Lisowski wins 4-1 in Belfast as Selby exits Northern Ireland Open

Reigning champion Jack Lisowski began his defence of the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast on Sunday with a 4-1 victory over Huang Jiahao, while Mark Selby suffered a surprise first-round defeat.

Lisowski, 35, who beat Judd Trump in last year’s Northern Ireland Open final to claim his first ranking title at the event, moved quickly into a 3-0 lead at the Waterfront Hall before allowing Huang to cut the deficit to 3-1; Lisowski then took the fifth frame on the black to advance.

Four-time world champion Mark Selby was eliminated 4-2 by Louis Heathcote in the opening round; Selby, the world number five who has already won the China Open this year, led 2-0 but lost four successive frames to exit and was denied a chance to become the first player to win all four Home Nations tournaments.

Xiao Guodong was beaten in a deciding frame by England’s Sam Craigie, while Cork’s Aaron Hill fell 4-2 to Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, both departing in round one.

Former world champions Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy were listed among the players scheduled for Sunday’s evening session, which began at 19:00 BST.

Lisowski will now meet Scotland’s Anthony McGill in round two after McGill recorded a 4-1 victory over Stephen Maguire.