Snooker news round-up from the Northern Ireland Open as Jack Lisowski speaks about the loss of his father and Kyren Wilson makes a bold prize money claim
The Northern Ireland Open is heating up with a tantalising quarter-final line-up. Thursday saw a major upset as Shaun Murphy, the player of the season so far, was knocked out 4-2 by local favourite Jordan Brown, setting up an all-Northern Irish clash with Mark Allen.
Meanwhile, Jack Lisowski defeated Thepchaiya Un-Nooh by the same score to secure a match with reigning champion Kyren Wilson. In what could be the tie of the last eight, snooker legends Judd Trump and John Higgins will go head-to-head after defeating Gary Wilson and Si Jiahui, respectively.
The final quarter-finals sees Shootout champion Tom Ford take on Zhou Yuelong, who advanced to the third round after Ali Carter withdrew for personal reasons. Ronnie O’Sullivan has been absent from Belfast as he continues to carefully manage his schedule. Mirror Sport brings you a round-up of the latest snooker news and views….
Maguire’s O’Sullivan regret
Stephen Maguire has confessed he regrets “p****** off” O’Sullivan as his 13-year wait to beat the Rocket continues. You have to go back to 2012 for the Scot’s last victory over the seven-time world champion.
He was given another opportunity to break that streak during the recent Xi’an Grand Prix in China, but O’Sullivan stormed to a 5-0 victory before being eliminated by Gary Wilson in the quarter-finals.
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Maguire had nothing but admiration for O’Sullivan’s performance, telling Metro: “Ronnie was unbelievable against me. He made me realise how far away I am. So I’ve been practising, just trying to get something.”
Reflecting on his dismal record against the Rocket, Maguire continued: “He does it to me every time. I don’t know what I’ve done to p*** him off years and years ago because he is always top notch when I go on the table with him, he’s always on it. He’s good to watch.”
Wilson would accept prize money drop
Wilson has insisted he would take a cut in prize money if it guaranteed the World Championship, which carries a £500k winner’s sum, remained at the Crucible. The destiny of snooker’s premier tournament hangs in the balance, with the iconic venue’s hosting agreement set to expire in 2027.
Matchroom chief Barry Hearn, who oversees the World Snooker Tour (WST), is considering moving the championship to a bigger, more contemporary facility. Concerns have emerged that the event could relocate to Saudi Arabia, which currently stages two tournaments, though this is believed to be unlikely.
While certain players would support such a move, Wilson is determined to see it stay at a renovated Crucible. Speaking to TNT Sports at the Northern Ireland Open, he declared: “I would honestly rather have half the prize money and stay at the Crucible, that’s how much I enjoy it there. But I want the game to grow.
“I can see if it goes elsewhere, everybody else is going to have to up their game. I can see the benefits for the sport, but also I love having the family there, the crowds from the UK coming and supporting. In an ideal world, just make the Crucible bigger.”
Lisowski opens up on tragedy
Fan favourite Lisowski has confessed he returned to snooker too early following his father’s sudden death. Jackpot, 34, was competing at the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong in March when he learned of his dad’s passing.
He pulled out of the tournament to fly home, but was back competing at the World Championship qualifiers in April, losing to Zak Surety. Speaking about the tragedy and his form at the Northern Ireland Open, he told TNT Sports: “It’s up and down.
“It feels different now. I didn’t have a lot of fight in me the first few months, but now I’m just able to play and I don’t feel like crying when I’m playing.
“I played like a month after my dad died, in the Worlds, and every frame I just felt so emotional. I wish I’d had longer off. But I kept going. Obviously, it doesn’t get easier, but you just get used to it.”