The 2025 Northern Ireland Open final will be contested today between two close friends. Indeed Judd Trump will face Jack Lisowski in Belfast today. Here is how we got there as reported by WST:
Jack Lisowski kept his tremendous run going at the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open as he made three centuries in a 6-1 thrashing of Zhou Yuelong to reach his seventh ranking event final and raise his hopes of a first title.
One of the best natural talents in the sport, Lisowski produced a wonderful display of long potting and break-building as he dismissed Zhou in less than two hours at the Waterfront Hall. In his six previous ranking finals, which all came between 2018 and 2021, 34-year-old Lisowski was up against Judd Trump three times, Neil Robertson twice and Mark Selby once. And the left-hander is sure to face another huge test on Sunday as he will meet either world number one and close friend Trump, or home favourite Mark Allen.
First to nine frames will earn £100,000 and lift the Alex Higgins Trophy, and victory would be a career-best moment for Lisowski, particularly given the challenges he has faced away from the table in recent months as his father sadly passed away in March.
Coming into this week there were few signs that Lisowski was a title contender as he had not previously reached a quarter-final this season and had slipped to 29th in the world, but he is playing with a new cue tip and working with coach Chris Henry for the first time which – so far – has created a perfect storm. In five matches this week he has fired six centuries and 12 more breaks over 50.
The opening frame today came down to the colours and Lisowski, leading by 15 points, laid a clever snooker on the brown, which Zhou missed twice and he was soon 1-0 down. China’s Zhou, who was runner-up to Allen at last month’s BetVictor English Open, registered just five points in the next three frames as Lisowski piled in breaks of 125, 124 and 66 for 4-0.
In frame five, Lisowski led 54-37 when he missed the final green to a centre pocket and Zhou later got the better of a safety battle on the blue then cleared to pull a frame back. Lisowski regained momentum with a run of 125 in frame six and looked set to finish the tie in the seventh until he missed a red to centre on 40. Zhou made 59 then played safe, and Lisowski enjoyed a slice of good fortune as his attempted long pot on the last red rattled it in the jaws and dropped into the opposite baulk corner. From there he added the points he needed to delight the fans in Belfast who are backing him this week.
“It was really good today, it has been a great week so far and now obviously it’s all about tomorrow,” said Gloucestershire’s Lisowski. “I feel like I can pot any ball at the moment, I’m more surprised when I miss. I have been putting the work in and when it comes off out there it’s a great feeling. I have changed my cue, changed my tip, and got a coach with new ideas so maybe it’s a new version of myself. My game is heading in the right direction which is a relief because I have had a quiet couple of seasons where I have played some really good games but not put a run together.
“I think I’m way better than I was when I was last in a final. My good game is much stronger and my bad game is a bit better too. I haven’t got a clue who will win tonight, it doesn’t make a difference to me. It would be so special to beat either of them. If I apply myself well I’ve got a chance.”
Judd Trump came from 3-2 down to beat local favourite Mark Allen 6-3 at the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, setting up his 50th ranking final and a clash with friend Jack Lisowski.
Trump and Lisowski have been close since their junior days and Sunday’s final could be an emotional occasion, particularly given that Lisowski’s father passed away earlier this year. Both will be determined to get to nine frames and finish the night with the Alex Higgins Trophy in his hands, and Trump has the added motivation of ending a streak of ten months without a title.
The pair have met in three ranking finals, Trump winning 10-7 at the 2020 World Grand Prix, 9-2 at the 2021 German Masters and 4-0 at the 2021 Gibraltar Open. All three of those were played behind closed doors in Milton Keynes during the Covid era, so this will be their first final in front of a crowd – and what better setting than the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Bristol’s 36-year-old Trump will be aiming for a 31st ranking title and first since the 2024 UK Championship last December. Number one in the official Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings, he was down in 34th place on this season’s rankings prior to this week, but will now shoot up that list especially if he banks the £100,000 top prize.
The 2019 World Champion has shown only flashes of his best this week, making just two centuries compared to Lisowski’s six, but his exceptional safety game has helped him into the final.
Both players struggled to settle into tonight’s contest and after 79 minutes of play the score was 1-1. Trump was first to find some rhythm with a break of 73 to take the advantage, before Antrim’s Allen hit back with 68 and 135 to lead 3-2. The crucial sixth frame came down to a safety battle on the green and Trump trailed 52-46 when he laid a tough snooker, and he took the chance that followed to square the tie.
A break of 82 gave Trump the lead and in frame eight he was 62-0 ahead when he missed the black to a top corner. Allen had a chance to counter but ran out of position with two reds left, and Trump later converted a clever cross double on the last red to go 5-3 ahead. Early in frame nine, Allen missed a tough mid-range red to a top corner and handed Trump the chance to make 66 which proved enough for victory.
“It was a tough game, Mark never makes it easy for you,” said Trump, who won this title three times in a row from 2018 to 2020 and again in 2023. “That’s his game plan, he is very patient and his safety is good. It’s hard to get any rhythm against him at the start, plus I missed a few easy balls. The sixth frame was massive, that was the turning point. I got some momentum after that and my game was a bit more attacking.
“I will be giving it my all tomorrow, it will be an incredible final. It’s brilliant to see Jack playing this well, he has had a tough time. Everyone is glad to see him back. We grew up together and played in pretty much every junior final, so it’s amazing to be playing him in this final 20 years later. An arena like this deserves a great final.”
Once again with only two matches played yesterday, the above reports are comprehensive enough.
According to Cuetracker Judd and Jack have played each other 24 times in professional tournaments before their encounter today, Judd winning 16 times and Jack winning 8 times. Before today, they have met in a final three times and Judd has won each of those three finals, two of them quite comprehensively. All three finals came during the 2020/21 season. Looking at those stats, you have to make Judd a clear favourite today … but I’d love to see Jack “upset” the odds and lift the trophy tonight!
Ronnie O'Sullivan 