Luca Brecel issues worrying statement after pulling out of Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters

Luca Brecel has released a statement after fans were left concerned by his latest withdrawal ahead of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.

Brecel was due to take on either Sanderson Lam or Connor Benzey in his third round match on Sunday, but pulled out the day before the match.

The World Snooker Tour announced his withdrawal but did not offer an explanation.

Brecel, the 2023 world champion and current world number 39, is yet to play a match this season.

He pulled out of the Wuhan Open qualifiers in June and also did not compete in the British Open or Championship League.

The 'Belgian Bullet' has largely struggled for consistent results since his Crucible success, but recaptured some of his best form at the 2025 World Championship in April.

He thrashed Ding Junhui 13-4 in the second round, and was level at 8-8 against Judd Trump going into the final session of their quarter-final but lost all five frames.

That defeat, however, is his last professional match to date.

And his continued absence from the sport has left fans worried over his absence, and he has now moved to clear up the situation.

Taking to Instagram, the Belgian revealed that he has been suffering from health problems which have prevented him from travelling to tournaments.

"Hi everyone," he began. "Some of you might have been wondering why I am not participating in snooker events since April.

"The truth is that I am suffering with health problems.

Image: Instagram/@lucabrecel

"Me and my team are doing everything we can to come out of this stronger and better than before.

"It's been really frustrating to not be able to travel and compete in tournaments. But... I always choose to be optimistic! Tough times often lead to something great!"

Who is playing in the 2025 Saudi Snooker Masters?

Aside from Brecel, all of snooker's top stars have entered the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, which has a total prize pot of £2,302,000.

The winner of the event receives £500,000, meaning the tournament represents a significant opportunity for players to climb the rankings.

Unlike in most other World Snooker Tour events, lower-ranked players were drawn against each other in round one, as opposed to the usual system where qualifiers would face off against the top stars in the first round.

Several players have taken advantage of the change of format, including 12-time women's champion Reanne Evans, who made it to the third round.

The top 16 seeds, including the likes of Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan and reigning world champion Zhao Xintong, will enter the tournament in round five.

O'Sullivan will take on either Sanderson Lam or Joe O'Connor, while Xintong faces Steven Hallworth or Zhao Yuelong.