SNOOKER legend Mark Williams has hailed a teen prodigy as one of the best he has seen at his age, including Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Michal Szubarczyk, 14, is the rising star on the snooker circuit.
The Pole recently won both the Under-16 and Under-18 events at the European Championships in Turkey before reaching the final of the open age event, where he was beaten by Englishman Liam Highfield.
That run to the final saw him earn a World Snooker Tour card valid for two years, making him the youngest professional to ever hold the card.
Williams, in Antalya to support his son Joel who is at an even earlier stage of his snooker life, has been blown away by what he has seen Szubarczyk do already.
Speaking to Metro, the 50-year-old said: “I was in Turkey watching the Europeans, I watched a young boy there and came back and told everyone in the club that this is one of the best 14-year-olds I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Up there with O’Sullivan. Maybe not as good, but not far away.
“Every time I watched him he was knocking in 80s, 90s, 100s. It was frightening.
“I was speaking to John Higgins up in Telford and said: ‘Watch out for this kid, it’s something I haven’t seen for donkeys!'
“I didn’t think he’d get on the tour this quick, but he’s unbelievable. I think he’ll definitely win games.
“Obviously he’s going to struggle, he’s a 14-year-old boy, but I would have been calling to get him on even if he hadn’t got on.
“That’s the kind of people you want on. If he drops off he’s got two years’ experience, then if he gets back on at 16-17 he’s ready to beat some people.
“I’d seen him play the year before in Albania as well. He looked good then but Jesus Christ he’s improved.”
Szubarczyk may yet decide to take his time before rushing on to the Pro Tour.
And that is exactly what former Masters champion Alan McManus believes he should do.
Speaking on his Snooker Breakfast podcast, McManus said: “He’s 14 years of age and not actually 15 until January 12 of next year.
“He’s just not long turned 14. He has his schooling and plenty of other stuff, he’s literally just a kid.
“I would have absolutely no objection, and I don’t think anyone else would either, I think it would be a nice thing to offer him and his family the chance to put back his tour card by a season.
“Or maybe even two seasons until he’s actually 16, by which time he may have finished school.”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O'Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O'Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O'Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O'Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins
