The emotional story behind Judd Trump vs Jack Lisowski Northern Ireland Open final

Emotions will be running high at the Waterfront Hall on Sunday as Judd Trump and Jack Lisowski meet in the final of the Northern Ireland Open.

The pair are good friends who have known each other for 25 years since they first met on the junior circuit and have grown up together in snooker.

Trump has reached the pinnacle, the current world number one, former world champion and looking to win his 31st ranking title in Belfast on Sunday, in his 50th final.

Lisowski has not hit those heights and will be playing in his seventh ranking final as he continues his search for a first title.

This is Jackpot’s first final since March 2021, having gone through a dip in form and this year suffered personal tragedy when his father died in March.

Snooker has been tough for the 34-year-old since the unexpected loss, but this week in Northern Ireland, he has rediscovered some of his best stuff, partly with the help of coach Chris Henry.

Speaking earlier in the tournament, he told TNT Sports: ‘I think it’s coming back. I probably lost a little bit of fight but it’s coming back and I’m feeling stronger and starting to enjoy my snooker a little bit more.’

He added: ‘It’s up and down. It feels different now. I didn’t have a lot of fight in me the first few months, but now I’m just able to play and I don’t feel like crying when I’m playing.

‘I played like a month after my dad died, in the Worlds, and every frame I just felt so emotional. I wish I’d had longer off. But I kept going, obviously it doesn’t get easier, but you just get used to it.

‘I’m not thinking as much when I’m out there now and it was a great win today.’

Trump is looking for his first title of 2025, having gone through something of a trophy drought for his incredible high standards.

But even a relentless winner like the world number one admits that it will be tough to try and dish out defeat to a close pal who is looking for his first victory and so soon after the loss of his dad.

Three of Lisowski’s previous six ranking finals have ended in defeat to Trump, but the Ace feels this weekend is a different situation.

‘It’s a bit different to the rest of the finals because of what’s gone on in the last six or eight months,’ he said. ‘It’s incredibly hard to play him at the best of times but to have that in the back of my mind as well, with what it would mean to him and the timing of it.

‘It’s not easy. It’s not going to be easy to play him. Either way, I win and I’m hated or he wins and I’m very pleased for him.

‘If I lose I’ll be so happy for him, but I’ll give it 100 per cent and see what happens.’

No doubt Trump will be trying his best to pot the balls, but it is a unique situation that leaves him comfortable with victory of defeat.

‘Yeah, I don’t care either way,’ he told WST. ‘If he wins I’m happy for him, if I win I’m happy. It’s difficult to play your friend but it’s so good to see him back in finals.’

The 36-year-old added on the great, but unpredictable, quality of Lisowski: ‘He’s too good to be spending four years without reaching a final, we all know that.

‘When he gets his head together and gets the right people behind him he’s a tournament winner. Even though we’ve not seen it yet. He’s put himself in the position where six-eight months since what happened he’s managed to get himself together and shown a lot of fight this week and a different style of play. I watched a bit of his game earlier and his safety was much better than it normally is.

‘He does things his own way and when it does happen for him I think everyone will be pleased for him.

‘No matter what happens it’s going to be an amazing final. I love being in finals with Jack, it’s a dream come true really, so it’s nice to be in another one together, in this atmosphere as well, it’s great for him to experience.’

The match will be played over a best-of-17 frames at 1pm and 7pm on Sunday at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, with the winner claiming the £100,000 top prize.