Jack Lisowski expressed disappointment over the lack of a formal homecoming ceremony during the Northern Ireland Open, where he returned as the defending champion. The 35-year-old professional snooker player had anticipated a more prominent welcome but found that other matches running behind schedule had already commenced by the time he entered the arena.

Lisowski secured a 4-1 victory over Huang Jiahao in his opening-round match. However, he noted that there was no introduction or fanfare typically expected for a defending champion entering the stage. “I’ve never been defending champ before. Did I enjoy it? Not really,” he said, reflecting on the occasion.

The Cheltenham-based player mentioned that fellow competitor Anthony McGill acknowledged the subdued reception, telling him, “Ah, you got robbed of your entrance.” Lisowski agreed, adding, “You walk out there and there’s another game on. It wasn’t like a homecoming lap of honour.”

The scheduling overlaps and match overruns appear to have affected the planned formalities for the event, leaving Lisowski without the celebratory recognition he had anticipated on his homecoming.