Ryan Day Makes Strong Start At Crucible, But Luca Brecel Fights Back

Ryan Day. Pic: Alamy

Ryan Day – nicknamed “Dynamite Day” – made an explosive start at snooker’s World Championships but he was unable to blast Luca Brecel out of touching distance.

Veteran Welsh cueist Ryan Day made an emphatic return to the Crucible Theatre, storming into a 5-1 lead against reigning world champion Luca Brecel, before the Belgian rallied to close the gap to just one frame to trail 5-4 at the end of their first session in the World Snooker Championship first round.

Competing in the final stages of snooker’s most prestigious tournament for the 16th time, Day showed his class early on, compiling impressive breaks of 126, 67, and 61, dominating a sluggish Brecel who managed just 120 points in the opening six frames.

Day, from Pontycymer and currently ranked 36th in the world, earned his place in the main draw through two tough qualifying rounds.

Though his form this season has been inconsistent, he looked completely at home on the Crucible stage, where he previously reached the quarter-finals three times between 2008 and 2012.

Brecel, the world number seven, is fighting to keep his place in the elite top 16.

He has struggled for consistency since lifting the world title in 2023 and is currently projected to fall to 48th in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings without a deep run in Sheffield.

After being outplayed for most of the session, Brecel showed his champion’s resolve by producing classy breaks of 104, 54 and 86 to claim the last three frames and head into Thursday’s decider with momentum on his side.

Day will resume his match against Brecel on Thursday at 1pm, with a place in the last 16 and a showdown against Ding Junhui on the line.

If Day can recapture his early-session rhythm, he may well send the defending champion packing.

Meanwhile, Ronnie O’Sullivan delivered a clinical performance on to cruise past Ali Carter and book his place in the last 16.

The seven-time world champion, competing at the Crucible for a record 33rd consecutive year, returned to action for the first time since January, when he famously snapped his cue and discarded it after a disappointing run at the Championship League, where he lost four of five matches.

Holding a narrow 5-4 advantage after the opening session on Tuesday, the 49-year-old was a different animal on day two.

O'Sullivan found top gear immediately and rattled off five straight frames to wrap up a commanding 10-4 victory over two-time finalist Carter.

The dominant win sets up a mouth-watering clash in the second round against Chinese qualifier Pang Junxu, who earlier stunned 12th seed Zhang Anda to earn his place in the last 16.

“I am trying to get away from what I know is the problem. It got to the point where I couldn't watch myself play because I could see what was wrong but I didn't know how to correct it," said world number five O'Sullivan, whose last title was the Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker in March 2024.

"I am working on that and at the moment it feels really strange. When I first rebuilt my game in 2000 with (coach) Frank Adamson it took a year before it felt great.

“That's what I have to do again. I need to create space so I can get the cue through.

"There was a time where I wasn't able to pull the cue back and forwards, which was scary. I had that before years ago and managed to play my way out of it.

“This time, where I have changed my alignment and certain things, years of that have mounted up and I have lost all connection with the cue - my timing, touch and feeling have gone.

“I am going to give myself two years. There will be no more exhibitions or distractions off the table. I will help out at the academy in Saudi Arabia, I enjoy the work I am doing there and hopefully we can do something similar in the UK because my true love is to help people and give back.

“That helps me to learn from other people. Otherwise it will just be tournaments and getting fit.”