Jack Lisowski has crept back inside the world’s top 16 but is not really counting it unless he can keep hold of the spot for the UK Championship and Masters.
It has not been a great season so far for Jackpot in terms of results, but with others sliding down the rankings, he has popped back into the elite group at number 16.
He is hoping to climb higher this week at the British Open in Cheltenham, where he gets great support as a local hero.
A move back into the top 16 is an achievement, but most importantly means qualification for the main stages of events and the Masters.
Lisowski is well aware of that, but is currently not provisionally in the Masters in January, needing good results to keep hold of his spot.
That’s why the 35-year-old is not doing cartwheels just yet over his return to the top 16, but will be if he is still there at the UK Championship in November and at Alexandra Palace at the start of 2027.
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‘Yeah, but I’m not,’ Lisowski told Metro on being pleased to return to the top 16. ‘I mean, it’s misleading because I need to be in it for the Masters and I’m not in it at the moment for that, so I don’t really count it.
‘But I’m plugging away and trying to get in it, so I don’t have to qualify for the UK’s and then Masters and the Worlds, so it’s got to stay there.
‘It’s very tough qualifying, so fingers crossed I can hold on to that number 16.’
The Northern Ireland Open champion made a winning start to his British Open campaign on Tuesday, but didn’t really sparkle in a tense 4-3 win over Mitchell Mann.
On playing in front of a home crown in Cheltenham, Lisowski said: ‘It’s always good. I would have liked to have played a little bit better in front of them, but it’s great to play in front of them and to win.
‘It would be amazing to win [the title] in Cheltenham. Winning anywhere is incredible, but to win 10-15 minutes from where you live really would be incredible.
‘I’m playing all right, but it’s just hard getting the results. I’ve not quite got the momentum, so I’m plugging away.’
Lisowski has struggled for results in recent qualifiers, missing the main stages of the China Open, Wuhan Open and will not be at the upcoming Shenzhen Open, but has not been too disappointed to miss out given he has been moving house and is expecting his first child with his fiancé.
‘I’ve just moved house, so I’m quite happy to be here and maybe I can qualify for one,’ he said. ‘I think there’s one in a couple of weeks [International Championship qualifiers]. I’ll be trying my hardest, but sometimes it’s just easier to be at home, I guess.
‘Moving house is a massive thing, but I’m done now, so I hope I win all the qualifiers again and get back out there.’
On his house move, he added: ‘Yeah, amazing. It’s perfect. It’s near my mum’s, so I just walk to her house to practise. It’s like a dream.’
Lisowski is into the last 32 at the British Open, where he takes on India’s Ishpreet Singh Chadha on Wednesday evening.
In the random draw at the event, he was pleased to avoid the one name that would have been awkward.
‘I’m just glad I’m not playing Judd [Trump], because he’s staying at mine,’ he said.