LISOWSKI BEATS DING IN CRUCIBLE THRILLER

Ding Junhui became the seventh seed to lose in the first round of the Cazoo World Championship as Jack Lisowski scored a dramatic 10-9 victory to reach the last 16 for the fourth year in a row.

Lisowski is appearing at the Theatre of Dreams as a qualifier for the first time since 2018, after a disappointing season saw him drop out of the world’s top 16.

The supremely talented Gloucester cueman has admitted to taking his focus away from the baize in recent months to enjoy himself. However, he believes that has been a necessary step to reinvigorate his enthusiasm for the sport.

Today’s clash with Ding had looked to be slipping away from Lisowski when he was dragged into a deciding frame. The 32-year-old spurned a blue to middle when leading 9-7 and Ding pounced to pull within one. The Chinese number one followed that up with a stunning 131 in the 18th to make it 9-9.

The final frame saw Lisowski fire in two stunning long range reds to power his way to victory. The first saw him gain a foothold with a run of 38, which was ended after he snookered himself behind a red. He retained his composure from that setback to crack in another red from distance and blast over the line with a further run of 46.

It was another thrilling climax for a drama laden opening round at the Crucible, which has now already seen four deciding frames.

Defeat for Ding means he has exited the World Championship in the first round in each of the last four years. The 14-time ranking event winner has only won four matches at the Crucible since making the semi-finals in 2017.

Lisowski will be relieved to have converted his winning position this morning. He came into the session 5-4 up and crafted breaks of 52, 63 and 72 on the way to his 9-7 lead. After wrapping up a pulsating victory, Lisowski can now look forward to a second round clash with 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham.

“It was an amazing game. He is such a great player. I had to be so on it just to stick with him. To finish it off the way I did was a very special feeling. It proves a lot to myself that my game is in great shape and that I can do it when it really matters.”

Jack Lisowski

Six-time Ranking Event Finalist Lisowski added: “The blue was a tough shot. If I lost, I would probably have looked back on it and thought it was my chance. I made sure it wasn’t like that and took my chances in the last frame. I think I really stepped up.

“It is the way I play. If I get negative and keep playing safeties, it isn’t going to work against anyone. It is tough to do, but I hit two really sweet long shots in the last frame. I played some good positional shots as well and it was a fantastic feeling making the breaks.

“Stuart is the first player I ever beat on TV and the first player I ever beat here. I have good memories against him, but he is a fantastic player and a former World Champion. I am going to have to keep up the good stuff and he is going to make it really tough for me. It is the World Championship, I’m enjoying my snooker and being here. I’m really looking forward to the match.”