Ronnie O'Sullivan, Reanne Evans marvel as Luca Brecel puts on a show at 2025 Masters with outrageous move at Ally Pally

Talk of potentially losing his World Snooker Tour status has shrouded Luca Brecel's 2024/25 season, but he showed no sign of feeling the pressure with some eccentric potting in his Masters first-round clash with Chris Wakelin. And one move in particular drew adulation from the Eurosport panel, including from snooker great Ronnie O'Sullivan, as the Belgian put on a show at Alexandra Palace.

'Absolutely amazing' - Pure 'audacity' from Brecel as he finds position off stunning brown

Video credit: TNT Sports

Luca Brecel is known for his eccentric potting and all-out attacking style, and both qualities were fully on display in the early stages of his Masters first-round clash with Chris Wakelin.

The Belgian Bullet exhibited a move which stunned Alexandra Palace and the Eurosport studio alike, as he showed no sign of feeling the pressure despite continuing his search for a deep tournament run following his 2023 World Championship victory.

It was a tightly-fought opening frame between Brecel and Masters debutant Chris Wakelin, and with just four colours left on the table, the 29-year-old launched an audacious attempt at a strike nobody saw coming.

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With the cue ball and brown aligned upon the baulk cushion, Brecel knew he needed to find position on the blue - in the centre of the table - if he were to attack.

And while some may shy away from the challenge, Brecel seemed to relish it - absolutely nailing the execution and firing away the subsequent blue - which turned out to be frame ball.

"I can only think of a couple of players who would have the audacity to attempt that," Eurosport commentator Dominic Dale said. "That's absolutely amazing.

'What about that!' - Brecel sinks outrageous pink before equally impressive high-pressure black

Video credit: TNT Sports

"Had to play it with backspin and right-hand side as well, reverse side, a lot of players are capable of shots like that but hardly anybody would risk it.

"He's got to put all the backspin he can find. He had to play it with so much reverse side, when you apply sidespin to the cue ball, that can make you miss the pot.

"To rifle the brown in along the baulk cushion, these pockets are very tight, I don't know many players who would risk that - tremendous."

Discussing the incredible strike in the studio during the interval, snooker great Ronnie O'Sullivan explained how the Belgian's effort summed up his eccentric personality.

"He's just one of those players," the eight-time Masters champion said. "You can get better at anything, but with Luca it comes very naturally. Great talent, great shot maker. He's got every shot in the book really.

"He's very laid back, does things his own way. He'll go home in-between matches, and he lives in Belgium whereas most people stay.

"He does what he wants, that's the way he plays snooker really. He's an amazing player - when he's good, he's good.

"He plays the game very aggressive, very attacking. He has a strong belief in his game. He thinks if I play well, I'm going to win matches, if I play bad, I'm going to lose matches."

Reanne Evans - a 12 time women's world title winner - was also in the studio for the evening session, and tried her own hand at replicating the strike - doing so with aplomb.

Evans produces stellar attempt at Brecel's audacious first-frame brown

Video credit: TNT Sports

And she was just as impressed at how Brecel manipulated the cue ball against the notoriously tricky baulk cushion.

"This is why we love to watch Luca," Evans said. "The shots he can come out with are Judd Trump-esque.

"You never know what they're going to play or how they're going to go about things. This brown is an absolutely fantastic shot. The cue power, the reaction he gets.

"He didn't overhit it and he gets loads of reaction. The baulk end, across the rail, that is one of the hardest shots to do. Fantastic exhibition shot."

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