Jack Lisowski prevailed 6-4 after a classic encounter with Mark Selby, to make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
It’s Lisowski’s first win over Selby in over four years. He last defeated the four-time World Champion in the semi-finals of the 2020 World Grand Prix.
This blockbuster first round match was made possible by a recent decline in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings from Lisowski, who currently resides in 21st position.
The six-time ranking event finalist defeated Malaysian number one Thor Chuan Leong and Women’s World Champion Bai Yulu to reach the final stages. He now faces six-time ranking event winner Ali Carter in the last 16.
Selby came flying out of the blocks to take charge in the early stages. A barrage of breaks saw the Leicester cueman fire in runs of 119, 59 and 136 to lead 3-0, having only conceded six points. The last frame before the interval saw Lisowski craft a run of 55, which helped him to stop the rot and gain a foothold at 3-1.
The tide appeared to have turned when play resumed, with further contributions of 63 and 100 from Lisowski restoring parity at 3-3. The relentless pace of the game continued in the next two frames, with Selby stringing together 61 to move ahead again and Lisowski replying with 70 in the eighth to make it 4-4.
Lisowski averaged just 15 seconds a shot during a break of 61 which saw him seize the initiative in the ninth. However, lengthy safety exchanges meant it took 31 minutes for him to win the frame and move 5-4 ahead. He went on to cross the line at the first time of asking and secure a significant 6-4 victory.
“I feel great. It is an amazing result, especially the way Mark was playing. He is one of the greatest players ever, so to beat him when he is playing like that is fantastic. Everything clicked for me tonight. My safety was good and my scoring was good."
Jack Lisowski
World Number 21
Lisowski added: "It was a big frame to win before the interval to make it 3-1. I didn’t do too much wrong. He looked like a million dollars. I stuck in there and I feel good. I played solid tonight. I’m not known for my solid snooker but that was good.
“That is a great feeling. It is what you practise for. I haven’t had a great last two seasons so to start getting some results like that is good. It slowly builds up and there I am beating Selby on the main stage. I’ve done this before and got too excited. It is Carter next and that is going to be a very tough game. I have to find a way of keeping this up.”
On the other table, 21-year-old Wu Yize defeated 22-year-old Si Jiahui 6-4 in a battle between two of China's most talented stars.
Both players have enjoyed landmark performances this season and came into York full of confidence. Wu made the final of this season's English Open, beating world number one Judd Trump along the way before a 9-7 defeat to Neil Robertson. Former Crucible semi-finalist Si made a 147 during an incredible 6-2 defeat of Trump at the Wuhan Open, where he eventually lost out 10-7 in the title match to experienced compatriot Xiao Guodong.
Neither player produced their best in a tense encounter this evening, but it was Wu who controlled the tie to move 5-2 ahead. Si fought back and took two on the bounce to make it 5-4, but a crucial run of 52 helped Wu over the line in the tenth. He now faces world number three Mark Allen.