Luca Brecel overcomes lack of practice to record 'huge' Tour Championship win over Judd Trump

Luca Brecel showed his quality at the Tour Championships as he overcame Judd Trump 10-6 to book his place in the quarter-finals.

Brecel, a UK Championships runner-up, started brilliantly as he rattled off two half-century breaks to open up a 3-0 lead.

Trump tried to respond, but Brecel was able to hold him at arm's length, with the help of a century in the fifth, to command a 6-2 lead at the end of the afternoon session.

The Belgian got himself to within two frames of victory in the evening session only for Trump to launch a count-attack.

The 'ace in the pack' scored a tournament-high 140 to reduce the arrears and backed that up with another century, but Brecel was able to respond with a 73 break to get himself over the line.

"Maybe I got a bit fed up with all the travelling, to be honest. I didn't practice as much, that was my choice," Brecel told ITV4.

"The last month I didn't practice because I was busy with buying a house and all those kind of things.

"I didn't really practice at all for this tournament. I had some practice in Gibraltar [at the Gibraltar Open last week] obviously, but I was happy to just have a couple of hours here.

"To have a best of 19 match makes you a bit sharper for the next game. I'm just so happy to win because this game was huge for me.'

"I played some good stuff, some bad stuff, but it's just nice to get a win against such a top player,' he said. 'It's good practice for the World Championships.'

Brecel will now face John Higgins in the semi-final, and it's a challenge he is excited to face.

"I was thinking if I could win today I'd play John in the semis. The final of the Scottish Open was amazing.

"To be here and play him again in a best of 19 is fantastic and good for my game.

"My dream would be to play the final against Neil Robertson (who plays Ronnie O'Sullivan in the other semi-final). I just admire him, so it would be nice to play him."