Luca Brecel Stages Impressive Comeback to Reach Scottish Open Quarter-Finals

Posted : 13 December 2024

Luca Brecel, ranked seventh in the world, was determined to silence critics of his form after making a strong comeback from 3-1 down to defeat Ding Junhui 4-3 in the BetVictor Scottish Open quarter-finals. The Belgian has been under pressure this season, with his spot in the top 64 at risk when his 2023 World Championship points expire. However, his performance this week has significantly boosted his chances of avoiding a major drop in the rankings.

Brecel, a former winner of this event, previously triumphed in 2021 by beating John Higgins in the final. Now, he is just three victories away from securing his second Stephen Hendry Trophy. His next opponent is Wuhan Open champion Xiao Guodong, who defeated Stephen Maguire 4-1.

Brecel's comeback against Ding was especially notable, as Ding had established a 3-1 lead with impressive breaks of 125 and 126. Yet, Brecel fought back to win three consecutive frames and claim his first-ever victory over Ding in their eight meetings.

Reflecting on the match, Brecel acknowledged the difficulty of leveling the score at 3-3, and described the decider as a battle of mental control. The 29-year-old attributed his motivation to the pressure from ongoing discussions about his form, expressing his desire to reach a high level of play again.

He believes that with dedication and the right mindset, he can once again compete for titles, confident in his ability to win tournaments when fully in form.

Meanwhile, Mark Allen also advanced to the quarter-finals after a nail-biting 4-3 win over Jack Lisowski in a deciding frame. Lisowski had a chance to win but missed a challenging red, allowing Allen to take control and finish with a match-winning break of 68.

Allen, who is aiming for his second Scottish Open title, will next face Noppon Saengkham, who secured a 4-2 win over Ali Carter. Allen expressed his relief at still being in the competition and hopes to continue his strong form.

Other notable results saw Chris Wakelin continue his impressive form with a 4-1 win over Xing Zihao, setting up a quarter-final match against Wu Yize, who defeated Barry Hawkins 4-3. Lei Peifan triumphed in a deciding frame against Stuart Bingham, securing a 4-3 victory, and will face Tom Ford, the recent Shoot Out champion, who won 4-1 against Long Zehuang.

Luca Brecel Stages Impressive Comeback to Reach Scottish Open Quarter-Finals

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