WST Pro Series snooker 2021: 'I was gutted' – Jack Lisowski hits back in style after Covid test woe

Updated 25/01/2021 at 23:59 GMT

Jack Lisowski topped Group N at the WST Pro Series event in Milton Keynes after a tense finale to Monday's action saw him complete a 2-0 win over Graeme Dott, with Luca Brecel progressing courtesy of a 2-0 victory against Zak Surety, who needed a win to qualify but was edged out on frame difference. It was a rousing return for Lisowski after a positive Covid-19 test forced him to miss the Masters.

Jack Lisowski | Snooker | ESP Player Feature

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Jack Lisowski and Luca Brecel secured their progress at the WST Pro Series event as the top two qualifiers from the eight-man Group N in Milton Keynes.

Lisowski, Brecel and former Welsh Open finalist Andrew Higginson finished the section on 15 points after Lisowski beat 2006 world champion Graeme Dott 2-0, Brecel defeated Zak Surety 2-0 and Higginson overcame Brandon Sargeant 2-0.

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With each man enjoying five wins from seven matches, overall frame difference and head-to-head failed to split the top three in the section, but Lisowski topped the trio with a +1 frame difference ahead of Brecel on 0 and Higginson edged out on -1.

It was a glorious return to form for world No 14 Lisowksi, who admitted his anguish at being forced to withdraw from the Masters earlier this month due to a positive Covid-19 test before his first-round match with Kyren Wilson.

“I was gutted,” said Lisowski, who enjoyed two centuries on Monday.

The feeling was 10 times worse than any game I have ever lost. To not be able to play was so confusing. And then to be told I had Covid – I was thinking about all these things.

"Luckily I was fine, but I was gutted because I had a lot of momentum and I was playing great. I fancied a good run. But it wasn’t meant to be so I had to suck it up, take ten days in isolation and then started practising for this tournament.”

Lisowski will face Louis Heathcote in the last 32 of the German Masters on Thursday morning.

“I knew I had to win my last match 2-0 to have a chance – I did it and it feels great," said Lisowki. "I felt as if I was getting sharper as the day was going on. It’s a good warm-up for the German Masters.”

WST Pro Series last-32 qualifiers

Jack Lisowski
Luca Brecel
Luo Honghao
Zhou Yeulong
Shaun Murphy
Louis Heathcote
Zhao Xintong
Dominic Dale
Stuart Bingham
Sam Craigie
Martin O'Donnell
Lu Ning
Kyren Wilson
Sunny Akani
Joe Perry
Xiao Guodong

Scene setter

This will be the first edition of the WST Pro Series, which has arrived on the snooker scene for 2021.

The legendary Stephen Hendry was set to make his eagerly-anticipated comeback, but withdrew on Friday January 15 and was replaced by John Astley. Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Mark Selby are also in the draw.

The WST Pro Series will offer up total prize money of £420,500 and will take place at Arena MK in Milton Keynes.

What is the format?

The players have been split into 16 groups of eight for the initial round-robin phase. All matches are best-of-three frames, and the top two in each group will progress to the second group stage.

The second phase will feature 32 players split into four groups of eight, and the top two in each group will then progress.

The player who finishes top of the final group of eight players will be crowned the champion of the inaugural edition of the event.