THE MASTERS
JOE LEAVEY
KYREN WILSON knows that you’ve got to be ruthless to win at snooker’s top table - and that’s exactly what he was in victory over Jack Lisowski at the Masters.
The Kettering native lost the opening two frames in his first-round match at Alexandra Palace, but steadied his head and promptly won the next six to seal a quarter-final berth.
And, after Lisowski missed a vital pink that would have given him a 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval, Wilson knew that he had to pounce on his opponent’s lack of concentration.
“Jack started off like a house on fire, going for everything and potting everything like we all know he can do,” he said.
“The third frame was a big turning point and obviously the fourth. I got a bit of luck in the third frame and, where the balls were, to clear up from there settled me down. I obviously went on from strength to strength from that point.
“This particular venue and this tournament can amplify the pressure, so when little things happen you have to really take that opportunity and believe that it’s going to hurt your opponent, have that belief that they’re struggling, and it makes you stronger.”
After the break, there only looked like one winner, as Wilson made breaks of 67, 68 and 70 to wrap up the contest, barely giving Lisowski a sniff.
“This venue is so amazing, you just want a chance to settle,” Wilson added.
“Until you get going and pot a few balls, you’re not going to do that.
“The first game, I believe, is the toughest in this tournament.
“You can be gone very quickly, so now that the first game is out of the way I feel like I can settle into the event and it gives you a lot of confidence winning here.”
But for Lisowski, it seems as though it’s back to the drawing board after a disappointing conclusion.
“I’ve been ill for like five
■