Luca Brecel reminded fans why he is considered the sport’s most instinctive scorer by reeling off seven consecutive frames to dismantle Ding Junhui 13-4.
Arriving in Sheffield on a private jet with mere hours to spare after a sponsorship appearance, the Belgian Bullet looked jet lagged only during the handshake.
From 1-1 he sprinted to 7-1 in the first session, compiling two centuries and three further breaks over 50.
Ding, who has long carried Chinese hopes of a maiden champion, never recovered from the onslaught.
Brecel later revealed that he approached the match with “no expectation, just freedom” and credited new coach Peter Bredemeijer for emphasising mental lightness.
Pundits highlighted Brecel’s improved shot selection, noting he turned down mid range risks that in previous years he would have accepted.
The 29 year old now faces Judd Trump in what bookmakers bill as a semi final quality encounter one round early.
Ding left the arena to warm applause but admitted the pace of Brecel’s scoring “blew me away.”
With back to back centuries in under 15 minutes, the streak enters Crucible lore, adding yet another signature passage to a tournament already rich in storylines.
