World Snooker Championship: Lisowski stuns Robertson, advances to QFs

SHEFFIELD: The English cueist Jack Lisowski pulled off an exceptional comeback to stun the better-ranked and the tournament’s favourite Neil Robertson 13-12 to proceed into the quarter-finals of the ongoing World Snooker Championship, here on Tuesday.

In the second-round fixture, Lisowski, ranked 10th blunted second-ranked Robertson by the scores of 13-12 as the former secured the final frame after Robertson’s maximum break in the Best of 25 and booked a quarter-final berth in the ongoing tournament.

The two cueists remained involved in a see-saw battle, right from the start with Robertson pulling ahead and Lisowski levels and vice-versa. Both the players won four of the first eight frames.

Lisowski then managed to pull ahead as he managed to win three out of the next four frames and earned a decent lead of 7-5.

Robertson, however, responded quickly as he managed to clinch the next frame by scoring a century and cutting the margin to 7-6 only for Lisowski to repeat the same feat and restore his lead to two frames’ advantage.

The two potters then again ran into a see-saw battle in the next four frames, with both winning two each.

With Lisowski moving just three away from the victory, Robertson managed to make an exceptional comeback as he won three consecutive frames including a maximum break in the 19th and took the lead 11-10.

Lisowski, on the other hand, held his nerve calm and denied Robertson’s astonishing comeback and one-frame lead by claiming the 22nd frame. The Australian cueist responded quickly and restored his lead 12-11 with a victory in the next frame.

With the tournament’s favourite Robertson, just one shy of the victory, Lisowski showed determination and played sensibly to win the last two frames to claim the victory by 13-12.

Robertson scored four centuries, while Lisowski three. The former scored the best break of match 147, which came in the 19th frame.

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