Category: Rebecca Kenna

Luca Brecel experienced an eventful Sunday as his car was towed away before winning the World Mixed Doubles title with Reanne Evans.

“I parked my car in the wrong place and it got taken away, so I had to go and get it just before the final and then just about made it back in time,” he told ITV Sport. “Crazy story. But luckily, I made it in time.

“I started off well and played a bit better than before, but not as good as I would have liked.

“It was still good enough to win, but I’m still not happy with the way we played. I guess Reanne will say the same, but I’m really happy to win this great tournament.

“I was already feeling much better in my game the last few months and winning this title helps a lot. Now I’m now really looking forward to Sheffield [World Championship].”

Meanwhile, it was a landmark evening for Evans after adding to her 12 world titles with Mixed Doubles success.

“[It’s] most definitely [special] – 22 years to play on TV and win a final,” she added.

“I know Luca carried me a little bit, and if I had known, I’d have towed his car right at the start of yesterday if he played like that.

“I’ve been playing a long time and it’s fantastic to be lifting a trophy and play in a final like this alongside all these great players.

“The crowd have been fantastic as well and I’ve really enjoyed myself. Yes, we didn’t play amazingly; we played a little bit better in the final and hopefully we can come back and try again.”

For Selby, it was a case of what might have been and the four-time world champion spoke about the challenges which the doubles format poses.

He said: “Playing doubles – whether it’s mixed doubles or just normal doubles – is always a tough format to try and play well and get any rhythm because you’re playing one shot every four, and sometimes you don’t know who is getting a pot.

“You could be sitting around for quite a long time before you get a chance. But I enjoyed it this weekend, it was good. I thought Rebecca played really well; she obviously showed why she’s No. 4 in the world, she made some good breaks during the weekend. Disappointed not to win, but to get to the final again was a good achievement.”

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.

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.