Jack Lisowski began his defence of the Northern Ireland Open with a 4-1 win over Huang Jiahao in Belfast, while Mark Selby suffered a surprise first-round exit. Lisowski, who won his first ranking title at this tournament last year, took a commanding 3-0 lead before Jiahao reduced the deficit to 3-1. The Englishman sealed the match by clinching the fifth frame on the black ball at the Waterfront Hall.
Lisowski will face Scotland’s Anthony McGill in the second round after McGill also secured a 4-1 victory over Stephen Maguire. The fixtures promise a competitive second round as both Lisowski and McGill have shown strong form early in the tournament.
The opening day also produced unexpected results as Mark Selby, a four-time world champion and world number five, was knocked out by Louis Heathcote. Selby had a promising start, leading 2-0, but lost four consecutive frames to exit the event 4-2. Selby had been aiming to become the first player to win all four Home Nations tournaments, but his campaign ended prematurely.
Other first-round upsets included Xiao Guodong’s narrow 4-3 defeat to England’s Sam Craigie in a final-frame decider. Cork’s Aaron Hill also fell at this stage, losing 4-2 to Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
Among those still in the tournament, former world champions Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy are scheduled to play in the Sunday evening session starting at 19.00 BST. Their performance will be closely watched after the surprises in the opening round.
Lisowski’s progress as defending champion contrasts with the early exits of higher-profile players, setting an intriguing tone for the rest of the Northern Ireland Open. The tournament continues to unfold at the Waterfront Hall, with further matches promising more twists.
According to Yahoo Sports.
