Luca Brecel Opens Up About Mystery Illness That Has Disrupted His Snooker Season
Belgian snooker star Luca Brecel—2023 World Champion—has revealed that he has been struggling with a mysterious illness this season, one that has left him feeling fatigued and uncertain about his future form. This health issue has prevented him from competing frequently, forced him to scale back his fitness training, and left even top medical experts baffled.
A Season Marked by Absence
Since his remarkable victory over Mark Selby in 2023, Brecel has encountered a challenging year. His appearance at the English Open, where he reached the quarterfinals before losing to Zhou Yuelong, marked one of his few outings this year. That tournament was his first major event appearance since the Crucible World Championship in April.
He withdrew from the Saudi Arabia Masters qualifiers for medical reasons and skipped the Wuhan Open entirely. He attempted to compete during the Xi’an Grand Prix qualifiers, even borrowing a cue, but ultimately had to exit a match midway.
Given how infrequently he has played, there has been concern among fans and commentators about how this disruption might affect his world ranking and future status in the sport.
More Than Mental Health—A Physical Issue
Some observers speculated that Brecel’s withdrawals and absences might be linked to mental health struggles, a topic often raised in professional sport. However, Brecel has firmly rejected that narrative. In an interview he emphasized that his difficulties are not psychological. “It’s not mental. It’s physical things in my body,” he said.
Over the past three to four months, he reports having visited doctors up to 18 times in attempts to uncover the cause of his symptoms—but so far, the results have been inconclusive. Brecel acknowledges that scans and further medical tests are still pending. “All of a sudden it happened and no one knows what it is,” he said, describing how his body is doing “strange things.”
He also revealed that his capacity for exercise has been severely hampered. Previously an avid runner and cyclist, Brecel has had to put much of his endurance training on hold due to his symptoms. This disruption even affected his ambition to compete in an Ironman triathlon.
Return Despite Uncertainty
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his condition, Brecel has decided to return to the table and compete whenever possible. He told media outlets that he would “play whatever happens, whatever I feel.”
While he admits the condition still influences his game (not every moment feels normal), he believes he is able to perform “good enough” to compete at the top level.
Still, there are consequences to his limited participation. His world ranking has dropped as a result of inactivity. If he falls beyond the Top 64, he may need to try to regain his tour card via Q School in January 2026.
Brecel, ever confident, has joked that he would welcome the experience of Q School. He remains relaxed about where his ranking might go, insisting that his focus remains on being fit enough to compete.
He has confirmed he will skip the British Open but expects to return for qualifiers in China for the International Championships later in the year.
What This Means for Snooker Fans and the Sport
Brecel’s situation shines a light on how health uncertainties can upend even world champions. The risky balance between managing one’s body and maintaining peak competitive performance is a challenge in any sport, and snooker is no exception. His candidness also helps dispel assumptions linking absence or struggle automatically to mental health or lack of will.
Fans and commentators will now closely watch how he performs in upcoming tournaments and whether medical tests will reveal the root cause of his illness. Any breakthrough could potentially restore the momentum he built after claiming the Mighty Crucible Crown.
In the meantime, Brecel’s resolve to compete, despite the limits imposed on him, is a testament to his dedication to snooker and his belief in his own abilities.
Sources
-
Ex-world champ Luca Brecel reveals he’s battling mystery illness that leaves him fatigued and has baffled doctors – The Sun
-
‘No-one knows what it is’ – Luca Brecel makes shock health claim after 18 visits to a doctor – TalkSport
-
Holder Brecel ousted by Gilbert in World Championship first round – Reuters