Luca Brecel out to silence critics with return to form at Scottish Open - 'A lot of people have been talking'
Published 12/12/2024 at 19:32 GMT
After a torrid 18 months at the table, Luca Brecel is showing signs of getting back towards his best form. The Belgian says that his hunger for the game has returned and that he is working towards being sharp at the table. Brecel beat Ding Junhui at the Scottish Open on Thursday. Watch and stream top snooker action, including the Scottish Open, live and on demand on Eurosport and discovery+.
Brecel wants to 'get to really high level again', analyses 'incredible' snooker escape
Video credit: TNT Sports
Luca Brecel has revealed that silencing his critics was a motivating factor in getting his snooker career back on track.
Brecel became the first player from mainland Europe to win the World Championship when triumphing at the Crucible in 2023.
The titles appeared to be there for Brecel to rack up, but by his own admission, he took his eye off the ball and enjoyed the trappings of being world champion.
His form through the 2023/24 season and into the current campaign was poor, which left his professional status at risk.
It was a talked-about subject at every tournament Brecel appeared at, and it seemingly tweaked a nerve within the 29-year-old.
"I have been putting in the hours the past few weeks and I think it shows a bit this week," Brecel told Eurosport’s Alan McManus after his win over Ding Junhui at the Scottish Open.
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Is this the most amazing snooker escape ever?! Brecel wows with 'surreal' shot
Video credit: TNT Sports
Brecel continued: "A lot of people have been talking, and you don’t want to have them keep talking, so I was like ’maybe I need to get back’.
"It is not just that, it is also deep inside I really want to get to a really high level again. I know once I get back to my form I can win tournaments. I know it is there, I just need to put in the hours.
"I think my mindset is even better than before, as I know what it feels like to lose a lot of games in a row, so it is nice to be back."
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Brecel has been working on his fitness, as he added: "I used to do a lot of running a couple of years ago and missed it. But now I am back to running and cycling, and am going to take up swimming."
While retaining his tour card is a key objective, Brecel feels he will be rewarded for working on his game.
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'That's a special one!' - Brecel flukes in red against Ding
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I just want to find a good rhythm in my game," Brecel said. "It is what I have been looking for for a long time.
"It is only since I have started working hard again that immediately I got the rewards, so it is maybe an easy way to get out of the struggle. When you have talent you just need to work hard.
"I feel good now. I don’t feel quite as sharp as I have ever been, but I am working towards it."
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Watch and stream top snooker action, including the Scottish Open, live and on demand on Eurosport and discovery+
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