Latest news with #BelgianBullet
The Irish Sun
11-08-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Luca Brecel reveals ‘I am suffering with health problems' with former world snooker champion missing since April
The Belgian won't have the opportunity to play again until September TAKING A BREAK Luca Brecel reveals 'I am suffering with health problems' with former world snooker champion missing since April FORMER snooker world champion Luca Brecel has announced that his absence from recent tournaments has been a result of health problems. Brecel has been absent from professional snooker in recent weeks, pulling out of qualifiers for both the Wuhan and British Opens, as well as the Championship League. 2 Former snooker world champion Luca Brecel has revealed a battle with health issues is the reason behind his absence from recent snooker events Credit: PA On Sunday he suddenly withdrew from his scheduled match at the Saudi Arabia Masters this weekend, citing 'medical reasons.' Now the Belgian Bullet has taken to social media to address his non-participation in the beginning of this snooker season. In a story posted to his Instagram account, he said: "Hi everyone, some of you might have been wondering why I am not participating in snooker events since April. "The truth is that I am suffering with health problems. 2 Brecel took to Instagram to update fans on his health struggles Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk "Me and my team are doing everything we can to come out of this stronger and better than before. "It's been really frustrating to not be able to travel and compete in tournaments! "But... I always choose to be optimistic! Tough times often lead to something great!" The 30-year-old was set to face Englishman Sanderson Lam in the third round of the Saudi Arabia Masters on Sunday, with Lam now receiving a bye. Details surrounding the nature of his health issues have not been released, but they are serious enough to prevent the snooker maverick from travelling to tournaments. It has been a tough few years for Brecel since he won the World Championship in 2023. BBC commentator spots moment Luca Brecel apologises to Judd Trump during epic World Snooker Championship quarter-final His last contest came in the quarter-finals of April's World Championships at the Crucible, where Brecel put up a valiant effort but fell 13-8 to world number one Judd Trump. His tournament performances last season saw him slip down to 39th in the World Snooker Tour rankings. His health absence has coincided with the first four events of the 2025-26 snooker calendar, meaning his campaign to reignite his past form has got off to a frustrating start. His next opportunity to play won't come until early September, when he could compete at the Xi'an Grand Prix and Northern Ireland Open qualifiers in Leicester. Whether he will be well enough to compete, or whether his health issues will continue to keep him out of the spotlight of the tour, remains to be seen.
The Sun
11-08-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Luca Brecel reveals ‘I am suffering with health problems' with former world snooker champion missing since April
FORMER snooker world champion Luca Brecel has announced that his absence from recent tournaments has been a result of health problems. Brecel has been absent from professional snooker in recent weeks, pulling out of qualifiers for both the Wuhan and British Opens, as well as the Championship League. 2 On Sunday he suddenly withdrew from his scheduled match at the Saudi Arabia Masters this weekend, citing 'medical reasons.' Now the Belgian Bullet has taken to social media to address his non-participation in the beginning of this snooker season. In a story posted to his Instagram account, he said: "Hi everyone, some of you might have been wondering why I am not participating in snooker events since April. "The truth is that I am suffering with health problems. 2 "Me and my team are doing everything we can to come out of this stronger and better than before. "It's been really frustrating to not be able to travel and compete in tournaments! "But... I always choose to be optimistic! Tough times often lead to something great!" The 30-year-old was set to face Englishman Sanderson Lam in the third round of the Saudi Arabia Masters on Sunday, with Lam now receiving a bye. Details surrounding the nature of his health issues have not been released, but they are serious enough to prevent the snooker maverick from travelling to tournaments. It has been a tough few years for Brecel since he won the World Championship in 2023. 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 His last contest came in the quarter-finals of April's World Championships at the Crucible, where Brecel put up a valiant effort but fell 13-8 to world number one Judd Trump. His tournament performances last season saw him slip down to 39th in the World Snooker Tour rankings. His health absence has coincided with the first four events of the 2025-26 snooker calendar, meaning his campaign to reignite his past form has got off to a frustrating start. His next opportunity to play won't come until early September, when he could compete at the Xi'an Grand Prix and Northern Ireland Open qualifiers in Leicester. Whether he will be well enough to compete, or whether his health issues will continue to keep him out of the spotlight of the tour, remains to be seen.
The Irish Sun
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Ex-World Snooker Champ maverick Luca Brecel fails to show up for start of season after going public with new girlfriend
LUCA BRECEL did not bother to turn up for the first day of the new snooker season and will miss out on a mega-money Chinese takeaway. The Belgian Bullet has fallen a long way since becoming 3 Luca Brecel has missed the first day of the new season Credit: Getty 3 Brecel was a no-show in Leicester - and appeared to be out of the country with his new flame Shawney Demuyter Credit: Instagram 3 The 2023 world champion swapped the baize for pizza Credit: Instagram The 2025-26 baize campaign began on Sunday with Wuhan Open qualifying and Brecel, 30, was due to play Pakistani Haris Tahir. It was scheduled to take place at 2.30pm at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. Yet Brecel, who has fallen to 39th on the WST list, appears not to have been in the country. So, a 5-0 walkover was awarded to his opponent, who secured a spot in the main draw in the Far East. READ MORE ON SNOOKER On Saturday, he posted images of himself with his reported new girlfriend Shawney Demuyter and hours before his match he uploaded a photo of pizzas and two wine glasses. If anything, it suggested he was not necessarily in the mood for break-building. It is another sorry situation for a potting maverick who lives by his own rules. His absence means he will not take part in the Wuhan Open, which takes place in the last week of August and has a top prize of about £140,000. Most read in Snooker BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Former world champions During the World Championship, Brecel flew to Sheffield, from Holland via East Midlands Airport, on the day of his second-round clash with Ding Junhui. BBC commentator spots moment Luca Brecel apologises to Judd Trump during epic World Snooker Championship quarter-final That is because he did not want to stay the night before in a hotel in South Yorkshire. Amazingly, he dominated the opening session 7-1 against Ding even though he had only arrived in the UK a few hours earlier.
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
'I banked £500,000 for winning World Snooker Championship – then I lost millionaire status'
Luca Brecel became a millionaire overnight when he won the World Snooker Championship in 2023, but his millionaire status did not last too long after he splashed the cash Zhao Xintong must take a valuable lesson from Luca Brecel before he decides what to spend his World Snooker Championship winnings on. The Chinese sensation will still be celebrating his victory after overcoming Mark Williams 18-12. Before he decides on what he wants to spend his £500,000 prize on, he should remember Brecel's intense celebrations. After becoming a millionaire with his win at the Crucible, Brecel quickly saw his seven-figure fortunes dwindle. Back in 2023, Brecel stunned fans by taking down Mark Selby 18-15 to win his maiden world championship. The Belgian made history as the first player from continental Europe to claim the title. He showed potential for another run to the final, but Judd Trump halted him at the quarter-finals this year. After winning the championship in 2023, the 'Belgian Bullet' decided to splash the cash on luxury cars, resulting in his millionaire status being no more. In a candid confession prior to defending his title last year, he said: "I bought two more cars this week, so I went from a millionaire to a non-millionaire." Reportedly, Brecel splurged over £250,000 on a swift Ferrari 488, dropped £80,000 for a Range Rover, and acquired a Porsche Taycan GT for his girlfriend Laura Vanoverberghe, which was rumoured to cost about £111,000. Yet, his fleet of cars do not often see the road. In an interview with The Sun, Brecel admitted: "I got a couple of cars with my winnings. I got a Ferrari and a couple of others. Just to enjoy myself. I don't really drive it that often. I'm not really home that much." Brecel pocketed a cool £50,000 for making it to the last eight at the Crucible this year – a tidy sum, but just a slice of his 2023 earnings. The Belgian ace was all in to cause a stir at this year's showdown, after an inconsistent last two years. He certainly turned heads when he rocked up at the Crucible in a swanky private jet, even throwing out an invite on social media for other people to hitch a ride. His lavish lifestyle has raised eyebrows before, with snooker icon Stephen Hendry criticising the player's focus. The seven-time world champion said: "I honestly don't know what he's (Brecel) doing with his career. "I haven't got a clue. I see him a lot on Instagram, he's riding his bike all over the place, he's going out to dinners with his girlfriend, he seems to be having a lovely time." While his spending is lavish, Brecel insists his life is relatively low maintenance. He said: "To be honest, I live quite a simple life, apart from the cars maybe. "I just love being at home when I have the chance to be at home. Walk the dog, watch a bit of television, play a few games. A pretty basic life, to be honest. It may not look like that, but it is."
Wales Online
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Wales Online
World Snooker Championship winner blew millionaire status despite £500,000 payday
World Snooker Championship winner blew millionaire status despite £500,000 payday Luca Brecel became one of the most surprising World Snooker Championship winners of all time and was a millionaire, but spent his money on fast cars Luca Brecel admitted he lost his millionaire status quickly after winning the 2023 World Championship (Image: VCG via Getty Images ) As Zhao Xintong celebrates his World Snooker Championship final victory over Mark Williams, he will do well to learn lessons from Luca Brecel's celebrations. The latter became a millionaire when he won the World Snooker Championship, but spent his seven-figure status away just as quickly. In 2023, Brecel shocked the sporting world by beating Mark Selby 18-15 at the Crucible to win his first world championship. The Belgian became the first ever player from continental Europe to become a world champion. Brecel looked to be threatening another run to the final this year, but he was stopped by Judd Trump in the quarter-finals. When Brecel emerged from the Crucible victorious two years ago, he left with a hefty £500,000 prize. However, the Belgian Bullet chose to enjoy his winnings while he could and splashed out on three stunning cars. By the end of his shopping spree, which was reportedly worth around £440,000, he found that his status as a millionaire was over. Last year, before his World Snooker Championship defence, he admitted: "I bought two more cars this week, so I went from a millionaire to a non-millionaire." It's understood that he spent more than £250,000 on a high-speed Ferrari 488, £80,000 on a Range Rover, and a Porsche Taycan GT believed to be worth around £111,000 for his girlfriend, Laura Vanoverberghe. The humorous thing about his purchases is that he is rarely behind the wheel. In a past interview with the Sun, he admitted: "I got a couple of cars with my winnings. I got a Ferrari and a couple of others. Just to enjoy myself. I don't really drive it that often. I'm not really home that much." Article continues below Brecel bought his Ferrari soon after winning the 2023 World Snooker Championship (Image: Photo by JONAS ROOSENS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images ) Brecel would have pocketed around £50,000 for reaching the last eight at the Crucible this year - a hefty prize but only 10 per cent of his winnings from 2023. The Belgian was determined to make a splash at the competition this year, after two years of inconsistent form. He immediately made headlines by arriving at the Crucible via an audacious private jet, which he offered to allow other people on social media to join him in. His spending has previously attracted the criticism of other snooker legends such as Stephen Hendry. Brecel reached the quarter-finals but was beaten by Judd Trump (Image: VCG via Getty Images ) Before the competition, the snooker great said: "I honestly don't know what he's (Brecel) doing with his career. I haven't got a clue. I see him a lot on Instagram, he's riding his bike all over the place, he's going out to dinners with his girlfriend, he seems to be having a lovely time." Brecel's laid-back and relaxed demeanour has often led to many people questioning his motivation and desire to win more major titles. However, he insists he is happy with a simple life. He added: "To be honest, I live quite a simple life, apart from the cars maybe. Article continues below "I just love being at home when I have the chance to be at home. Walk the dog, watch a bit of television, play a few games. A pretty basic life, to be honest. It may not look like that, but it is."
