World Open snooker: Jack Lisowski stunned in qualifying as John Higgins and Mark Allen book trip to China

ByDesmond Kane

Updated 25/01/2024 at 12:33 GMT

Jack Lisowski was bundled out of the World Open in Barnsley by world No. 76 Lukas Kleckers in a shock 5-2 defeat, but there was better news for world No. 3 Mark Allen and four-time world champion John Higgins, who both eased through to the last 64 of the ranking event in Yushan. Higgins was a 5-1 winner against Ross Muir, while Allen won by the same scoreline against Andres Petrov.

World No. 17 Jack Lisowski will not be making the trip to China for the World Open in March after losing 5-2 to Germany's Lukas Kleckers in Barnsley on Wednesday.

Kleckers warmed up for his opening match at the German Masters against World Open holder Judd Trump in Berlin's Tempodrom on Monday evening by compiling breaks of 133, 61 and 57 to overcome Lisowski, whose highest break of 53 in the fifth saw him trail 3-2 before Kleckers finished strongly to reach the last 64.

Lisowski also failed to qualify for Berlin after losing 5-3 to Zak Surety last month and will have another week off when Yushan hosts the World Open (March 18-24), situated in the Jiangxi Province of China.

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2015 world champion Stuart Bingham also fell at the first hurdle after going down 5-3 to India's Ishpreet Singh Chadha, while Anthony McGill and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh were other notable names to lose at the Barnsley Metrodome.

World No. 24 McGill was thumped 5-1 by Ashley Hugill, while Thai speed merchant Un-Nooh was edged out 5-4 by Long Zehuang, who won the final two frames to secure his last-64 place and a meeting with last season's Crucible semi-finalist Si Jiahui.

But four-time world champion John Higgins enjoyed a 5-1 victory over fellow Scot Ross Muir boosted by runs of 52 and 79 with Mark Allen running in a century in a 5-1 win over Andres Petrov.

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Elsewhere, 2006 world champion Graeme Dott completed a 5-2 win over Ian Burns with former UK and Tour champion Stephen Maguire enjoying a 5-1 success against Mostafa Dorgham.

Defending champion Trump and world champion Luca Brecel open their respective campaigns at the finals venue in Yushan.

Meanwhile, qualifying for the Welsh Open continues in Barnsley on Thursday with seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry due to face Ross Muir and world No. 16 Gary Wilson up against Mark Davis in the afternoon session.

WORLD OPEN SCORES

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