‘I don’t understand it’ – Stephen Hendry fears for world snooker champion’s future after career ‘fell off a cliff’
STEPHEN HENDRY is baffled why 2023 world snooker champion Luca Brecel has let himself “fall off a cliff”.
The Crucible legend reckons Brecel has stepped off the gas – and “can’t understand” why.
Hendry, 55, is gunning for the Belgian Bullet after the 29-year-old’s form declined so much that his place on the 2025 professional tour is in doubt.
Brecel reacted to winning his sport’s showpiece event 19 months ago by purchasing a Ferrari, a Range Rover and a Porsche.
And over the next four months he celebrated by visiting 14 countries, sharing snaps from exotic venues on social media.
However, Brecel has knuckled down more in recent weeks, notably reaching the Scottish Open quarter-finals in December.
And he finds criticism of his situation “strange”.
He said: “I don’t see any problem. I think the next 10 years will be my best years.”
But one of the sport’s biggest names still has major doubts over Brecel.
Appearing on his self-named Stephen Hendry’s Cue Tips YouTube channel, Scotland’s seven-time world champ explained his feelings to Welsh ace Dominic Dale.
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The cuer turned TV pundit said: “He’s fallen off a cliff. What a great player, though.
“It’s very frustrating for me to watch him as someone who is so talented… who’s still in his 20s, who could still for the next 10, 15 years win so many tournaments, earn so much money… and who doesn’t seem interested.
“Everyone’s got their one way of living their life, but at the end of the day you’re so good at doing something, why would you not?”
However, Brecel said earlier this month: “I think I’m getting back to my normal level.
“I’m doing everything right, so it’s only a matter of time before I play some good tournaments again. I don’t see any problem.”
But Hendry doesn’t sound convinced.
He told Dale: “It’s a strange one, isn’t it. He talks like he want to do the Ironman and I’m like, ‘You’re a snooker player, mate’.
“I don’t understand it, but if he’s happy he’s happy,
“But I just think he’s so good, why would you not give your career everything for the next 10 years… Talent to burn.”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins