Snooker wonderkid Michal Szubarczyk, 15, continues to set the sport alight after becoming the youngest player ever to win a World Championship qualifying match. The previous record of 15 years and 277 days, set by Liam Davies in 2022, has been shattered, with Szubarczyk beating it by approximately 200 days.

The Polish teenager dispatched Onyee Ng in the first World Championship qualifying round on Monday, and it comes as little surprise that comparisons to Ronnie O’Sullivan are already being drawn. Those comparisons first emerged several months ago following his impressive run at February’s Welsh Open, which was brought to an end by World No.3 Neil Robertson.

He had previously overcome Hatem Yassen and Jamie Jones in earlier rounds, having secured his place on the professional snooker circuit in March 2025 through victory at the European Amateur Championship held in Turkiye.

Three-time world champion Mark Williams has had the opportunity to observe Szubarczyk at close quarters and was lavish in his praise, though he noted the youngster falls just short of the level O’Sullivan was displaying at a comparable age.

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He said: “I did say he’s up there; not quite as good as O’Sullivan when he was 14, 15, but he’s not far behind. He’s been beating quite a few pros already.

“Ronnie wasn’t beating established pros at 14 on tour. I mean he’s already beaten Jimmy White, Martin O’Donnell, Jamie Jones, and a few others. He hasn’t quite got the flair of O’Sullivan, but oh my God, he can pot from anywhere. Great to watch.”

Williams had previously remarked: “I’ve watched him play for a couple of years now, I travel around with my boy playing the under-18s and I’ve been watching him – he just stands out by far for me.

“I told everyone, when he gets on the tour, he’s going to win some matches. A lot of them laughed at me and thought he’s not going to win many games, but I said, ‘you just watch this kid, he is unbelievable’.”

Szubarczyk has made no secret of his ambition to reach the Crucible later this month, though he must first navigate three further qualifying rounds.

“I feel very proud and excited about the next matches. Maybe this year or next year I can become the youngest Crucible player,” Szubarczyk said after his first qualifying round win. “For me, getting to the Crucible is the first goal of many others in professional snooker.

“I’m enjoying the pressure and expectation. I have been dreaming about playing in the World Championship for about the last six years.”

Should he secure his place in the tournament, yet another record would tumble as he becomes the youngest player ever to feature, eclipsing Luca Brecel, who was 17 years and 45 days old in 2012 when he reached the main draw.