Luca Brecel needed just one solitary frame on Monday evening to complete a commanding 13-4 triumph over China’s Ding Junhui and cruise into his second career Crucible quarter final. Returning to the table after a lengthy interval, the Belgian fired a composed 71 break within minutes, completing one of the swiftest sessions on record and underlining his renewed challenger status 2 years after lifting the trophy.
Brecel’s dominance was rooted in a breathtaking first session on Saturday when he rattled in two centuries and three further breaks above 50 to surge 7-1 clear. Ding, a finalist in 2016, never recovered as Brecel repeatedly stole frames with long distance reds that drew gasps from the crowd. The defending champion’s early form this season had been patchy, yet he arrived in Sheffield vowing to “let the arm fly” and rediscover the carefree spirit of his 2023 victory.
Stat sheets show a 92 percent pot success during the opening session and an average shot time of 14 seconds, an aggressive tempo that unsettled Ding’s methodical rhythm. Even a private jet dash from Belgium on Saturday morning did not blunt Brecel’s accuracy, with tournament data confirming an impressive 32 long pots made from 35 attempts across the match.
Brecel now faces Judd Trump in a heavyweight quarter final that pits the sports two most fluent scorers of the modern era. The pair last met at the Masters where Trump edged a final frame decider, though Brecel will point to his past Crucible glory and a perceived psychological edge on the world stage.
The Ding defeat also revives talk of a so called “Junhui curse” where opponents who eliminate the Chinese star often stumble in the next round. Brecel laughed off the superstition but acknowledged he must start faster against Trump than he did against Ryan Day in round one.
With his fearless shot making fully engaged, Brecel heads into the last eight convinced he can repeat his surprise title run and further cement Belgium’s growing influence in world snooker.
