Last Chance Saloon For Lisowski – World Snooker

Jack Lisowski made a century in the deciding frame to beat Louis Heathcote 4-3 in the first round of the WST Classic in Leicester, and hopes he hasn’t left it too late to qualify for the upcoming Duelbits Tour Championship.

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Lisowski is currently outside the top eight of the one-year ranking list but is one of 15 players this week trying to leap into that elite group and earn a place in the lucrative final event of the 2023 Duelbits Series, which runs from March 27 to April 2 in Hull.

The 31-year-old needs to reach at least the quarter-finals this week to have a chance, and he could have fallen at the first hurdle when Heathcote came from 3-1 down to 3-3, but Lisowski finished in style with a break of 129.

Asked about qualification for Hull, he said: “I have been one game away, one frame away, three or four times this season. Have I left it too late? Do I deserve to be in it? I have had so many good chances. I have only got myself to blame. But I’m just trying to do as well as I can in this tournament and not think about the next one. I want to make it to the last day because then it’s the quarters, semis and finals.”

Neil Robertson is yet to land a ranking event this season and he must win the tournament this week to have a chance of making it to Hull to defend a title he captured last year. He started smoothly by beating Luke Simmonds 4-2 with top runs of 100, 99 and 103.

Anthony McGill top scored with 135 in a 4-0 defeat of Peng Yisong while Stuart Bingham made a 109 as he beat three-time World Women’s Champion Ng On Yee 4-0.

Noppon Saengkham’s tie with Ian Burns went to the final black in the deciding frame, and a clever cross double to a baulk corner from the Thai gave him a 4-3 success.

Hossein Vafaei made a 135 in a 4-2 victory over John Astley while Mark Allen eased to a 4-0 win over Peter Lines. Rookie Ben Mertens once again highlighted his potential as he beat Ricky Walden 4-1 with a top run of 107.