felt extremely tired for no reason and he has had to scale back his daily exercise, which has impacted his hopes of entering an ironman triathlon event in the future.
Brecel said: “Some people have come up to me and said ‘oh, is it mental health?’ and they have tried to help.
“It’s not my head. I’m perfectly happy. I’m fine. It’s not mental.
“It’s physical things in my body. Strange. I’ve been to the doctor many, many times. Maybe 18 times in three to four months.
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“There must be something wrong. But they cannot find anything. I have to deal with it. At least I can play again. I’m happy to be at the table.
“All of a sudden it happened and no-one knows what it is. Still trying to figure it out, I’ve still got scans to do. It’s my body doing strange things.
“Obviously because I wanted to feel good first, and then compete in tournaments, so I’ve been waiting to feel better. And it didn’t quite happen.
“So I thought, well, I’m just going to play now. Whatever happens, I’m just going to play, whatever I feel.
“I feel okay in the game. It’s not every moment of the game, but it’s good enough.
“I’ve not been able to do exercises obviously with all the problems. I was really at quite a good point, doing long-distance running and cycling.
Instagram @Luca.BrecelLuca Brecel poses with partner Shawney Demuyter during a recent break from snooker[/caption]
Instagram @Luca.BrecelLuca Brecel with his partner Shawney Demuyter on holiday[/caption]
[email protected] couple are still very much in the honeymoon phase of their relationship[/caption]
PALuca Brecel won the World Championship in 2023[/caption]
“So, it’s a bit of a pity that that happened. But obviously this is life. It’s going to be ups and downs.”
Brecel banked £500,000 when he beat Mark Selby in the 2023 world final – one of five non-UK men to lift the Crucible crown – but that cash has come off his world ranking list.
There is a danger, should he continue to be inactive from big events, that he might slip out of the Top 64 and have to enter Q School in January 2026.
But Brecel, not one to lack any self-belief, is unperturbed by that possible scenario.
The Bullet laughed: “I really couldn’t care less. I’d love to play Q School one day. So maybe?
“I don’t think it’s going to happen because I’m too good. But yeah, it is what it is.
“I guess if I was really worried I wouldn’t skip tournaments would I?”
“I’m not playing in the British Open. But I will be back for the qualifiers for the International Championships in China at the end of September.”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
1969 – John Spencer
1970 – Ray Reardon
1971 – John Spencer
1972 – Alex Higgins
1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
1977 – John Spencer (2)
1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
1979 – Terry Griffiths
1980 – Cliff Thorburn
1981 – Steve Davis
1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
1983 – Steve Davis (2)
1984 – Steve Davis (3)
1985 – Dennis Taylor
1986 – Joe Johnson
1987 – Steve Davis (4)
1988 – Steve Davis (5)
1989 – Steve Davis (6)
1990 – Stephen Hendry
1991 – John Parrott
1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 – Ken Doherty
1998 – John Higgins
1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 – Mark Williams
2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 – Peter Ebdon
2003 – Mark Williams (2)
2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
2005 – Shaun Murphy
2006 – Graeme Dott
2007 – John Higgins (2)
2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
2009 – John Higgins (3)
2010 – Neil Robertson
2011 – John Higgins (4)
2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
2014 – Mark Selby
2015 – Stuart Bingham
2016 – Mark Selby (2)
2017 – Mark Selby (3)
2018 – Mark Williams (3)
2019 – Judd Trump
2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
2021 – Mark Selby (4)
2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
2023 – Luca Brecel
2024 – Kyren Wilson
2025 – Zhao Xintong
Most World Titles (modern era)
7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
2 – Alex Higgins
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