Luca Brecel and Reanne Evans win World Mixed Doubles title with victory over Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna
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Published 31/03/2024 at 21:53 GMT
Luca Brecel and Reanne Evans prevailed over Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna following six absorbing frames at the World Mixed Doubles final in Manchester, as the former added to his individual world title with a commanding performance. Brecel and Evans advanced into the final via the head-to-head rule, and seized on the opportunity, with the Belgian playing some sublime snooker at times.
‘A Brecel special’ - Luca makes frame-winning break in six minutes after stunning opening red
Luca Brecel and Reanne Evans secured the World Mixed Doubles title with a 4-2 victory over Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna in Manchester.
The two-day event reached its conclusion and reigning men's world champion Brecel, playing in partnership with 12-time women's world champion Evans, claimed the title.
Brecel and Evans progressed into the final by virtue of their win over Judd Trump and Baipat Siripaporn on the head-to-head rule, with two pairs level on six points each.
Current world champion Brecel set his stall out with two superb half-century breaks to clear the table in a mere 10 minutes.
The Belgian was teed up to seal the second frame after some superb safety play by Evans, and doubled the duo's lead with some excellent potting, culminating in a long green.
Selby and Kenna needed a response and they provided it in pulsating fashion, as the latter missed a shot on pink before being given a reprieve as Brecel failed to make her pay.
Selby managed to land that elusive pink to make amends for what could have been a costly missed blue earlier in the frame to halve the deficit.
Selby worked his way to a break of 67 with three reds left on the table, and with Evans and Brecel needing three snookers, they conceded the frame to leave this contest on a knife-edge at 2-2.
Brecel twice rattled the top pocket with a brown in the fifth frame, prompting a rueful look at the scene of the crime from the Belgian.
However, he would wrap up the closest and longest frame of this absorbing contest by landing the blue, moving himself and Evans to within one frame of victory.
Brecel was on a roll and looked to be on the way to wrapping up the match, but ended on a break of 59 after being thwarted by a long red to the top pocket.
When Selby left a pink over the bottom pocket, Brecel entered the fray again to finish off the match by clearing up to the blue to clinch the title and a combined prize of £60,000 - with the £30,000 share a hefty £26,000 more than Evans' earnings on tour in the current season to date.
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