Mark Williams has labelled a 14-year-old snooker sensation as one of the best players he has ever seen at that age.
And his claim factors in the early brilliance of snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan who made his first competitive century break, aged just 10.
Williams has kept close tabs on Polish teenager Michal Szubarczyk who recently won the European Championships in Turkey by scooping the Under-16s and Under 18s event.
That was followed by a final appearance at the open age event in which he eventually fell to Liam Highfield.
The disappointment of losing the final was made all the more easier to digest after earning a two-year card to play on the World Snooker Tour.
Szubarczyk, who was born in January 2011, won multiple Polish Junior Champion titles in snooker and two in pool billiards before becoming World Under-21 Snooker Champion in 2024.
His new venture will serve as a steep learning curve as he gets to grips with the demands of the professional tour but regardless of what he achieves in the big leagues, Williams was left mightily impressed by Szubarczyk’s raw talent.
“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,” Williams told Metro.
“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!’”
As Szubarczyk’s profile continues to grow, so too will expectation, however Williams is not interested in heaping too much pressure on the youngster just yet.
That said, the current world No.5 believes Szubarczyk has what it takes to make an impact and expects him to cause an upset or two.
“I didn’t think he’d get on the tour this quick, but he’s unbelievable,” he said. “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.”
Meanwhile, former Masters champion Alan McManus believes the rising star would be better placed to defer his tour card and finish school before embarking on what is likely to be an exciting career trajectory.
“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,” McManus told his Snooker Breakfast podcast.
“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.
“Coming in and playing as a 14 or 15-year-old on the tour. He might be the most gifted player we’ve ever seen in the game, I haven’t seen him play properly yet, but you’d be very surprised if he got remotely close to keeping his tour card status after those two seasons.
“Maybe that’s something they will think about. I don’t think there will be any objection to it because he’s only 14 years of age.”
