Join the Miguel Delaney Inside Football Join the Miguel Delaney Inside newsletter to get exclusive access and unparalleled insight. Football NewsletterJoin the Miguel Delaney inside Football Jack Lisowski pays tribute to his opponent “best friend” Judd Trump after claiming the first ranking title of his professional snooker career on an emotional night at the Northern Ireland Open.The 34-year-old Lisowski was one of snooker’s great nearly men – an immensely popular player, with prodigious talent and a very watchable, attacking style of play but yet to win a ranking event, with six losses in finals to his name.He finally broke that losing streak at the seventh time of asking with a dramatic 9-8 victory in Belfast over Trump – who had inflicted three of those previous six defeats – by holding his nerve in a scrappy final frame where both men missed chances at the Waterfront Hall.The pair are great friends away from the table and an emotional Lisowski revealed how Trump helped him through the sudden death of his father back in March, which he found out about midway through the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong.In his post-match interview, Lisowski told the packed crowd: “Judd’s been my best friend pretty much since I was 14, and he was there eight months ago when I got the message about my dad. You’ve been a better friend than I could ever ask for for the last eight months. “He is one of the greatest snooker players of all time, but he is a better friend than I could ever wish for. You are the closest thing I am ever going to have to a brother and I love you.”open image in galleryJack Lisowski (left) and Judd Trump (right) are great friends off the snooker table (PA)Lisowski admitted he was struggling to process the feeling of finally getting over the winning line in a final after so many near misses and, while the moment was tinged with sadness that his father didn’t get to see him lift a trophy, there was plenty of reason for celebration.“I feel like I am going to pass out. I have never felt like this in my life,” Lisowski, said “It is so surreal, I feel like I am dreaming. “I have thought about this moment since I was six or seven years old. It has probably taken a bit longer than I would have liked it to, but I don’t know. I feel like I am dreaming. I’m genuinely going to remember this moment for the rest of my life.“I’ve got my dad’s socks on today. When he passed away the first thing I said to someone was he never saw me win a ranking title, but my friend said you can do it for your mum, so this is for him, if you are watching down, and for my mum.”open image in galleryLisowski is one of the most popular players on the snooker circuit (Getty Images)Trump is still world No 1 but hasn’t won a title himself since claiming the UK Championship last December, leaving him on 30 ranking event victories. That unusually lean spell couldn’t stop him being absolute delighted for his friend, however.“I’m so pleased for Jack,” Trump said “I’ll never take it for granted winning in the final, but I’m probably a lot happier than if I’d won to be honest.“I gave it my absolute all but it wasn’t to be. Jack fully deserved the win and there’s no person happier for him than me. It’s so nice that he can shut everyone up.”Lisowski had come in for criticism over the years that a player of his talent hadn’t yet won a tournament and with that monkey now off his back, the Englishman was happy to admit he sometimes doubted whether he would ever get over the line.“Yeah, every day,” Lisowski said he did not fear winning a title. “Every day, I get messages on Instagram and Twitter from people telling me that I will never win a ranking title. I don’t know why, as I don’t say ‘yeah I am so good, I am going to win everything’. I believe I am a pretty humble guy. I would like to believe that this gives me some boost. I hope this is just the beginning of my professional career. I have been a pro for 14 or 15 years, I’ve served my apprenticeship and now I am here I guess.”
2025-10-27 11:07:46
Jack Lisowski opens up on emotional victory over ‘best friend’ Judd Trump for first ranking title
