Belgium have quickly emerged as the surprise package of this year’s World Cup.
With four wins from five matches in the group stages, including victories against China A and a Hong Kong team boasting the inclusion of Marco Fu, the Belgian pair of Luca Brecel and Jeff Jacobs have progressed to the quarter-finals as group winners and are the only team left in the tournament with an amateur in their ranks.
We are all aware of the qualities of Belgium’s number one player Brecel but his team-mate Jacobs has been more than an adequate supporting act. Aged 21, he goes into it with decent pedigree as a former three-time junior champion and current national champion.
Belgian snooker photographer Monique Limbos said: “Jeff’s role model is Mark Selby and, in many ways, his game is similar to Mark’s.
“He’s accurate, determined, not flash but very competent and solid under pressure.”
Combining these qualities with Brecel’s highly regarded attacking game and self-belief, Monique says Belgium’s progression is not a huge surprise to her.
“The results this week have not surprised me,” she explained. “We have a bit of a generation gap, but lots of good players. As well as some of the masters (aged 40+), we have a number of promising teenagers including European Under-21 runner-up Sybren Sokolowski, Amadeo Durnez, Kobe Vanoppem and current junior champion Julien Leclercq who is 15.
“Our main problem is that snooker isn’t officially recognised as a sport. Therefore, we lack structures and funding. Sponsorship is hard to find as money spent in snooker can’t be taken into account to get tax rebates.”
Despite these issues, this week’s run at the World Cup will likely give the sport a boost back home and accelerate the determination of those already involved in snooker.
The nation will also play host to a full ranking event later this season with the European Masters moving to the city of Lommel in the Belgian province of Limburg.
Next though, they play China B in the quarter-finals and Monique isn’t ruling out their chances of going all the way to capture a fairytale win. She said: “I believe we can win it but they will not be favourites by any means. But that in itself might play in our favour.”
