Jack Lisowski suffering 'snooker hangover' - and needs 'miracle' to beat Barry Hawkins in Welsh Open final after first-session mauling
Published 01/03/2026 at 17:18 GMT
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Jack Lisowski came down from the high of winning the Home Nations Series bonus on Saturday evening to be mauled by Barry Hawkins in the opening session of the Welsh Open final at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Hawkins holds a 7-1 lead in the race to nine. Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the Welsh Open, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
'Absolutely superb' - Hawkins picks off second century of match
Video credit: TNT Sports
It felt like a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show for Jack Lisowski, as Alan McManus suggested he was suffering from a "snooker hangover" after falling 7-1 behind in the final of the Welsh Open.
Lisowski produced some stunning snooker to beat John Higgins in the semi-finals on Saturday, including a winning contribution in the deciding frame that was described by Philip Studd on TNT Sports commentary as "one of the finest breaks you will ever see".
One day on however, Lisowski was all at sea, as Barry Hawkins seized on his opponent's errors and produced solid snooker of his own to race into a 7-1 lead.
Lisowski told TNT Sports earlier in the week in Llandudno that the "the disparity between my top game and when I am struggling is probably as big as anyone on tour".
Those words felt prophetic as, in the space of 16 hours, he went from producing top-drawer snooker to elementary errors.
"Barry has been immense," McManus said on TNT Sports. "But from Jack’s side, it is the equivalent of a snooker hangover from last night.
"It is difficult to put that performance in, and then come out firing today.
"He will be gutted, will Jack. The final is almost done."
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McManus felt Lisowski paid a heavy price for some lax safety.
"The cornerstone of any top player’s game is to not make silly safety errors, because that is what the other player feeds on," McManus said. "We have seen so many [errors] from Jack.
"You can't be giving away cheap chances, and that has ultimately been his downfall - albeit Barry has been magnificent."
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'That's unlucky' - Hawkins shows frustration after potting blue and pink in same shot
Video credit: TNT Sports
Lisowski’s win over Higgins the previous evening secured him the £150,000 Home Nations Series bonus. Having also won his maiden title earlier in the season, Jimmy White suggested that Lisowski would go into the final on a high, but was made to pay for his errors.
"Jack would have gone out feeling the best he has ever felt as a snooker player, getting the bonus, winning a tournament in Belfast," White said.
"He won the second frame, after Barry won the first, and in the third he had a simple red into the middle pocket. It is a missable shot, but he has not paid enough attention to the pot. Players get that 29 out of 30, and Barry has gone on to be 2-1 in front, and is now 7-1 in front, but should have been 2-1 behind. For me, that is a huge turning point.
"[In the fifth frame] this safety shot Jack tries to play, it is an impossible shot. It is going to be a double kiss, you can’t get away from it. It is an amateur shot.
"He has not been at the races, and Hawkins has picked up on every mistake."
Looking ahead to the evening session, with Hawkins two frames from the title, White added: "Jack will be back, he could go and win the World Championship in six weeks’ time, but at the moment for him to win this match he needs a miracle."
Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the Welsh Open, live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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