Ronnie O’Sullivan tips ‘fearless’ snooker star who has undergone dramatic body transformation for World Championship

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN reckons Luca Brecel has the right character to banish the 45-year-old Crucible Curse.

But the Rocket has warned the Belgian Bullet he must put the hours in this time – otherwise he will become the next baize victim.

PA

Ronnie O’Sullivan has backed Luca Brecel (left) to banish the Crucible Curse[/caption]

AFP

Brecel revealed in March how he had lost more than a stone as part of a stunning body transformation[/caption]

AFP

Brecel admitted he had piled on the pounds more than he would have liked following his Crucible win[/caption]

Nobody has won the Sheffield World Snooker Championship at the first attempt and then mounted a successful defence the following year.

Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, O’Sullivan, Mark Selby and John Higgins all tried but failed with huge expectations on their shoulders.

One-hit wonder Joe Johnson, 71, came closest in 1987 when he lost the final to Davis and Irishman Ken Doherty, 54, had real aspirations of retaining the event in 1998 but was defeated by Higgins.

Brecel lifted the trophy in May 2023 – he beat 147-scoring Mark Selby 18-15 over two days – and will face the Curse over 17 days in South Yorkshire.

Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan, 48, said: “I was thinking about this the other day. He’s like another Joe Johnson.

“He’s that sort of character. He doesn’t fear pressure. He doesn’t fear anybody.

“So if anybody can do it, I think it will be somebody like Luca.

“I think he’s game is coming good. It feels like he is playing well. He’s losing a bit of weight, he feels good about his game, you can tell that by his interviews. A danger man for sure.”

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Brecel revealed last month how he lost a stone in weight in just one month and feels the fittest he has in a while.

He will discover on Thursday morning which qualifier he will face in the first round next Saturday on the opening day of the 48th World Champs to be staged at the Crucible Theatre.

The No.1 seed is in the opposite side of the draw to O’Sullivan and what a finale that would be on the first May Bank Holiday weekend, with £500,000 on the line, if they both get there.

Brecel, 29, shocked the sport when he admitted he hardly practised, spending his build-up throwing darts, playing computer games and late-night partying until 7am.

O’Sullivan, who is a leading expert on Eurosport’s snooker punditry team, said: “That is alright to say when you’re under the radar. But this year, he won’t be.

“This year coming out with that, saying that I haven’t been practising, I haven’t been doing this…Well, if it doesn’t work out, people will be asking questions.

“There’s a different type of pressure. When you win it, you have that target on your back. He will be under scrutiny. You are the reigning champion.

“Last year he played amazing snooker but he still had to go deep in every match. That wasn’t easy.

“Now it’s a different type of pressure. Listen I think if anyone can come in and not practise, and still do it, he’s that type of guy.

“You know, he’s world champion, he’s not a newcomer anymore.”

O’Sullivan fell foul of the Curse in 2002 – he lifted his first crown the year earlier – when he was eliminated by his hero Hendry in the semi-finals.

The world No.1 recalled: “I didn’t feel the pressure. I just got beaten by a better player. It just wasn’t meant to be.

“When I came along, I had to face the likes of John Higgins, Mark Williams, Stephen Hendry, John Parrott and Steve Davis. There was never much between anyone.

“We were so equal that if one guy hit form at the right time, they were going to win. I did well to get to the semis and made a good defence of it.”

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