Former world champion at risk of being booted off snooker tour as worrying decline continues
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Luca Brecel is at risk of losing his tour card following another disappointing result at the Northern Ireland Open.
The Belgian snooker star pulled off a huge upset 18 months ago when he beat Mark Selby to clinch the 2023 World Championship crown at the Crucible.
But he's struggled to kick on since that famous victory and has slowly begun to drop down the two-year ranking list.
He's lost eight of the 13 matches he's played so far this season following another disappointing result at the Northern Ireland Open.
Luca Brecel has dropped down the two-year ranking list
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The 29-year-old came through a tight match against He Guoqiang in the opening round, but was resoundingly beaten by Pang Junxu the following day.
That result will drop Brecel down to 56th in the provisional end of season rankings and perilously close to the top 64 cut-off point to losing his tour card.
But the very real prospect of losing his tour card isn't something that is causing Brecel any real concern.
"I'm playing well enough - it's just about bringing my practice game to the match table, then I'll be OK. I just need to get on a run, that will come," he said.
"I'm not worried about losing my tour card as I would see it as a challenge to be in qualifying school.
"I'd love to play in Q school one day so maybe this is the right time.
"Obviously I'd love to stay on tour as well so I'll try my best.
"For now, I'm heading back to Majorca, I don't know for how long."
Luca Brecel has struggled for form of late
PA
The world No 6 recently revealed that he opted against training on the snooker table ahead of the Northern Ireland Open as he focused on training for an ironman triathlon.
Brecel insists he is 'really serious' about completing an ironman triathlon by the year 2028 and he's been training in Majorca.
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Luca Brecel won the World Championship in 2023
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"It [the Ironman triathlon] is a really big ambition of mine - some people think it's a joke but I'm really serious about it," Brecel added.
"That's the main focus and Majorca is a good environment to train, a lot of the pro cyclists go out there.
"I'm going to focus on cycling and running for the next two years and then I'll pick up swimming."
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