Jack Lisowski reveals unusual reason for all-out approach after UK Championship victory.

Jack Lisowski reveals unusual reason for all-out approach after UK Championship victory.

 

 

During his 4-2 victory over Mark Selby at the Northern Ireland Open, Jack Lisowski unexpectedly revealed the reason behind his aggressive style in the final frame: he had to “go to the toilet”. He admitted: “I finished well at the end. I needed a wee, so I wanted to get out of there.”

Because of that pressing bladder-issue, instead of opting for protracted tactical safety play and perhaps a re-rack, he went for a decisive attack – a long red, then a break of 65 which sealed the match. He conceded he should have gone to the loo earlier: “Honestly, I was going to play for a re-rack, I don’t know why I didn’t go to the toilet at 3-2.”

The win over Selby drew attention not only for Lisowski’s potting and attack but for how he described his mindset: he said that his safety game is improving and that his coach, Chris Henry, is helping him understand the “science” of cue-ball control and safety play. But he stressed that his natural instinct remains to pot rather than be ultra-tactical: “I’m not really thinking about tactics. If they go in, I’ve got a chance.”

The anecdote struck a chord in the snooker world, as it seemingly explains a little about why Lisowski often plays such high-octane attacking snooker: he doesn’t shy away from risk, and in this instance the urgency (to finish the match quickly) fast-tracked his approach. It also adds a human, almost humorous twist to the usual narrative of professional players grinding frames out with safety and pace control.

From a broader perspective, Lisowski has spoken before about how he would prefer to play freely and aggressively when things are going well: when the cue ball is behaving, the balls are going in, the game “feels quite easy”. Yet the flip-side is his admitted vulnerability when his game isn’t on, when the cue ball isn’t going where he wants it and he lacks control.

What this toilet-story reveals is that external and very ordinary human factors can influence “match strategy”. Rather than a planned shift in style, it seems that Lisowski’s condition (feeling the need to relieve himself) led him to expedite the frame and adopt an attacking, swift finish.

For fans and commentators, it reinforces that while Lisowski’s talent and attacking flair are huge assets, his ability to manage less glamorous factors – patience in frames, tactical discipline, managing body and mind under pressure — continues to be part of what will determine whether he moves from being one of the best players without a ranking title, to one who wins big finals.

In summary: after overcoming Selby with a 4-2 win, Lisowski revealed that his all-out approach in the final frame was triggered by needing to use the toilet — leading him to ditch a safety-heavy plan for a break-off-to-winning-break attack. It’s a quirky and very human reason, and yet tells us something about his style: when he’s able to let the balls go, that’s when he plays his best.