‘Crazy shots’ but Lisowski and Brecel impress at UK Championship

But the talented duo have a great chance to secure a Triple Crown title after reaching the quarter-finals of the Cazoo UK Championship in York, where the majority of the top seeds have fallen in the early rounds.

Belgium’s Brecel thrashed Anthony Hamilton 6-1 at the Barbican on Thursday, while England’s Lisowski secured a 6-4 victory over Iran’s Hossein Vafaei. If he can beat Sheffield-based Zhao Xintong in York on Friday night, he will reach the semi-finals of a Triple Crown event for the first time in his career.

“It would be good if me or Jack Lisowski could win more tournaments because we have a nice style, I think, we play crazy shots sometimes,” said Brecel, the world No 40 who plays Anthony McGill in the last eight.

“I’m not busy with entertaining, I’m a real winner, I hate losing so I just try to win.

“When I go for shots some people say I’m pushing the boat out, but it is just the way I play and I am confident in my shots so that’s why I play them.

“There’s still some very good players, Anthony McGill next, then Ronnie O’Sullivan or Kyren Wilson. Ronnie is obviously the big favourite to win it, but I can beat anyone.

“I’ve proven that over the years so we’ll see what happens,” said Brecel, 26, whose only ranking title came at the 2017 China Championship.

“Today was the best I felt in the whole tournament,” said Brecel, who progressed with top breaks of 72, 72 and 69. “Since being 5-4 down against Tom Ford I’ve won 14 out of 15 frames. I’m feeling good, confident and relaxed.”

World No 15 Lisowski’s match with Zhao - who beat Leeds veteran Peter Lines in the previous round - looks set to be a ‘pot-fest’.

“Zhao Xintong is my favourite player to watch, he goes for all his shots, he’s fast and he doesn’t play any safety,” said 30-year-old Lisowski. “We will play it on our terms, the analysts will be saying which shots we should be playing, but that’s not going to happen.

“We’ll be going for everything, it will be a pot-fest.”

Snooker chiefs have confirmed next year’s UK Championship will be returning to York next year.

The 2022 event will be held on November 8-20, with tickets going on sale on Friday at 12 noon at the Barbican or 10am online, visit www.wst.tv/tickets