Luca Brecel sends Mark Selby and his wife Vikki a sophisticated greeting.

After winning his first World Snooker Championship against Mark Selby, Luca Brecel showed class by raising his hand.

Following the World Snooker Championship final, Luca Brecel sent a heartfelt letter to Mark Selby and his spouse Vikki. The four-time Crucible champion mounted a late comeback, but the Belgian overcame Selby 18–15 to win the championship and become the first player from continental Europe.

Brecel had a message for Selby and his wife just before he was given the trophy. He called the Englishman “the worst opponent to have in a final” since he had to make so many tough strokes to win.

“It’s incredible,” Brecel informed the BBC. “It’s so hard to see through the tears. The worst opponent to have in a final is Mark since he is so difficult. I didn’t think I had much of a chance at 16 or 15, but he just kept coming back. However, reaching the age of 17 gave me the confidence that, given the right circumstances, I might succeed once more.

Snooker is a challenging game. I only defeated Ricky Walden 10-9, therefore I might have lost five of my first-round matches this year. I’m excited to see what this means for snooker in Belgium, Europe, and beyond.

“You become so strong because you have the best friends, family, girlfriend, and team in the world.” And to Mark and Vikki, I just say, “Stay strong.”

After Selby had spoken his own heartfelt speech to his wife, Brecel was given the microphone. Selby became just the 10th player in the history of the competition to make a 147 in the Crucible, although he did achieve the first-ever maximum break in a final. Despite not winning his fifth world title, Selby took the time to clarify what mattered most to him.