Luca Brecel shocked the snooker world on Tuesday by conceding his Xi'an Grand Prix qualifier against Sunny Akani after just two and a half frames. The 2023 world champion, trailing 2-0 and 40-0 in the third frame, got up from his chair and shook hands with his opponent, gifting Akani a 5-0 walkover victory.
The abrupt retirement left fans, pundits and Akani bewildered. The Thai world No. 72 was lining up a blue into the middle pocket when Brecel conceded. World Snooker Tour cameras captured Brecel gesturing toward his cue after the handshake, but he has yet to publicly explain his decision.
By pulling out, Brecel forfeited a potential six-figure payday; last year's winner Kyren Wilson took home £177,000. The Belgian had already withdrawn from the Championship League, Saudi Arabia Masters and Wuhan Open this season, citing health problems in a recent statement.
In that statement, Brecel said: 'The truth is that I am suffering with health problems. Me and my team are doing everything we can to come out of this stronger and better than before.' His last competitive appearance before this qualifier was a 13-8 quarter-final loss to Judd Trump at the Crucible in April.
Despite the setbacks, Brecel had posted a practice countdown clock on Instagram ahead of the qualifier, suggesting he was eager to return. It remains unclear whether World Snooker Tour will take disciplinary action following his mid-match retirement.
