Jack Lisowski, yet to concede more than a single frame in a match this week in Belfast, reached his first ranking event semi-final in eight months with an emphatic 5-1 defeat of Ricky Walden at the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open. Barry Hawkins is also into the last four, edging out David Gllbert 5-4.
World number 13 Lisowski won each of his first four matches by a 4-1 scoreline at the Waterfront Hall, and again cruised to victory in his quarter-final against Walden, making a century and two more breaks over 70.
Walden might have won the opening frame but missed the penultimate red to a top corner, playing with the rest, when he led 68-27. Lisowski cleared with 42, before Walden levelled with a superb break of 132. A scrappy third frame went Lisowski’s way, then he stepped up a gear with a 128 to lead 3-1 at the interval.
In the fifth, Walden led 37-0 when he missed a straight-forward pink to a centre pocket, and his opponent punished him with an 81 clearance. And the left-hander wrapped up the result in frame six with a 73.
Lisowski said: “Ricky is an amazing player, the break he made in the second frame was the best I have seen all week. I thought I was really in for a game. But he missed a few balls at key points and I made some nice clearances. Maybe the scoreline flatters me a bit. I felt good all game, I’m in a good place and enjoying my snooker. The venue is great and when it gets busy it’s a brilliant place to play snooker in front of an Irish crowd.
“It’s unusual for me to win all my matches comfortably because I’m usually quite reckless and open. I am trying to play better safety. I am trying to think more, to do the simple things better, not rush around the table. That goes against my natural tendencies, which feels a bit weird.”
Lisowski has former World Champion Peter Ebdon in his corner and they have regular phone conversations. He added: “I always speak to him. Hopefully if I get to the final he’ll come out. I love working with him and I think he’s happy so far this week.”
Hawkins is second, behind Trump, in the BetVictor Series Rankings, so victory this week would leave him on target to win the £150,000 bonus which will be awarded after the eighth and final counting event – the BetVictor Welsh Open in February.
Hawkins made breaks of 138 and 134 in taking a 3-1 lead. Gilbert pulled one back with a run of 58, before Hawkins won frame six with a 66 to lead 4-2. The heavy scoring continued as Gilbert fired runs of 65 and 106 to level at 4-4.
A mid-range red set up a chance for Hawkins in the decider, albeit with pink and black out of commission. He played a series of superb positional shots, using the blue and baulk colours, to craft a run of 57 which proved enough.
“It was a fantastic match,” said Hawkins. “There were very few balls missed. David looked like he fancied the job, even at 4-2. I’m delighted to come through especially with a good break in the last frame. I kept coming awkward on the reds and having to pot long blues, those shots can be easily missed.”