Snooker star Luca Brecel has sensationally claimed he had "too much on to practice" ahead of the World Championship.
The Belgian edged an entertaining contest with Ricky Walden in the first round on Sunday (April 16), emerging as a 10-9 victor and in the process claiming his first win at the Crucible at the sixth attempt.
He spoke to the Eurosport panel of host Radzi Chinyanganya and pundits Jimmy White and Alan McManus after the match - and all three were left shocked by his comments. Brecel began: "The first time I was here I was so nervous and I wasn't this game.
READ MORE: Snooker star Mark Williams 'never gets a buzz' going to World Championships
"It was just like practice, I haven’t really practiced for this tournament. Been playing darts most of the time. I think I’ve had maybe 15 minutes of practice in three weeks so I think I’ve done quite well to win this game."
After White jokingly questioned if he was changing sports, McManus asked: "Can you tell me why? Honestly, why?"
Brecel replied: "Many people ask me why and I don’t know. I’m at home, I’ve got a good life. I just don’t get to play, I do so many things in my life and I just almost forget to play snooker.
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"Also I just wanted to do something different this year because I’ve lost all my games here, I need something to motivate me to play well. I was like if I don’t practice and I win, that will be like a challenge for me."
White responded: "So what about when you come here, do you practice while you're here?"
"Yeah but not much, I’ve done maybe like 20 minutes. I needed to do something different," Brecel continued, before adding that he would get some time in at the table before his last 16 clash against Mark Williams or Jimmy Robertson.
After he'd left the studio, White questioned his honesty. The former party animal said: "I’m not buying it to be honest with you, I’m just not having it.
"I might be wrong but why would you want to come to the World Championship, listen I wasn’t the greatest preparation person but the World Championship I got ready.
"I probably didn’t when I was here but how can you want to come here and not prepare. To go out there and play in this amazing venue and not get your preparation right, that’s crazy."
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