Snooker news - Majestic Jack Lisowski holds off defending champion Mark Allen to make final

Lisowski, 28, will face Mark Selby in Sunday’s final at the Emirates Arena after the three-time world champion beat Dave Gilbert 6-1 in the other semi-final.

The world number 14 put together runs of 135, 82, 59, 118, 74 and 95 to oust the defending champion in a performance marked by break-building brilliance, with a three-frame period after the mid-session interval providing the foundation for an impressive win.

Having gone to the interval level at 2-2, Allen produced a break of 79 to take the lead for the first time in the match. However, Lisowski put together runs of 59, 118 and 74 to put himself within one frame of the final.

A 74 in frame eight was described by Neal Fouls on commentary as "as good a break as we have seen all year" but Allen rallied, taking the next two frames, to send the semi-final to a deciding 11th frame.

However, Lisowski held his nerve in the one-frame shootout, producing a break of 95 to seal his spot in Sunday’s showpiece against Selby.

“That is pretty much as good as I could play,” said Lisowski in the Eurosport studio after the match.

Lisowski, who has been a ranking event finalist twice in his career, takes on Selby on Sunday with coverage starting at 12:45.