In the aftermath of his first world title win, Luca Brecel joked that the victory shouldn’t be legal such had been the manner of his build-up to the World Snooker Championship along with the tournament itself.
The 28-year-old became the first player from continental Europe to win snooker’s richest prize on Monday night and a payday of £500,000 having eschewed practice to instead party before and during his stint in Sheffield.
And his success was all the more unlikely as he had never previously won a single match in the main draw at the Crucible in five previous attempts.
The Belgian was returning home on Tuesday to celebrate with family and friends, and said he expected a big reaction for both him and the sport on his return back home.
“I was so nervous because I just wanted it to happen for Belgium and for Europe,” he said following comfortably the biggest win of his career. “It’s going to explode. Now it has happened, I can’t wait to see what it brings to the world.
“It is surreal but the next few weeks it will feel like a dream. I don’t know what is going to happen when I get home. I am going to be on a lot of television shows and do a lot of interviews probably. It’ll be a crazy few weeks.”
Brecel was a deserving champion in a tournament where he has been its undoubted star, but he was pushed mightily close in the final by an obdurate Mark Selby before eventually taking the win 18-15.
The pair were later photographed enjoying drinks together late into the evening in Sheffield.
But the new world champion admitted he was fortunate to have even made it to the final after a series of close shaves from the opening round through to the final itself.
“I just didn’t fancy winning this final,” he said afterwards. “I think it’s been too long, too much pressure, too many late nights. I had been behind in most of my games and I was expecting to go home against Ronnie [O’Sullivan] and especially Si [Juahai].
“It’s unreal after not winning a game here. I could have easily lost the first game against Ricky [Walden]. Ever since then, I played some of my best stuff here and it’s just amazing to come out as the winner.
“Today, when Mark got back from 9-5 to 9-8 I felt like I’d lost it already. I just didn’t fancy winning but, if you feel like that, you still produce those breaks, I feel like I deserve it.”
Brecel is hopeful his victory can turn around snooker fortunes back at home. There is no shortage of talent with him and the likes of Julien Leclercq and Ben Mertens, and he said he was hopeful it would help to kickstart a next generation as well as help boost infrastructure in the country.
Having done much of his partying pre and mid-tournament, he said he had no intention of going too wild in celebration back at home with family and friends.
“It’s been a crazy week, no practice just partying, it shouldn’t be legal,” he said. “I’m not a party guy, it’s just coincidence that it happened before this World Championship. I will probably have a couple of drinks with my family.”
