Stephen Hendry was delighted to see Jack Lisowski finally join the champion’s enclosure with his triumph at the Northern Ireland Open at the weekend.
As a seven-time world champion and a 36-time ranking event winner, Hendry was one of the most ruthless winners the game has ever produced.
The same hasn’t been the case of Lisowski, but many believe that the 34 year-old can now achieve even bigger results having broken his tournament duck on the main tour.
The popular player from Cheltenham teamed up with renowned snooker coach Chris Henry recently and there was plenty of evidence in Belfast that their fledgling partnership was working well.
Lisowski ousted defending champion Kyren Wilson and former world number one Mark Selby in the earlier rounds of the competition – opponents with determined styles who he has often struggled against in the past.
Beating close friend Judd Trump in the final was another poignant feat given how three out of his previous six defeats in title-deciding affairs had been inflicted by the same opponent.
There was an electric atmosphere inside the Waterfront Hall as Lisowski potted the winning balls in the deciding frame before he and Trump exchanged emotional words about each other in their immediate post-match interviews.
Social media was also instantly awash with positive comments as many fans and players offered their congratulations, with Hendry also sharing his thoughts on the occasion in the latest episode of his podcast.
“I think the whole world of snooker is just delighted by that result in the Northern Ireland Open,” Stephen Hendry said on the Snooker Club podcast.
“There were a few good mentions this week. I think we can all take credit for Jordan Brown’s good run after being on the podcast last time out.”
“But the story is Jack Lisowski. I mean, he has always been one of my most favourite players to watch.
“The talent, the cue action, the touch, and just an unbelievably beautiful snooker player to watch.
“He always has been, but he always had that monkey on his back that he hasn’t won a title.
“He’s probably so sick of people like us going on and on about it every time he doesn’t win or every time he loses in a final.
“But he takes it, and he has taken it, with such grace. He has never really hit out at people.
“I’ve never heard anyone with a bad word to say about him. I think that’s why it’s such a popular result.
“And he did it the hard way. I mean Mark Selby, Kyren Wilson, Judd Trump? Three of the best players in the world all dispatched by Jack.
“Okay, he’s never going to have the granite safety game of a Selby or a Mark Allen, but I don’t think he needs it.
“He’s got that flair, that special X-factor, that can rise above that tactical play. He can just play outrageous shots.
“I think that’s what he’s got to focus on for the rest of his career – that supreme talent.
“And I can’t wait to see where that talent takes him now. Now he’s got that one win, who knows what’s going to happen?
“Obviously you don’t like to beat your best mate, but I think if he’d won his first title, he’d have loved it to be against Judd.
“A shout out must go to Chris Henry. He’s only just started working with Chris weeks ago.
“Already they’ve got his first title under their belt, so a big shout out to Chris I think for what he’s done with Jack.
“But yeah, I’m just so happy for him. I really am. I can’t wait to see where his talent takes him from here on in.”
Lisowski can next be seen at the International Championship which begins on Sunday in Nanjing.
The £100,000 top prize from the Northern Ireland Open success helped Lisowski return to number 24 in the latest two-year world rankings.
But he still has quite a lot of work to do if he’s to rejoin the top 16 and match his previous high ranking of 10 from a few years ago.
Only the top 16 players after the conclusion of the International Championship will qualify automatically for the season’s first Triple Crown event with the UK Championship in York just around the corner.
Featured photo credit: WST
