Luca Brecel in Control as World Snooker Championship Begins at the Crucible Theatre

Luca Brecel, the reigning world champion, showcased his incredible snooker skills on the opening day of the 2024 World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The Belgian made two century breaks to take a commanding 6-3 lead over David Gilbert at the end of the first session.

Brecel, who became the first player from Belgium to win the World Snooker Championship, displayed his class with breaks of 134, 104, 91, and 73 to move 5-2 ahead. Despite Gilbert’s efforts, including a break of 115 in the eighth frame, Brecel only needs four more frames to secure his spot in the last 16.

Meanwhile, world number two Judd Trump showed his dominance as he took a 6-3 lead against Iran’s Hossein Vafaei. Trump, the 2019 champion, punished any mistake from Vafaei and looks poised to advance to the next round.

In another closely contested match, Ali Carter leads 5-4 against Stephen Maguire after the first session. Maguire, who made two centuries, faced frustrations as Carter fought back to keep the match tight going into the final session on Sunday.

Wales’ Jak Jones also impressed with a 5-2 lead against China’s Zhang Anda, showcasing his talent with breaks of 71, 68, 71, and 75.

As the first-round matches continue at the Crucible Theatre, fans are in for a treat with top-quality snooker on display. Stay tuned for more updates and follow all the action on the BBC Sport website and app.