Belgian snooker player Luca Brecel enters world top 10

Belgian snooker player Luca Brecel is now ranked as the world’s 9th best snooker player after defeating his Chinese opponent Lu Ning in the final of the Championship League in Leicester in the United Kingdom on 29 July.

Winning the game by three frames to one, the Belgian snooker star also took home a total of €387,000 in prize money. This is Brecel’s third ever career ranking tournament.

Brecel had previously won the Chinese Championship in 2017, the Scottish Open in 2021, and now the Championship League.

“I still can’t believe it,” Brecel told the press after his win. “I actually played well throughout the tournament. The 3-0 win against Zhao was particularly important. It’s just fantastic to start the season like this. I’m already looking forward to the European Masters.”

Before his victory on Friday, Brecel’s best ranking on the Order of Merit had been 11th place. The player is Belgium’s first ever snooker world champion. Fans have been known to refer to Brecel as the “Belgian Bullet.”

© BELGA PHOTO - Luca Brecel and Noppon Saengkham during day five of the Betfred World Snooker Championships at The Crucible, Sheffield, April 20, 2022.