Former world champion Luca Brecel has opened up about the mystery illness that has plagued him, revealing it is physical rather than mental. The 30-year-old Belgian has been an intermittent presence this season, with his last appearance before the English Open being at the World Championship in April.
Brecel reached the quarter-finals of the English Open last week, losing to Zhou Yuelong. He had previously withdrawn from qualifying for the Saudi Arabia Masters and skipped the Wuhan Open, sparking speculation about his health. Some suggested mental health issues, but Brecel dismissed that, telling The Sun: “It’s not my head. I’m perfectly happy. I’m fine. It’s not mental. It’s physical things in my body. Strange.”
The 2023 world champion has visited doctors around 18 times in three to four months, but they have been unable to diagnose the problem. “There must be something wrong. But they cannot find anything. I have to deal with it,” he said. “At least I can play again. I’m happy to be at the table. All of a sudden it happened and no-one knows what it is. Still trying to figure it out, I’ve still got scans to do.”
Brecel’s health issues have taken a toll on his ranking, dropping him to 41st in the world. He admitted he has been unable to exercise as before, having previously enjoyed long-distance running and cycling. Despite the setbacks, he remains determined: “I feel okay in the game. It’s not every moment of the game, but it’s good enough.”
Should he fall out of the top 64, Brecel would need to enter Q School in January 2026, but he is not currently worried, knowing he can enter more tournaments to gain ranking points. Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan has backed him, saying: “I believe someone like him is so talented that he doesn’t need to play brilliantly to win.”
