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Brecel surges into five-frame lead in snooker World Championship final / Photo: Oli SCARFF - AFP
Brecel surges into five-frame lead in snooker World Championship final
Belgian Luca Brecel struck three hundreds in four frames as he made a blistering start to the second day's play in the snooker World Championship final against four-times champion Mark Selby.
That left Brecel 13-8 ahead in the best of 35 frames contest after he had resumed 9-8 in front.
He capitalised on a missed red from the Englishman to make a break of 106 in Monday's opening frame at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre.
Brecel, producing some fine safety play as well as aggressive potting, won the next frame in two visits after another jawed red by Selby.
Selby then went 35 points ahead in the ensuing frame only for Brecel to respond with a break of 101 that included a spectacular doubled red.
Brecel, who before this year's edition had never won a match at the Crucible, then completed the mini session with a superb break of 141.
Sunday's early play surged Brecel, bidding to become the first continental European to win the world title, into a 6-2 lead.
But Selby 'won' the second session 6-3 -- a run that included the first maximum 147 break in a World Championship final.
Brecel left a red dangling over the corner pocket in the 16th and the 39-year-old Selby -- who had to wait until nearly 1:00 am local time (0000 GMT) Sunday to complete his semi-final win over Mark Allen -- seized his chance to make history with an assured clearance.
The 39-year-old also took the next frame to head into Monday's final day just one behind.
Selby's 147 came on the 40th anniversary of Cliff Thorburn's landmark first maximum in any Crucible encounter, against Wales' Terry Griffiths.
His break was the 14th maximum break in Crucible history and the second of this year's Championship after Kyren Wilson's first-round 147 against Ryan Day.
But Brecel, demonstrating admirable composure on Monday, appeared unfazed after finding himself in the role of the 'hunted' rather than the 'hunter'.
The 28-year-old had been the comeback king on his way to the final.
He won seven straight frames to beat seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in the last eight, with Brecel then reeling off 11 in a row from 14-5 down to beat China's Si Jiahui 17-15 in the semi-finals.
A.Schmidt--BlnAP
