Fourteen-year-old Michal Szubarcyzk has his eyes set on featuring at the World Snooker Championship.
There’s an element of teenage kicks when the World Championship Qualifiers starts this Monday (April 7).
That’s because the talented Polish teenager, who could become the youngest professional player on the tour, is in action hoping to feature in the biggest snooker event of them all.
Szubarcyzk has gained attention after reaching the final of the 2025 EBSA European Championships despite his youthful age – so much so, he has earned a nomination to play on the main tour from next season.
Although he lost in the final to Liam Highfield, the young teenager has made an instant impression in the snooker world with his impressive ability. He already impressed in the Under-16 and Under-18 European Snooker Championships, winning both events with relative ease.
He made his first maximum break in practice at the age of 12 before becoming the Polish champion in six-red snooker at just 13-years-old.
Three-times world champion Mark Williams told the Metro the youngster is “up there” with legendary Ronnie O’Sullivan.
As a result of his success, he will feature in the World Snooker Championship qualifiers, which has multiple notable names competing such as snooker legend Jimmy White, China’s comeback star Zhao Xintong and 1997 world champion Ken Doherty.
Michal, 14, could break Ronnie O’Sullivan record
Taking place from Monday, April 7th to April 16th at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield the young star faces his biggest challenge yet as he aims to qualify for the World Championship.
Szubarcyzk kicks off his quest by taking on Dean Young in the first-round qualifiers. All matches in the qualifiers are best-of-19. A win over Young would see him take on fellow young sensation Stan Moody.
The Pole would then have to win another two matches to book his place at the Crucible Theatre.
He could break the record for the youngest participant in the World Championship currently held by seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, who was 16 when he made his debut in 1992.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xintong will mark his return to the game with confidence after making it through to the main draw of the UK Championship as an amateur in November.
Zhao, former UK champion and German Masters winner, is returning from a ban in relation to betting being party to another player fixing two snooker matches. He plays Ka Wai Cheung in the first round.
Jimmy White, looking to reach the main Crucible stages for the first time in almost 20 years, starts his bid for World Championship qualification against Anton Kazakov.
All 16 lucky qualifiers will find out who they will play in the World Championship first round on Thursday, April 17.
