Luca Brecel has had a difficult 18 months on the table since his Crucible glory, but isn’t worried, saying: ‘If I am not playing well, it is because I am not trying really hard to play well.’
The Belgian Bullet turned in one of the great World Championship performances to lift the title in Sheffield in 2023, beating the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams on his way to the final where he downed Mark Selby.
It was stunning stuff but he hasn’t followed it up with much success, as just two quarter-finals are his best ranking results since then.
So poor have his results been that when his points for winning the World Championship come off at the end of the season, his provisional ranking is currently 54th.
The 29-year-old has done things his own way since winning the world title, skipping some events, focussing on training for an Ironman Triathlon over practice and even flying in and out of Mallorca in between games at the Northern Ireland Open.
Asked if he feels people have questioned his methods over the last 18 months, he said: ‘Maybe. I am not really involved to be honest, because there’s no way to text me on Instagram. I am not on Facebook. I am not on Twitter. I don’t see a lot of the things.
‘I suppose there are many people questioning a lot of things but yeah, that is their opinion. I have no problem with that.’
Brecel is relaxed because he is very confident that whenever he does put the work in, the results will follow.
‘I do things the way I like to do it. For me it works,’ he said. ‘If I am not playing well, it is because I am not trying really hard to play well. It’s just because I am not even trying.
‘I think once I start trying, I can get the results, and that is maybe the difference with other players. They try for six years and don’t get the results. If I try for six years and don’t get results, I just quit the game.’
Brecel says the hard work is now back and has been for a while, putting in the hours on the practice table at the back end of 2024 which saw him reach the quarter-finals of the Scottish Open.
‘I am just happy to be playing well again. Really put in the work,’ he said. ‘I think my mindset is also much better than it ever used to be. More hungry than ever. I really feel like the next 10 years will be the best to come.’
The Belgian is back to working hard on the table and also off it, losing a lot of weight in the long process of training for the Ironman he intends to complete in 2028.
He not only wanted to get into shape for the gruelling physical task, but also to feel better again at the snooker table.
‘I am getting much better at running again,’ he said. ‘Obviously losing weight as well. In a few years’ time I will be really, really sharp. I fully expect to complete the goal I have and for me, just working towards it, is a pleasant thing in itself.
‘I have lost 14kg now over six or seven months. I am planning on maybe losing 12kg more.
‘I really needed to focus on my body first. I need to feel good when I am playing. I need to feel confident in my own skin. Now I feel better. Now I started putting the work in also on the table and it feels good actually.
‘I didn’t want to play in that way anymore. Being so much overweight. I didn’t feel good at the table. I wanted to lose the weight first. That was the main goal.’
Brecel takes on Chris Wakelin in the opening round of the Masters on Wednesday evening.
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