Jack Lisowski finds form to thrash world champion Luca Brecel at Masters
Jack Lisowski produced a stirring performance to defeat the world champion, Luca Brecel, and book his place in the quarter-finals of the Masters at Alexandra Palace.
Lisowski, who is hoping to land a first major trophy after finishing runner-up in six ranking events, was in outstanding form as he wrapped up a 6-2 victory over the second seed.
The 32-year-old reeled off five fiftyplus breaks, as well as a century, to knock out the Belgian Bullet. Brecel started sloppily, missing chances in the opening frame before succumbing to a clearance of 70.
Lisowski followed with an even 100 break to double his lead, the 300th century of his career, and fell just four short of another as he took advantage of a potted white to move into a commanding position at 3-0.
The walkover continued in the next frame before Brecel put together 72 and 80 to half the deficit. That was as good as it got for him, with Lisowski regaining control to take the next two and confirm a statement result.
“I got very nervous coming into it. For me it is the scariest tournament to play in,” said Lisowski, who is the 16th seed. “I started well and it turns into a great place to play, then you can start enjoying it. But he is the world champion, so I couldn’t relax at any point. I tried to keep my concentration and intensity to get over the line.”
Brecel was left a frustrated figure after another disappointing early exit. “It was terrible. If I keep playing like this then you will see me in 2025 Q School,” said the Belgian.
He has failed to go beyond the last 16 of a tournament this season since making the final of the invitational Shanghai Masters in September, after his amazing run at last year’s world championship, when he knocked out Ronnie O’Sullivan and defeated Mark Selby in the final. “I can recapture the form and I know I will, but at the moment it is just not good enough.”
Lisowski will face Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals after the latter beat the Chinese debutant Zhang Anda 6-2 on Sunday evening. Murphy, the 2015 Masters champion, took a 3-1 lead at the interval. The Magician had twice fought back after Zhang looked to be in control, edging the final frame of the session after being 61-0 down with a break of 65.
Murphy returned to move further ahead after a break of 86 but Zhang, who lifted the International Championship title in China in November to climb into the world top 16, pulled a frame back. There was no stopping Murphy, though, and he took his chance to secure the seventh frame with a break of 71 and then wrapped up an impressive victory on a clearance of 89.
“I am really pleased, because I felt towards the back end of 2023 my game was sort of on the tilt a bit, I wasn’t getting the results, but I worked really hard over the festive period,” Murphy, the 2005 world champion, said. “That is unlike me, because I would normally kind of put the cue down and not play. It was so rewarding, regardless of what else happens this week, to see that come out when it mattered the most.”