Luca Brecel has tumbled down the rankings since winning the world title (Image: Getty)
Stephen Hendry is torn over unique approach to The 2023 world champion has tumbled down the rankings since his memorable Crucible triumph and could even drop off the tour at the end of the season.
A strong run at the UK Championship in York, where he faces Jak Jones in the first round this evening (Monday 25 November), would aid his long-term prospects, but time is starting to run out for the Bullet. Not that Brecel himself seems too worried by his precarious position in the provisional end-of-season rankings.
The 29-year-old has a relaxed, almost horizontal attitude to the game, which sees him casually flit back and forth to tournaments from Belgium or even from holiday destinations. Snooker isn’t even his top priority anymore as he focuses on becoming an
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It’s all an alien concept to seven-time world champion Hendry, who dominated the sport in the 1990s. “As a snooker player, I cannot buy into what he’s doing, flying in from Majorca between matches [as he did during the Northern Irish Open] and stuff,” said Hendry in an interview for
“But then, I don’t know what his priorities in life are. Maybe snooker isn’t his priority anymore, and you’ve got to respect that. If that’s what he wants to do, that’s it.
“You could criticise if he wants to win snooker tournaments, because that’s not the way to do it. But if he’s not bothered whether he wins or lose, if he wants to do this Ironman stuff and play snooker as a hobby, then good luck to him.
Stephen Hendry retired from top-level snooker for the final time earlier this year (Image: Getty)
“For me, as someone who dedicated their whole life to win, I don’t understand it. But it’s his life. Luca’s different to anyone else on the tour in that respect.
“Even when he won the World Championship, he was travelling back and forth to Belgium. But who can criticise when he goes on and wins the World Championship?
“He could win the next tournament and prove everyone wrong. From my point of view, I couldn’t do it and I don’t understand it. But I look on his and it looks like he’s having an incredible life, so good luck to him.”