By Elliott West
“Neil is the best player in the world, he is playing the best snooker and has had the best season. He was the worst draw for me, he beat me 13-9 at the same stage last season, sometimes you can’t let these guys keep beat you so I felt the last three days I was trying my best to do that. To just pip him at the end is incredible.”
Jack Lisowski
Introduction
Cometh the hour, cometh the man! This is a saying that goes perfectly with the fascinating match that occurred in the second round of the World Championship in Sheffield between Jack Lisowski and Neil Robertson. After the Bingtao/Selby match, snooker fans probably thought the tournament had peaked but how wrong they were to assume. Jack, for me up to this point, was not quite the accomplished player, falling short in the finals that he reached, able to play the flair shots but not able to rack up the frames required for victory. Time is a great healer though and that’s exactly what Lisowski needed to develop and fine-tune his game. A task that seems to be working with Peter Ebdon as a coach/mentor in his corner.
The Clash
This was a match where Jack had the early momentum, producing exciting but controlled snooker, not phased by his Australian opponent. At 9-7 up, Lisowski looked the stronger player but then had to withstand a barrage of breaks from Robertson that allowed Robertson to claim four frames in a row and his first lead since early on in the match including a fabulous 147 break, only the 12th made at the Crucible in-front of a packed audience. Neil now led this final evening session 11-10.
Jack could have been washed away by this Melbourne tidal wave but managed to battle back to take the match to 12-12 and another nerve-jangling Crucible final frame decider. Like a depiction of George slaying the dragon or in this case, the protagonist attempting to overthrow the former world champion and bookmakers’ favourite to win the tournament. In what was described by Jimmy White as a ‘magical game’, Lisowski found his accelerator at the right moment and produced a divine break that all started from a blunder from an opponent when he left a red over the corner pocket. So it came to pass that Jack was certainly alright and won this crucial battle 13-12 to set up a quarter-final match with the in-form John Higgins.
Afterthoughts
This was a match where Neil Robertson left this meeting with mixed emotions. Elated by achieving a televised 147 at the Crucible and producing some great snooker but deflated that he didn’t win. Although you couldn’t tell at the moment as the Australian warmly congratulated Jack on his win. This surge of form by Lisowski could be down to the inspiration in his life, his Ukrainian Grandfather who was firmly on his mind during this snooker battle.
Jack had apparently wanted to wear a Ukrainian badge on his waistcoat during the match and wave the Ukrainian flag if he won but was prevented from doing so by the powers to be at World Snooker. A granting that was allowed by the governing body prior to the tournament. Despite this decision that was obviously made to keep snooker non-political and impartial, Lisowski still carries the flag in his waistcoat pocket and dedicates his performances and victories to the Ukrainian struggle, a conflict that continuously thinks about.
Of course, this Crucible battle isn’t won until the 17th night when the victor raises the trophy. Jack has definitely stamped his mark on his tournament and even if he doesn’t reach the final and is beaten by John Higgins or whoever, has still displayed a new Teflon style of snooker that was previously lacking. This Robertson match was Jack’s divine and inspirational moment and has moved him from being a good to a great player. Everyone knew but he to mature to produce the full package. This was a defining moment in his career. We now have a dangerous and lethal potter, who can produce the safety game and most importantly can control his nerves in the heat of the moment. A player whose odds will definitely be slashed for reaching this year’s world championship final and can’t be ruled out as a serious contender for the title.
