Jack Lisowski wins Group 1 in Championship League

Jack Lisowski became the first player through to the Championship League Winners’ Group after emerging from Group 1 on Tuesday in Leicester.

Lisowski won only three of his six round-robin fixtures at the Morningside Arena but still managed to qualify in third spot to reach the knockout phase.

In the semi-finals, the 31 year-old traded big breaks with Jordan Brown before eventually seeing off the Northern Irishman in a 3-2 decider.

Lisowski then compiled an excellent 135 en route to a 3-1 defeat of fellow Englishman Matthew Selt in the final.

A Championship League runner-up in 2019, Lisowski is among the favourites to capture the behind-closed-doors invitational this term.

He can now await the other six group winners after guaranteeing his place in the Winners’ Group, which will be held in March next year.

Selt, semi-finalists Brown and Ryan Day, and fifth-placed Stuart Bingham from the round-robin stage will all advance for another crack in the competition.

Group 2 takes place on Wednesday and Thursday with Barry Hawkins, Robert Milkins, and Jamie Jones entering the fray.

Ali Carter and Jimmy Robertson have exited proceedings, meanwhile, after finishing in the bottom two positions of Group 1.

There are two different versions of the Championship League currently on the snooker calendar.

The ranking event edition was staged back in the summer, with Luca Brecel triumphing on that occasion.

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This ongoing Championship League, which is open only to invited players, is the original having first taken place 14 years ago.

Judd Trump and John Higgins have both won the competition three times with the pair set to join the action in later groups.

In addition to prize money on offer for advancing in the respective groups, other cash bonuses are available for frames won and by compiling the highest break.

Featured photo credit: WST