Gloucestershire snooker talents Jack Lisowski and Rob Milkins are gearing up to secure their spots at snooker’s most iconic event, the World Championship at the Crucible Theatre, as qualifiers commence next week at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
Rob Milkins, 50, and a two-time ranking event winner hailing from Gloucester, faces a crucial challenge. Currently ranked 61st globally, Milkins needs at least one win to maintain his professional tour status. With provisional end-of-season rankings placing him at 68, only the top 64 players are guaranteed two-year tour cards. However, the top four performers of the 2025-26 season without a tour card can also qualify, and Milkins sits just fifth on this list. He’s earned £33,800 this season, trailing Allan Taylor by a mere £200, making every match vital.
Milkins, who celebrated victories at the 2022 Gibraltar Open and the 2023 Welsh Open, must win three matches to secure a coveted spot at the Crucible, where the final stages begin on April 18. His journey starts Thursday, April 9, against either 1997 world champion Ken Doherty from Ireland or North Wales amateur Patrick Whelan. A win would pit him against rising Welsh star Jackson Page on April 12, potentially leading to a decisive final qualifying match on April 14.
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A professional since 1995, Milkins has reached as high as 12th in the world rankings and has appeared at the Crucible ten times, advancing past the first round on five occasions. Notably, he has secured remarkable victories at the venue, including wins over Neil Robertson in 2013 and 2018, and an impressive 10-9 comeback against Joe Perry in 2023 after trailing 7-2.
Jack Lisowski, 34, from Churchdown, aims to qualify for his ninth appearance at the Crucible. After claiming his first ranking title at the Northern Ireland Open last year — breaking a streak of six major final losses — Lisowski’s best World Championship run so far was reaching the quarter-finals in 2022, narrowly losing in a final-frame thriller to John Higgins.
Currently ranked 18th, Lisowski must win two matches to advance, as only the top 16 players gain automatic qualification. His first match is scheduled for Monday, April 13, against one of three contenders: England’s Sam Craigie, Pakistan’s Farakh Ajaib, or Germany’s Umut Dikme. A victory would lead him to a final qualifier on Wednesday, April 15.
Lisowski has received strong endorsements from former World Championship finalist Barry Hawkins, who defeated him in this year’s Welsh Open final. Hawkins remarked to 247Bet, “Jack’s won a tournament this year and has been playing well all season. I faced him in the Welsh Open final and he’s really dangerous when he’s on it. There’s no reason why Jack can’t come through and have a great run at Sheffield. He’s a great player. He’s one of the guys who could win it.”
Both Gloucestershire stars now face intense competition, but with their talent and determination, Milkins and Lisowski are poised to make a significant impact at this year’s World Snooker Championship qualifiers.