Lisowski Powers Past The Wizard
Lisowski Downs Home Hero Higgins
Jack Lisowski defeated home favourite John Higgins 4-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the 19.com Scottish Open in Glasgow.
World number 14 Lisowski will now face a mouth-watering clash with Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in tomorrow’s quarters. The Thai whitewashed Neil Robertson 4-0 in a sparkling display to book his quarter-final place.
With Lisowski averaging 18.81 seconds per shot this season and Un-Nooh a staggering 16.82 seconds, a pulsating encounter is to be expected.
Higgins will have to wait another year to get his hands on the Stephen Hendry Trophy. The four-time Crucible king has enjoyed success in this event, having reached the final in 2016 and made a 147 last year, but he is yet to claim a first Scottish Open title.
Breaks of 95 and 74 gave Lisowski a 2-0 lead this evening. However, Higgins did enjoy a landmark moment in the third frame, when a contribution of 109 saw him move clear of Stephen Hendry on 776 career centuries.
Lisowski replied with a break of 84 to regain a two-frame lead, before Higgins made it 3-2 with a run of 89. Lisowski wasn’t to be denied and he took the sixth frame to secure victory.
Lisowski said: “It was a really good atmosphere in there today. I got the good start that I needed and I was able to carry the momentum. I quite enjoyed it. I am very happy with how I played. I thought my safety was good and I scored heavily.”
Rocket Powers Past The Gentleman
Ronnie O’Sullivan came through an entertaining encounter with Joe Perry 4-2 to set up a blockbuster showdown with Mark Selby in the last eight.
Selby whitewashed Jimmy Robertson 4-0 to progress to tomorrow’s quarter-finals, while the Rocket fired in breaks of 87, 84, 53, 69 and 106 on his way to victory over Perry.
O’Sullivan said: “I enjoyed the game. It was decent free flowing stuff. I am just pleased to be through to the next round.
“I won’t change my game in the quarter-finals. My main priority is to enjoy it and have fun and get the game going how I want it to go. If I can win playing like that great, if not I am not going to allow it to get bogged down. I would rather lose comfortably than lose painfully.”
Scott Flying the Flag
Scott Donaldson is Scotland’s last player remaining in the event after progressing to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 win over Zhang Jiankang.
Prior to this year Donaldson, who has reached four ranking event semi-finals, had never been beyond the second round of this tournament. He will now face defending champion Mark Allen in the last eight. The Northern Irishman booked his place with a 4-1 defeat of Chris Wakelin.
Donaldson top scored in this evening’s encounter with a break of 96 and was overjoyed to reach the two-table setup in his home tournament.
He said: “I’m buzzing. I’m going to really enjoy tomorrow. To be in the quarter-finals of my home event is amazing. I am going to take it in my stride and take things a ball at a time, but I am delighted.”
Trump and Gilbert Progress
World Champion Judd Trump defeated Scotland’s former Crucible king Graeme Dott 4-2 to reach the last eight.
The Ace in the Pack will now face world number 12 David Gilbert after the Tamworth cueman secured an impressive 4-2 defeat of Shaun Murphy.