Luca Brecel’s stunning World Snooker Championship final win over Mark Selby at the Crucible could herald an exciting new era for the sport.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at five leaders of the next generation who will be looking to follow in the Belgian’s footsteps.

Si Jiahui

The 20-year-old Si proved a revelation on his World Championship debut, and was only denied a place in the final by Brecel’s brilliant comeback. Si’s fearless approach won praise from the pundits and the Chinese player, who has hurtled into the world’s top 50 on the back of his success, showed all the signs of sticking around at the top level.

Ben Mertens

Mertens emulated his compatriot Brecel by cleaning up at junior levels, and in 2020 he beat James Cahill to become, at the time, the youngest ever winner of a World Championship qualifying match. The 18-year-old adapted well on his debut year on the circuit, and beat David Gilbert en route to the last 16 of this year’s Welsh Open.

Stan Moody

Regarded as Britain’s best long-term prospect, the 16-year-old from Sowerby Bridge clinched a two-year tour card after winning the WSF World Junior Championship in Sydney this season. Moody, whose game has earned praise from stars including Jimmy White, made a memorable debut in Crucible qualifying by knocking in a century in a 10-7 win over Andres Petrov.

Pang Junxu

The Chinese 23-year-old is no longer such a secret after gamely pushing Ronnie O’Sullivan on his Crucible debut. Pang enjoyed a breakthrough 2023, reaching the final of the WST Classic and the last four of the Welsh Open, propelling him into the world’s top 50 and making him a man the big names will want to avoid in 2024.

Julien Leclercq

The 20-year-old Leclercq, who plays a similar game to Brecel, is the third Belgian player in the world’s top 100. He made a significant impact in 2023, winning six matches to reach the final of the Snooker Shoot-Out, and also making the second round of the Welsh Open after a fine win over former champion Jordan Brown.

Newly-crowned world champion Luca Brecel has been backed to spearhead a new golden generation of snooker superstars so talented they could even go on to rival the exploits of the fabled ‘Class of ’92’.

That is the opinion of WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson who watched the Belgian hold true to his swashbuckling style to sink Mark Selby 18-15 and become the first player from continental Europe to claim the Crucible title.

Coupled with the high-octane potting approach of vanquished semi-finalist Si Jiahui, Ferguson believes this year’s tournament offered an ideal blueprint for future players to emulate the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams, who have dominated well into their 40s.

“I often hear about the ‘Class of 92’ and people constantly saying you’ll never replace them, but I can tell you the class that is coming through now is really going to push on the sport,” Ferguson told the PA news agency.

“The way Luca and Si played is the way the game is supposed to be played. It’s magical watching them score. There was point yesterday where Luca started taking on some big shots and missing them, and Mark kept coming back, but Luca didn’t stop going for them.

“It just shows you can play that slightly more open attacking game even against the very best, and you can go the distance. Some of those matches were just unbelievable.”

Brecel, who had fought back from behind to beat O’Sullivan and Si in previous rounds, was threatened with a taste of his own medicine as four-time champion Selby fought back from 16-10 down to move within a single frame of levelling at 16-16.

But Brecel, who had started the biggest session of his life by rifling three centuries in four frames in less than an hour, capitalised on a rare missed black off its spot in the next frame to nudge one from victory, and fittingly sealed his £500,000 windfall via a nerveless fifth century of the match.

Brecel’s victory, coming 11 years after he became the youngest Crucible debutant at the age of 17, and after five previous failed attempts to get beyond the first round, was all the more remarkable for the 28-year-old’s insistence that lack of practice and lots of parties were the key to success.

Brecel played down the impact of his unorthodox blueprint moments after his win, but did indicate that he will change little in his approach when he returns next season as the reigning world champion and newly-installed world number two.

“I’m not a party guy, to be honest,” insisted Brecel. “It’s just a coincidence that it happened before this World Championship – I’ve just been partying a lot, going out and having lots of late nights and no practice.

“I don’t think you need much practice, but I think you need a couple of hours a day probably. Maybe one hour is enough. I’m not going to think about practice now.”

Brecel is one of only four players from continental Europe – including three Belgians – in the current world’s top 100, and Ferguson believes his success will send a further message that geography is no barrier to success.

“What Luca’s done is show those players that it is actually possible, you don’t need to live in England, you can do this from anywhere in the world,” added Ferguson.

“It will no doubt inspire millions of people around the world, especially in Europe. Even before this Championship, when Luca played almost half the population of Belgium would watch him.

“What he has done and could do for snooker in mainland Europe now is terrific.”

Novak Djokovic will be able to play at this year’s US Open after the United States announced it is lifting its vaccine mandate on international travellers.

The world number one is not vaccinated against Covid-19 and had previously been unable to enter America.

But US policy will change on May 12, allowing the 22-time grand slam winner to return to Flushing Meadows in August.

A White House statement said: “Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the Covid-19 vaccine requirements for Federal employees, Federal contractors, and international air travellers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the Covid-19 public health emergency ends.”

Djokovic, 35, missed both Australian Open and the US Open tournaments in 2022 because of his vaccination status.

The Serbian had applied for special permission to play in the US last month at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Miami Open but did not receive dispensation to do so.

With vaccination against Covid-19 no longer required to enter Australia, Djokovic competed at this year’s Australian Open in January and won his latest major singles title.

Djokovic has won the US Open title three times with his victories coming in 2011, 2015 and 2018.

Wembley Stadium was sold out as England captain Leah Williamson lifted the Women’s Euro trophy last summer – and now professional wrestler Jamie Hayter is the next female looking to inspire a generation under the arch.

Just over a year on from the Lionesses’ history-making afternoon, Eastleigh-born Hayter will perform at Wembley as part of All Elite Wrestling’s ‘All In: London’ show on August 27.

It will be the first time in 31 years that professional wrestling has taken place at the venue as Tony Khan – also Fulham’s technical director – brings his promotion to the United Kingdom for the first time.

Hayter, currently the company’s women’s champion, is one of several British performers on the roster at AEW and she is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Williamson and her England football team-mates.

Asked if there are glass ceilings being shattered across women’s sport, the 28-year-old said: “Absolutely. I mean, when the Lionesses played at Wembley, it was sold out.

“That was inspirational and a sensational moment for women’s football – that shows that it is something that people want to see, people do want to go and support women’s sport.

“People do want to be there, they want to be amongst all these exciting and brilliant achievements and I just hope that we can keep proving everybody wrong and keep doing it.

“Any women’s sports, especially nowadays, is really a lot more popular we just have to keep it going. I think the landscape of women’s wrestling has changed so much and that’s the beauty of it.

“I get that wrestling is an acquired taste and women’s wrestling in itself is also an acquired taste but Wembley will be a great opportunity to really showcase what woman can do because it’s come on leaps and bounds.

“I think every single year, women’s wrestling just gets better and better and more interesting – it is mirroring other sports and society in general.

“The last time I wrestled in front of a crowd in the UK was before the pandemic. There were just over 200 people there – so going from that to Wembley is going to be insane.”

The stakes could be even higher for Hayter, who could yet face fellow British talent Saraya at Wembley.

Subject of the 2019 film “Fighting with My Family” starring Florence Pugh and written by Stephen Merchant, Norwich-born Saraya was someone Hayter looked up to as he was coming through the ranks.

“I mean, who wouldn’t want to headline at Wembley Stadium,” Hayter told the PA news agency.

“I think if I just get the opportunity to perform there, I will be extremely happy. Of course, being the headline act would be incredible and that would be an absolute privilege for me, especially if Saraya is involved.

“She is wrestling royalty, in my opinion, especially in the UK. Seeing a British girl come through as she did was amazing to see and she has set the bar – we talked about inspiring women and she was a pioneer of that.”

:: Exclusive pre-sales are now under way. Tickets for “AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium” go on sale to the general public this Friday, May 5 at 9 a.m. BST. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.co.uk/AEWWembley.

Leeds are considering sacking Javi Gracia after just two months in charge, according to reports, with Sam Allardyce said to be among the names in the frame to replace him.

Gracia was appointed as Jesse Marsch’s successor in February, on a deal until the end of the season, with Leeds in the bottom three at the time.

Former Watford boss Gracia won three of his first six games in charge as Leeds climbed to 13th.

But Leeds’ terrible April – which saw them lose successive home games to Crystal Palace and Liverpool 5-1 and 6-1 and concede 23 goals – has left them perilously close to the relegation zone.

After Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth, Leeds are now 17th and just outside the bottom three on goal difference ahead of Saturday’s visit to leaders Manchester City.

A daunting run-in also includes home games against Newcastle and Tottenham and a trip to West Ham.

Former England manager Allardyce has emerged as a strong contender to succeed Gracia at Elland Road should the Spaniard be sacked.

The 68-year-old has been out of football since leaving West Brom in May 2021 following his first top-flight relegation.

Lee Bowyer, who made 265 appearances for Leeds between 1996 and 2003 and has managed Charlton and Birmingham, has also been mentioned as a possible short-term replacement.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is hoping to meet with England and West Ham star Declan Rice, 24, as soon as the season ends, with the Gunners eager to secure the £100million-rated midfielder’s signature, the Mirror said.

Arsenal are also looking to add depth to their side as they consider a bid for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who has played three games for England and captained Palace on several occasions, according to the Daily Mail.

Tottenham have also showed interest in the 22-year-old who has played 78 times for Palace since moving from Chelsea in 2021.

If Southampton get relegated  captain James Ward-Prowse could be on the move, with Tottenham and Newcastle both waiting to see what price tag gets put on the England international midfielder, the Daily Mail said.

The Mirror says Manchester United are reportedly considering signing Roma striker Tammy Abraham as an alternative if they cannot tempt Harry Kane away from Tottenham this summer.

Michael Olise: Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said the club could struggle to keep the 21-year-old French winger, with Arsenal and Paris St Germain reportedly among those interested, the Evening Standard said.

Randal Kolo Muani : The Eintracht Frankfurt forward is reportedly being chased by Manchester United and Bayern Munich as both clubs look to sign the 24-year-old France international.

Leicester completed one of the biggest sporting fairy-tales of all time on this day in 2016 when they were crowned Premier League champions.

The Foxes defied odds of 5,000-1 at the start of the season to win the title for the first time in the club’s 132-year history.

They began the campaign among the favourites for relegation under new manager Claudio Ranieri, but having lost 19 matches the previous season, fell to just three defeats on the way to a stunning triumph.

Leicester were deserved champions having won at both title rivals Manchester City and Tottenham, while an unbeaten run from mid-February proved beyond any doubt they had the nerve to finish the job.

In the end, a little help from the previous Premier League winners Chelsea helped complete their rise from relegation fodder to champions.

Second-half goals from Chelsea pair Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard secured a 2-2 draw against second-placed Tottenham, halting Spurs’ bid on a night of high drama that Leicester’s players watched unfold from striker Jamie Vardy’s home.

Foxes fans coined the chant ‘Jamie Vardy’s having a party’ and the top scorer had quite the shindig in Melton Mowbray, where videos showed the group celebrating wildly as the title was confirmed.

Ranieri’s experience was more tranquil having flown back from Italy after visiting his 96-year-old mother in Rome to return home in time to watch Tottenham’s draw with his family.

“I am very, very happy now because maybe if I won this title at the beginning of my career maybe I would forget,” Ranieri, then 64, said. “Now I am an old man I can feel it much better.

“I said every time I am very happy for the fans, for the chairman and for all the Leicester community. I don’t know the secret. The players, the heart, the soul and how they play.”

Leicester boss Dean Smith refused to blame James Maddison after his penalty miss in the chaotic 2-2 draw with Everton.

Jordan Pickford saved the forward’s first-half spot kick, denying the Foxes a 3-1 lead, and Alex Iwobi salvaged a point for the Toffees.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s spot kick opener was swiftly cancelled out by Caglar Soyuncu and Jamie Vardy in a thrilling game.

The draw lifted Leicester out of the drop zone on goal difference, with Everton – who lost Seamus Coleman to a serious looking knee injury – second bottom and a point from safety with four games left.

Boss Dean Smith said: “James is our top scorer, if he scores no-one is asking the question. The goalkeeper stood up which not many do. It happens.

“There were times I felt it was two points lost, there were times I felt it was a point gained.

“In the first half we were second best for long periods, the game became a bit like basketball and we were counter attacking at home which is not what we want.

“I was disappointed as we were second best for the first half. There was just so many unforced errors.

“We’ve just played Leeds and Everton, got two points out of it. If we had won one and lost one would that have put us in a better situation because one of our rivals would have had three points?

“We know we will play better, there’s more to come.”

Daniel Iversen thwarted Iwobi early but Calvert-Lewin’s penalty put Everton ahead on 15 minutes after the striker was barged over by Timothy Castagne in the box.

Leicester levelled seven minutes later when Soyuncu steered in from Wout Faes’ knockback.

Just 11 minutes later they turned it around when Maddison sent Vardy clear to round Pickford and score.

Calvert-Lewin then missed a fine chance to level and Vardy hit the bar after a quick break.

Coleman was carried off after a Boubakary Soumare challenge before Pickford’s crucial stop when he stayed to beat away Maddison’s penalty when the forward went down the middle following Michael Keane’s handball.

The notes on Maddison’s technique on the goalkeeper’s water bottle said ‘stay’.

Iwobi took advantage to find the corner after 54 minutes and a thrilling game continued when James Tarkowski cleared Vardy’s goal bound header.

Iversen ensured it would finish level with a fine save from Abdoulaye Doucoure with Leicester unbeaten in their last three games.

Everton boss Sean Dyche said: “It’s a such a strange journey since I’ve been here. When I got here they’d taken five points from 12 games now we’re a point for point on games. Now it’s about taking it on even further.

“Sometimes you think ‘I don’t know how they are 2-1 up’ and I certainly thought that at half time. The composure of the team to keep performing in the second half was pleasing and we’re going to keep needing that.

“I’ve seen this league change many times. We’ve got tough games but everyone’s got tough games, this stage of the season is about tough games.

“Every game should be a must win when you are a professional. I thought it was a very good performance, the will, the demand but also the quality to create things.

“All the markers which usually bring a win were there. They didn’t but we have to keep doing that because it shows there’s a clear shift from the last game.”

On Coleman he added: “We’re waiting on news. It doesn’t look great and we’re waiting on more details.”

Luca Brecel withstood a stirring fightback from Mark Selby to clinch a dramatic 18-15 victory and become the first player from mainland Europe to win the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible.

Having clawed back outlandish deficits to sink both Ronnie O’Sullivan and Si Jiahui in the previous rounds, the brilliant 28-year-old switched roles to fend off a late surge by the four-time champion.

Resuming 9-8 in front after a first day when the headlines were hogged by Selby’s historic maximum break, Brecel blasted four centuries in a blistering penultimate session to severely test his opponent’s storied reputation for triumphing against the odds.

Brecel proceeded to extend his lead to 16-10 but watched in increasing exasperation as Selby clawed back five in a row to threaten a dramatic finale before the Belgian edged one frame closer and then got over the line in style with his fifth century of the match.

“I just didn’t fancy winning this final,” Brecel admitted after picking up the winner’s cheque worth £500,000.

“I think it’s been too long, too much pressure, too many late nights. I had been behind in most of my games and I was expecting to go home against Ronnie and especially Si.

“Today when Mark got back from 9-5 to 9-8 I felt like I’d lost it already. I just didn’t fancy winning but if you feel like that and you still produce those breaks, I feel like I deserve it.”

His victory made him the youngest winner since Shaun Murphy in 2005 and capped a remarkable if belated ascent from Brecel, whose outrageous promise as a junior had threatened to evaporate in a relatively frustrating few years on the professional circuit.

And it was all the more remarkable in the context of Brecel’s claims that he had come into the tournament – and squeezed past Ricky Walden in a final-frame decider in the opening round – fuelled by a regime of negligible practice and plenty of parties.

“It’s not going to be early but I’m not going to go wild,” insisted the new champion of his imminent celebration plans.

“I’m not a party guy, it’s just coincidence that it happened before this World Championship. I will probably have a couple of drinks with my family but I have got to go home tomorrow.”

Brecel’s exhilarating intent to take on almost every conceivable pot made him an instant favourite among Crucible fans and sabotaged Selby’s hopes of continuing the recovery he had kick-started late on Sunday.

Brecel returned on Monday looking simply devastating, firing three centuries in the first four frames of the day to fashion a 13-9 lead before the mid-session interval gave the favourite some respite from the avalanche of potting that had come his way.

The four-time champion was distinctly out of sorts, cueing up many of Brecel’s chances by leaving reds dangling desperately over corner pockets, but no-one would have expected anything less than one of his trademark fightbacks.

Just as he dredged his way back to win previous finals over Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins, Selby launched his assault straight after the interval, winning two in a row, including the 23rd frame after a lengthy safety battle.

Yet where other opponents might have felt the pressure, Brecel was unfazed, and he duly returned to the table to sink an audacious opening red before proceeding to clear the balls for his nerveless fourth century of the session.

Arguably Brecel’s most impressive frame was yet to come, as he wiped out Selby’s carefully constructed 40-point lead off the back of another long red, his own pressure-filled break of 40 every bit as rewarding as his earlier hundreds.

Brecel continued his potting exploits when he took the first frame of the final session with a break of 67 to move two frames from victory at 16-10.

Inevitably, however, Selby stirred. He launched his improbable fightback with a break of 78 before reeling off the next four frames in a row to move to the brink of parity at 16-15.

But there was one more dramatic momentum shift in the 32nd frame when Selby missed a simple black, allowing Brecel to stop the rot, before a brilliant knock of 112 got him over the line.

Selby paid tribute to Brecel and said he would have no problem putting the defeat in perspective following his much publicised struggle with mental health concerns, while his wife Vikki is also recovering from illness.

“Some of the snooker Luca played today was incredible,” said Selby. “To be playing in his first final and to make four centuries, he just kept knocking the balls in every time he got a chance.

“Just coming out of the other side with my mental health from where I was, that’s me winning really – it’s irrelevant what else goes on because if you don’t have your health you have nothing.

“If this had been last year I wouldn’t have been able to come back from where I battled back from. As long as I keep putting the work in and my health is good, hopefully I’ve got more time.”

Cameron Norrie bowed out of the Madrid Open despite not facing a single break point as China’s Zhizhen Zhang battled from a set down to advance to the fourth round.

The British number one, seeded 11th in the Spanish capital, looked to be cruising when he won four games in a row to take the first set 6-2 and the second looked to be following a similar pattern.

However, the left-hander spurned five break point opportunities and his opponent, ranked 99th in the world, hit back to record a 2-6 7-6 (2) 7-6 (2) win to set up a clash with eighth seed Taylor Fritz.

After falling 0-40 down at 2-2 in the second set, Zhang won 27 successive points on serve to establish some rhythm and while he was unable to make inroads on the return, he held his nerve in the tie-breaks.

Despite going 2-1 down in the second set tie-break, Zhang reeled off six consecutive points to send the match to a decider, where neither player backed down on serve.

Another tie-break ensued and it was Zhang who hit the front this time, claiming victory in two hours and nine minutes to reach the last 16 of a Masters 1000 event for the first time.

While American Fritz saw off Chile’s Cristian Garin 6-1 7-6 (4), second seed Daniil Medvedev hit back from a set down to record a 4-6 6-1 7-5 triumph over fellow Russian Alexander Shevchenko.

Fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was also taken the distance before the Greek collected a 7-5 3-6 6-3 success over Argentinian 25th seed Sebastian Baez.

Luca Brecel’s sensational march to the World Snooker Championship title in Sheffield concluded 17 days of significant shocks and sensational upstarts.

Early defeats for the likes of in-form Shaun Murphy and Judd Trump blasted open the seedings while up-and-comers like Brecel and Si Jiahui came of age.

Here, the PA news agency casts an eye over the highlights from another unforgettable fortnight and a bit at the Crucible.

A superstar prospect who seemed destined not to fill his enormous early potential, Brecel has finally hurled himself among the elite. With a swashbuckling style that evokes former Crucible greats like Alex Higgins and Jimmy White, Brecel won the hearts of the Sheffield crowd during his irresistible march to his maiden title.

Out of the dark cloud of the match-fixing scandal that snared 10 of their compatriots emerged a new generation of Chinese talent, spearheaded by the extraordinary Si Jiahui. His run to the last four will remain an abiding memory of this tournament and, as one of four first-time Chinese qualifiers, the future of the sport in the east is evidently in good hands.

While the rest of the circuit bows to TV pressure for shorter-form affairs, the 2023 tournament served as a reminder of what makes the marathon format so special. Brecel’s epic comebacks against Si and Ronnie O’Sullivan, and the extraordinary endurance shown by Mark Selby and Mark Allen in their early-hours semi-final, underscored what makes the Crucible unique.

With the glowing exception of Jak Jones, the single home-grown debutant who soared all the way to the quarter-finals, there are few signs of the next generation of rising British talent. Jack Lisowski once again came up spectacularly short, and besides Jones, first-round loser Elliot Slessor was the only other Briton in the draw aged under 30.

The fabled ‘Class of 92′ once again had their moments, but the manner of their eventual defeats hinted that their time as multiple title winners may finally be nearing an end. O’Sullivan admitted he had no answer to Brecel’s seven-frame streak in the last eight, while John Higgins’ stellar run was shattered in his own quarter-final loss to Selby.

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall called for his side to quickly recover their spirits after the Gunners narrowly failed to reach the Women’s Champions League final with a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Wolfsburg.

Arsenal remain the only English side to have won the European club title and it took until the second half of extra time in front of a sold-out crowd of 60,063 at the Emirates for Pauline Bremer to set up a meeting with Barcelona in the June 3 Eindhoven final.

It was nevertheless a valiant effort from the depleted hosts, whose injury-plagued season has seen them lose top talent including skipper Kim Little, forwards Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead, and, most recently, England captain Leah Williamson.

“[We’re hurting] quite a bit,” admitted Eidevall. “It’s tough. No doubt about it, because it was a game of such fine margins and they’re not on our side tonight.

“So I think we’re allowed to hurt tonight, we’re allowed to feel empty, but we’re also allowed to feel proud of our performance and for the occasion with the supporters that are magnificent, so there’s a lot of emotions.

“Sometimes things go for you and you think that’s always justified, sometimes that goes against you and it feels terrible.

“But I also choose to look at it that way, that we as a group, we come to the Champions League semi-final with all the injuries we have, with all the challenges we have, we do that, and that is actually incredible. And I’m so proud of the players and the staff that they are able to do that.

“We are in a tough situation on the remainder of the season both to get our feet and heads back from here, but already on Friday we have a really important [Women’s Super League] game against Leicester.”

The hosts, who sit fourth in the WSL but with two games in hand over league leaders Manchester United, were first on the scoresheet when Stina Blackstenius marked a half-century of appearances for Arsenal with the opener, but saw it cancelled out by former Gunner Jill Roord before half-time.

Wolfsburg skipper Alexandra Popp pulled the visitors ahead after the restart before Jen Beattie’s equaliser forced extra time, when Katie McCabe’s cross hit the woodwork before a defensive lapse from England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy allowed Jule Brand to pounce and feed Bremer, who slid and scored the winner in the 119th minute.

Wubben-Moy otherwise had an excellent evening, with a critical tackle to deny Ewa Pajor a chance before setting up Beattie’s equaliser, but looked crushed by the final result.

Asked how she was feeling, her boss replied: “I’ve told her to keep her head high, there’s no need to apologise. Mistakes happen in football. We win as a team, we lose as a team. We’re there for each other.

“We learn. It’s inevitable sometimes. Today they also made mistakes and we were close to profiting from them. So it’s part of the game. She was absolutely fantastic if you look at it as a total performance and she has been lately as well. We’re there for each other.”