Jack Lisowski moved to inside a win of a return to the Crucible Theatre after thrashing Liu Hongyu 10-4 within the World Championship qualifiers.

The Englishman missed out on an computerized spot on the venue phases of this yr’s competitors by simply £6,500, with Robert Milkins snatching the sixteenth seeding as an alternative.

Lisowski can solely have himself accountable after a disappointing 2023/24 marketing campaign wherein he has reached just one rating semi-final.

The 32 year-old has participated at each World Championship since 2018, with a quarter-final run in 2022 representing his greatest efficiency to this point.

He had no issues dispatching Liu within the penultimate spherical of the preliminaries, compiling a hat-trick of century breaks in taking the opening 5 frames.

The rest of the competition was extra evenly matched, however Lisowski finally coasted to the successful line and wrapped up the victory with an outstanding 142 complete clearance.

Lisowski will encounter two-time World Championship runner-up Matthew Stevens within the closing spherical on Tuesday.

The latter, who as soon as repeatedly challenged for the game’s blue-riband title, ousted Jimmy Robertson with a 10-6 scoreline.

Among the many others to qualify for Judgement Day had been Ricky Walden, Dominic Dale, and Mark Davis.

This time final yr, Davis misplaced a dramatic Judgement Day conflict to Joe Perry on the ultimate black that, on the time, consigned him to tour relegation.

However the veteran former six purple world champion is again for an additional crack 12 months on after his 10-8 defeat of Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.

Walden had an excessive amount of for Ian Burns whereas Dale’s robust marketing campaign continued with a 10-6 victory over David Grace.

Elsewhere, Jenson Kendrick’s sudden run from the primary qualifying spherical was prolonged with a 10-5 conquer Jordan Brown.

Kendrick has had an terrible expertise since becoming a member of the tour as an expert nearly two years in the past however would sensationally save his card if he had been to beat Lyu Haotian on the final hurdle.

Like in earlier seasons, any participant ranked outdoors the highest 64 who qualifies for the Crucible will earn a contemporary two-year card.

Lyu left it late to disclaim Daniel Wells, whereas the opposite outcome within the third spherical noticed rookie He Guoqiang upset former semi-finalist Anthony McGill.

There have been a number of matches nonetheless to be accomplished from the second spherical of qualifying, in the meantime.

Englishmen, Alfie Burden, Sanderson Lam, David Lilley, John Astley, and Zak Surety all moved ahead within the occasion.

Scott Donaldson, Tian Pengfei, and Ben Mertens additionally stayed within the hunt to assert one of many 16 coveted Crucible tickets.

The motion on the English Institute of Sport continues with extra third-round play on Sunday.

World Snooker Championship qualifiers draw

All matches are the perfect of 19 frames performed throughout two periods.
Scorelines in italics point out the tip of the primary session.

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Qualifier 1

Qualifier 2

Qualifier 3

Qualifier 4

Qualifier 5

Qualifier 6

Qualifier 7

Qualifier 8

Qualifier 9

Qualifier 10

Qualifier 11

Qualifier 12

Qualifier 13

Qualifier 14

Qualifier 15

Qualifier 16

Featured picture credit score: WST