Jack Lisowski produced a stirring efficiency to defeat the world champion, Luca Brecel, and ebook his place within the quarter-finals of the Masters at Alexandra Palace.
Lisowski, who’s hoping to land a primary main trophy after ending runner-up in six rating occasions, was in excellent type as he wrapped up a 6-2 victory over the second seed.
The 32-year-old reeled off 5 fifty-plus breaks, in addition to a century, to knock out the Belgian Bullet. Brecel began sloppily, lacking possibilities within the opening body earlier than succumbing to a clearance of 70.
Lisowski adopted with an excellent 100 break to double his lead, the three hundredth century of his profession, and fell simply 4 wanting one other as he took benefit of a potted white to maneuver right into a commanding place at 3-0.
The walkover continued within the subsequent body earlier than Brecel put collectively 72 and 80 to half the deficit. That was nearly as good because it bought for him, with Lisowski regaining management to take the following two and ensure a press release consequence.
“I bought very nervous coming into it. For me it’s the scariest match to play in,” stated Lisowski, who’s the sixteenth seed. “I began properly and it turns into a terrific place to play, then you can begin having fun with it. However he’s the world champion, so I couldn’t calm down at any level. I attempted to maintain my focus and depth to recover from the road.”
Brecel was left a pissed off determine after one other disappointing early exit. “It was horrible. If I maintain enjoying like this then you will notice me in 2025 Q Faculty,” stated the Belgian.
He has didn’t transcend the final 16 of a match this season since making the ultimate of the invitational Shanghai Masters in September, after his superb run eventually yr’s world championship, when he knocked out Ronnie O’Sullivan and defeated Mark Selby within the last. “I can recapture the shape and I do know I’ll, however in the mean time it’s simply not ok.”
Lisowski will face Shaun Murphy within the quarter-finals after the latter beat the Chinese language debutant Zhang Anda 6-2 on Sunday night. Murphy, the 2015 Masters champion, took a 3-1 lead on the interval. The Magician had twice fought again after Zhang in management, edging the ultimate body of the session after being 61-0 down with a break of 65.
Murphy returned to maneuver additional forward after a break of 86 however Zhang, who lifted the Worldwide Championship title in China in November to climb into the world high 16, pulled a body again. There was no stopping Murphy, although, and he took his likelihood to safe the seventh body with a break of 71 after which wrapped up a formidable victory on a clearance of 89.
“I’m actually happy, as a result of I felt in direction of the again finish of 2023 my recreation was kind of on the lean a bit, I wasn’t getting the outcomes, however I labored actually exhausting over the festive interval,” Murphy, the 2005 world champion, stated. “That’s in contrast to me, as a result of I might usually form of put the cue down and never play. It was so rewarding, no matter what else occurs this week, to see that come out when it mattered probably the most.”