Luca Brecel looking to pile more misery on Ronnie O'Sullivan after incredible weight loss
Luca Brecel has been working on his fitness in a bid to retain the World Snooker Championship.
Luca Brecel stunned Ronnie O’Sullivan on his way to a first World Snooker Championship a year ago and a slimmer Belgian Bullet is hoping to repeat his success at the Crucible. He defeated the Rocket in last year’s quarter-final, before going on to down Mark Selby and lift a maiden world title.
The 29-year-old endured a difficult season after success in Sheffield, crashing out in the first round of the Masters and failing to qualify for the World Grand Prix. Recent weeks have marked an improvement, reaching the Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker final before missing out on the £250,000 cash prize to O’Sullivan.
While in Saudi Arabia, Brecel discussed his weight loss, having paid a greater focus to his diet and exercise. The results have been reflected on the snooker table and he now believes that “the sky is the limit” ahead of the World Championship.
"I just needed to work a bit on my fitness and stuff like that," Brecel told the World Snooker Tour. "I lost a bit of weight and feel much better. I think that was the kind of change I needed to play well again. I feel like now, the sky is the limit."
It was a sentiment echoed after admitting last month that he was feeling much more comfortable playing after his weight loss. O’Sullivan has previously stressed the importance of physical fitness to a snooker player and Brecel has seemingly heeded that advice.
"I’ve been practicing a lot and I’m feeling good, actually, off the table as well,” he told Eurosport last month. “I’m back. Every day I’ve been playing and enjoying it as well. When I practice, I do enjoy it every time. I’m just trying get more fit as well. I’ve lost a bit of weight and I’m on a diet. I’m feeling really good."
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"I've got a good chance to win in Sheffield!" ????????????
— WST (@WeAreWST) March 6, 2024
Brecel's beaming with confidence following his semi-final victory over Allen at the @RiyadhSeason World Masters of Snooker.#RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/2V5aUv1PSZ
Brecel had opened up on the struggles he faced despite being world champion, having struggled to match the heights of his Crucible victory last May. "I feel so not in the game," he continued. "I just don’t feel like a professional snooker player at the moment, because I’m not playing enough matches and I’m not winning enough.
“You always go home with a not satisfied feeling after a tournament, so you try to find that feeling, and it never comes. You need one run.
"I feel like I’m playing the same as I’ve always been playing, but it’s just not on the table like that. I’ve been playing for so long, and I know it’s going to come back. It could be any time."