Defending champion Luca Brecel stunned by David Gilbert at World Snooker Championship opener

David Gilbert’s stunning comeback against Luca Brecel at the World Snooker Championship left fans in awe on the opening day of the tournament in Sheffield. Brecel, the defending champion, fell victim to the ‘Crucible curse’ as Gilbert reeled off the final four frames to claim a thrilling 10-9 victory.

The Belgian had led 6-3 at the end of the first session but squandered multiple chances to close out the match. Gilbert, a semi-finalist in 2019, capitalized on Brecel’s mistakes and surged back with three successive half-centuries before sealing the win with a nerveless 65 break.

For Brecel, it marked a disappointing end to his reign as champion, as he struggled to replicate his previous success on the table. Gilbert’s victory was a remarkable turnaround, considering he had only won a single Crucible match in the past four years.

The match was filled with dramatic moments, including a missed green by Brecel when he was on the brink of victory at 9-8. Despite Brecel’s impressive potting, his wild shot choices and careless errors ultimately cost him the match.

In other matches, Judd Trump established a 6-3 lead over Hossein Vafaei, while Stephen Maguire and Ali Carter were locked in a close battle with Carter holding a 5-4 lead. The action continues on Sunday with more exciting matchups, including Mark Selby vs Joe O’Connor and Shaun Murphy vs Lyu Haotian.

The World Snooker Championship is off to an electrifying start, with unexpected twists and turns keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Stay tuned for more thrilling action from the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.