Belgium is home to some of the best snooker players in the world, who have been consistently making their mark in the professional circuit.
From former World Champions Luca Brecel and Steve Davis to upcoming players such as Eden Sharav and Bjorn Haneveer, these players have left their mark on the game and are inspiring a new generation of snooker enthusiasts in Belgium.
We will take a look at some of the top Belgian snooker players and their greatest achievements.
1. Luca Brecel
Luca Brecel is an impressive figure in the world of snooker. He is a four-time ranking event winner, and the current reigning World Snooker Champion, having won the 2023 event by defeating four-time champion Mark Selby 18–15 in the final.
His journey to the title was an impressive one, as he had to overcome a 5–14 deficit against Si Jiahui in the semi-final, eventually winning the match 17–15.
Brecel’s ability to come back from behind and ultimately win the championship shows his incredible skill and determination. His victory was an inspiring one, and it is an example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication.
2. Ben Mertens
Ben Mertens is an inspiring figure in the world of snooker. He has been playing the sport professionally since a very young age and has achieved great success in it.
In 2018, he achieved the pinnacle of his snooker career when he won the World Open Under-16 Snooker Championships. This was a major accomplishment for Mertens, as it was the first time that a Belgian player had won the tournament.
The win was a testament to Mertens’ hard work and determination. Mertens has become an inspiration to many aspiring snooker players, both in his native Belgium and around the world.
His victory in the World Open Under-16 Snooker Championships has inspired many to follow in his footsteps and strive to achieve the same success.
His win has also brought more attention to the sport of snooker in Belgium and hopefully will lead to increased participation in the sport. Mertens’ victory is a great example of how hard work and dedication can pay off.
He has shown that it is possible to reach the highest levels of the sport, even if you come from a small country like Belgium. His success is a great motivator for those who are looking to take up the sport and reach the same heights that he did.
3. Steve Lemmens
Steve Lemmens was a talented athlete who achieved great success during his professional snooker career. He was born in Belgium and competed on the main tour between 1991 and 1995.
During that time, he proved to be a formidable opponent and was able to reach impressive heights in the snooker world. Steve Lemmens was known for his calm and patient approach to the game, which often put him in a position to outwit his opponents.
He had a great sense of strategic positioning and had an uncanny ability to read his opponents’ shots. He was also an excellent shot-maker often making difficult shots with ease. Lemmens was very consistent in his playing style and was a regular fixture on the main tour.
He became a respected figure in the sport and was often praised for his sportsmanship.
During his time on the professional snooker circuit, Lemmens was able to reach the quarter-finals of the European Open, the semi-finals of the Welsh Open and the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open. Overall, Steve Lemmens was an impressive snooker player who left his mark on the game.
He was a skilled player with a great sense of strategy and a talent for making difficult shots. Although his career only lasted for four years, his impact on the sport remains to this day.
4. Mario Geudens
Mario Geudens is a highly accomplished former professional snooker player from Belgium.
He played on the main tour from 1993 to 2000 and was ranked among the top 100 players during the 1998/1999 season. Before turning professional, Geudens had already made a name for himself in amateur snooker.
He was the winner of the Belgian Amateur Championship twice, in 1999 and 2009, and was runner-up in the same event in 1992. Geudens has achieved a great deal during his time as a professional snooker player, but his success as an amateur is also impressive.
He has demonstrated a high level of skill and has been able to consistently compete and perform at a high level in both professional and amateur events. His accomplishments as a snooker player have certainly earned him a great deal of respect from the snooker community, and he is considered to be one of the top players to come from Belgium.
He is a great example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication, and he is an inspiration to many aspiring snooker players.
5. Bjorn Haneveer
Bjorn Haneveer is a renowned Belgian snooker player and commentator. He has a long history in the sport, having competed professionally in the past.
Although no longer a professional, Haneveer still plays at the semi-professional level and is also a regular commentator for Dutch Eurosport on snooker matches.
He has become a beloved figure in the snooker community, with many fans appreciating his expertise and passion for the game. Haneveer’s skill as a player is undeniable, as he has achieved numerous accolades throughout his career, including a runner-up finish in the Belgian National Snooker Championship in 2005.
In his commentary career, Haneveer is known for his clear and insightful analysis of the sport.
He provides an in-depth look at each match he covers, giving viewers a unique perspective on the action on the table. Haneveer’s success as both a player and a commentator has made him an integral part of the snooker community, and he is highly respected for his knowledge and experience.
Thanks to his efforts, snooker has grown in popularity throughout Belgium and the Netherlands, and he has become an inspiration to aspiring players and commentators.
6. Wendy Jans
Wendy Jans is a highly accomplished and talented snooker and pool player from Belgium. She has achieved an impressive feat by winning the IBSF World Snooker Championship for women nine times.
This is a remarkable accomplishment, as it shows her skill and dedication to the sport.In 2022, Wendy reached her first ever World Women’s Snooker Championship final. However, she unfortunately lost 5-6 to Nutcharut Wongharuthai on the final black ball.
Despite the loss, Wendy’s feat of reaching the final was still a remarkable achievement and shows her commitment to the sport.
Wendy is an inspiration to many aspiring professional snooker and pool players, with her nine world titles and impressive run in the 2022 World Women’s Snooker Championship. She is a testament to the power of hard work, dedication, and skill in the sport.
Her success is a source of pride for the Belgian snooker and pool community.
7. Patrick Delsemme
Patrick Delsemme was a renowned Belgian snooker player who hailed from the city of Liège. Over the years, he was recognized as one of the most outstanding snooker talents to have ever come out of Belgium.
He was a highly successful player during his career, and his skill and talent were recognized and acclaimed by snooker fans around the world. Delsemme first started playing snooker in the early 1980s, and it wasn’t long before he was making waves in the snooker world.
Throughout his career, he won a number of tournaments and accolades, including the Belgian Open, the European Open, and the World Masters.
His skill and talent were on full display during these tournaments, and his success helped to raise the profile of snooker in Belgium. In addition to his success as a player, Delsemme was also an active promoter of the game.
He was a strong advocate for the growth and development of the sport in Belgium, and he worked hard to ensure that the game was accessible to all.
Delsemme also worked to promote snooker in other European countries, and he was instrumental in helping to establish the European Snooker Federation. The achievements of Patrick Delsemme have left a lasting impression on the Belgian snooker community.
He is remembered as one of the greatest Belgian snooker talents ever, and his legacy lives on today. His skill and dedication to the game have helped to shape the future of Belgian snooker, and his legacy will continue to inspire and motivate snooker fanatics around the world.
8. Kevin Van Hove
Kevin Van Hove-Speltincx is a renowned Belgium former professional snooker player.
He is best known for his success in the sport, particularly for his European Snooker Championship title. Van Hove-Speltincx was a national sensation in Belgium, first rising to prominence as an amateur player in the late 1980s.
He soon moved up to the professional ranks, and he quickly established himself as one of the leading players in Europe. In the early 2000s, he achieved the feat of becoming the European Snooker Champion, a title he held for several years.
This was the highlight of his career, and it made him a household name in Belgium and beyond. Despite his success, Van Hove-Speltincx was never able to make the jump to the top tier of the professional snooker world.
His career was ultimately cut short due to a series of injuries, and he eventually retired from professional snooker in 2011. Today, Van Hove-Speltincx is remembered fondly by fans of the sport, and for good reason.
He was a highly talented player who made a lasting impression on snooker in Europe. Although he was never able to reach the top tier of the sport, his legacy as the former European Snooker Champion will live on.
Conclusion
Belgium has produced some of the best snooker players in history. Names such as Luca Brecel, Jean van Erp, and Pascal Legrand are all among the best of the best, having achieved success in the game both nationally and internationally.
Snooker is an important part of Belgian culture, and its players continue to be some of the most talented in the world.
