Arabic version: لوكـا بريسل يفشل في التأهل لبطولة العالم للبلياردو 2026

Luca Brecel, the 2023 World Snooker Champion, has failed to qualify for the 2026 World Snooker Championship after losing to Jak Jones in the last qualifying round. Brecel, who secured his title by defeating Mark Selby 18-15 in the final, was eliminated with a score of 10-5 at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

According to BBC News, Jones, the 2024 runner-up, showcased impressive form, achieving five century breaks during the match, including scores of 136, 100, 114, 114, and 132. Jones expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I played quite well and this morning I felt really good, but this evening I felt shocking. But I managed to pull myself together and get over the line.”

In other qualifying matches, two-time finalist Ali Carter made a remarkable comeback against Scotland’s Anthony McGill, winning 10-7 after trailing 7-5. Carter, who is set to make his 22nd appearance at the Crucible, noted the challenge of keeping pace with McGill’s free-flowing style.

The qualifiers also saw a significant achievement for Chinese players, with a record 11 making it through to the Crucible. This surpasses the previous record of 10 players from last year. Players such as Zhang Anda, Fan Zhengyi, and Lei Peifan secured their spots, while England’s Jack Lisowski was eliminated by China’s He Guoqiang.

The draw for the tournament will feature 16 top players and 16 qualifiers, with the first round commencing on Saturday. The final is scheduled to start on Sunday, May 3, and will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live.