Luca Brecel
Encyclopedia
Luca Brecel is a Belgian
snooker
player, widely considered one of the most promising upcoming snooker talents.
In May 2009, in the Grand Final of the World Series of Snooker
in Portugal, he beat Jimmy White
4–3 and former World Champion Ken Doherty
5–3 on his way to the quarter-finals, where he lost 4–5 to Graeme Dott
. In August 2009, he beat Joe Perry
, the then world number 12, at the Paul Hunter Classic
. On 8 January 2010, Brecel defeated former world champion Stephen Hendry
4–1 at an exhibition game in Bruges
, Belgium.
Luca Brecel became the Belgian senior snooker champion on 24 May 2010, beating Bjorn Haneveer
7–4 in the final. He also had the highest break of the tournament with a 136.
Brecel was one of the eight players in the first ever Power Snooker
event, held on 30 October 2010 at the indigO2, next to reigning world champion Neil Robertson
, Ding Junhui
, Mark Selby
, Ali Carter
, Shaun Murphy
, Jimmy White
and Ronnie O'Sullivan
. Brecel was defeated by O'Sullivan in the first round.
On 19 December 2010, Brecel was named the Young Belgian Sportsman of the year
.
Brecel received a wild card for the Main Tour of the professional snooker season 2011/2012
on 5 May 2011.
in his first official pro game. By August 2011, he was ranked 87 on the Snooker world rankings
, as second Belgian after Bjorn Haneveer
, then ranked 65. He reached the final 32 of the second event of the Players Tour
, in Gloucester
, beating the world number 17 Jamie Cope
along the way.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
player, widely considered one of the most promising upcoming snooker talents.
Amateur career
In April 2009, he became the youngest European under-19 champion at 14 years of age.In May 2009, in the Grand Final of the World Series of Snooker
World Series of Snooker
The Sportingbet.com World Series of Snooker was a series of invitational snooker tournaments set up as a complement to the WPBSA's tour Its first season was played in 2008/2009, consisting of four two-day tournaments in St...
in Portugal, he beat Jimmy White
Jimmy White
James Warren "Jimmy" White MBE is an English professional snooker player. Nicknamed the "Whirlwind" and popularly referred to as the "People's Champion", White is a multiple World Championship finalist renowned for losing each of the six finals he contested.White's extensive list of achievements,...
4–3 and former World Champion Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty is an Irish professional snooker player. He is the only player ever to have been world amateur and world professional champion...
5–3 on his way to the quarter-finals, where he lost 4–5 to Graeme Dott
Graeme Dott
Graeme Dott is a Scottish professional snooker player from Larkhall in Scotland. He won the 2006 World Championship, which was his first ranking title after four previous runner-up spots...
. In August 2009, he beat Joe Perry
Joe Perry (snooker player)
-External links:*...
, the then world number 12, at the Paul Hunter Classic
Paul Hunter Classic
The Paul Hunter Classic is a pro-am minor-ranking snooker tournament. From 2010 it is part of the Players Tour Championship, and is the first of the tour events to take place in mainland Europe.-History:...
. On 8 January 2010, Brecel defeated former world champion Stephen Hendry
Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at the age of 21. He has won the World Championship a record seven times and was snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years between 1990 and 1998, and again...
4–1 at an exhibition game in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, Belgium.
Luca Brecel became the Belgian senior snooker champion on 24 May 2010, beating Bjorn Haneveer
Bjorn Haneveer
Bjorn Haneveer is a Belgian professional snooker player. Haneveer also commentates on snooker matches for Dutch Eurosport.-Career:...
7–4 in the final. He also had the highest break of the tournament with a 136.
Brecel was one of the eight players in the first ever Power Snooker
Power snooker
Power Snooker is a variant of the cue sport snooker, first played competitively in July 2010 in the United Kingdom.The promoter of World snooker Barry Hearn stated Power Snooker is "designed to be faster and more exciting" than the traditional format of snooker. Players compete in time-limited ...
event, held on 30 October 2010 at the indigO2, next to reigning world champion Neil Robertson
Neil Robertson (snooker player)
Neil Robertson is an Australian professional snooker player and the 2010 World Champion and World #4...
, Ding Junhui
Ding Junhui
Ding Junhui is a Chinese professional snooker player. Ding Junhui is China's most successful player ever, having become only the second teenager, after John Higgins, to win three ranking titles...
, Mark Selby
Mark Selby
Mark Anthony Selby is an English professional snooker and pool player. Runner up in the World Snooker Championship 2007, he was the 2006 WEPF World Eight-ball Champion. Selby has won the Masters on two occasions, the Welsh Open and the Shanghai Masters...
, Ali Carter
Allister Carter
Allister "Ali" Carter is an English professional snooker player, who lives in Tiptree. He reached the final of the 2008 World Championship, his first major final. Although he lost heavily to Ronnie O'Sullivan, this run allowed him to reach the top 8 of the rankings for the first time...
, Shaun Murphy
Shaun Murphy (snooker player)
Shaun Murphy is an English professional snooker player, who won the 2005 World Championship. Nicknamed "The Magician", Murphy is noted for his straight cue action and his long potting. He is known for his dedication and for being a devout Christian.Born in Harlow, England, Murphy turned...
, Jimmy White
Jimmy White
James Warren "Jimmy" White MBE is an English professional snooker player. Nicknamed the "Whirlwind" and popularly referred to as the "People's Champion", White is a multiple World Championship finalist renowned for losing each of the six finals he contested.White's extensive list of achievements,...
and Ronnie O'Sullivan
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Ronald Antonio "Ronnie" O'Sullivan , is an English professional snooker player known for his rapid playing style and nicknamed "The Rocket". He has been World Champion on three occasions , and is second on the all-time prize-money list, with career earnings of over £6 million, behind only Stephen...
. Brecel was defeated by O'Sullivan in the first round.
On 19 December 2010, Brecel was named the Young Belgian Sportsman of the year
Belgian Sportsman of the year
The Belgian Sportsman of the Year is elected at the end of each year, annually since 1967. A Belgian Sportswoman of the Year title has been given out since 1975...
.
Brecel received a wild card for the Main Tour of the professional snooker season 2011/2012
Snooker season 2011/2012
The 2011/12 snooker season is a series of snooker tournaments played during 2011 and 2012. The following table outlines the results and dates for all the ranking and major invitational events.- Calendar :-New professional players:...
on 5 May 2011.
Professional career
Luca Brecel became a professional snooker player in June 2011, beating Anthony HamiltonAnthony Hamilton
Anthony Hamilton or Antony Hamilton may refer to:*Anthony Hamilton , Irish classical author, of aristocratic Scottish ancestry, who lived in France where he was known as Antoine Hamilton; intimate of French aristocracy, he wrote, in French, Mémoires du comte de Gramont *Anthony Hamilton , English...
in his first official pro game. By August 2011, he was ranked 87 on the Snooker world rankings
Snooker world rankings
The snooker world rankings are the official system of ranking professional snooker players to determine automatic qualification and seeding for tournaments on the World Snooker Tour. They are maintained by the sport's governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association...
, as second Belgian after Bjorn Haneveer
Bjorn Haneveer
Bjorn Haneveer is a Belgian professional snooker player. Haneveer also commentates on snooker matches for Dutch Eurosport.-Career:...
, then ranked 65. He reached the final 32 of the second event of the Players Tour
Players Tour Championship 2011/2012 – Event 2
The Players Tour Championship 2011/2012 – Event 2 professional minor-ranking snooker tournament took place between 6–10 August 2011, at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, England.Judd Trump won in the final 4–0 against Ding Junhui....
, in Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, beating the world number 17 Jamie Cope
Jamie Cope
-External links:***...
along the way.
Amateur
- Belgian Under 16 Championship – 2007, 2008, 2009
- Belgium Ranking Events
- St.Martinus Gent – 2007
- Happy Snooker Hasselt – 2009
- Zele - 2010
- Peer - 2011
- Malta Under 16 Open – 2007
- Flemish Under 16 Championship – 2008
- Belgian Teams Championship – 2008
- Belgian Open Under 21 – 2008
- Belgian Under 21 Championship – 2008, 2009
- European Under-19 Championship – 2009
- International Open under 21 – 2009
- Belgian Senior Championship - 2010
- European Snooker Championship - 2010