Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Welsh Open snooker match.
In the second round of the Welsh Open, Chris Wakelin, who is in the top 16, will face Jack Lisowski, who is ranked in the top 32, although their positions in the rankings suggest it should be the other way around.
Chris Wakelin
Chris Wakelin has broken into the top 16 for the first time in his career, earning a place at the Masters and qualifying for the Llandudno tournament without needing to go through the qualifiers. He is enjoying the best season of his career, having reached the semi-finals of the English Open, the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open, and the final of the prestigious International Championship, where he lost to Ding Junhui (10:7). At the Masters, Wakelin was beaten by Luca Brecel (6:3), before suffering an unexpected defeat to Hammad Miah in the German Masters qualifiers. In the first round of the Welsh Open, Wakelin edged past Michael Holt in a close-fought 4:3 victory.
Jack Lisowski
Jack Lisowski has dropped down the rankings and is now working to regain his position and return to the top 16. This season, Lisowski reached the quarter-finals of the UK Championship and made another quarter-final appearance at the Wuhan Open. In his first-round match, Jack confidently dispatched Joshua Cooper (4:0), producing three century breaks while limiting his opponent to just 23 points across the entire match. Lisowski has always been on the verge of winning his first ranking title, but he tends to fall short in the latter stages, often losing to top-ranked players while comfortably beating lower-ranked opponents.
Chris Wakelin vs Jack Lisowski Prediction
Lisowski and Wakelin have faced each other several times, with Lisowski winning three out of four meetings. However, in their most recent encounter at the Northern Ireland Open 2023, Wakelin emerged victorious. This time, we believe Lisowski will take the win. He thrives against opponents like Wakelin, and his recent form suggests he will have plenty of opportunities. Jack has been producing a lot of high-quality breaks in his recent matches, whereas Wakelin could be heading for a dip in form after his strong performances earlier in the season—it is simply impossible to sustain top form all year round.
