Polish snooker sensation Michal Szubarczyk moved a step closer to making history at the World Championship by winning his second qualifying match on Thursday. The 15-year-old defeated Sanderson Lam 10-8 in Sheffield, setting up a third-round clash with Hossein Vafaei.
Szubarczyk became the youngest ever World Championship match winner earlier this week when he beat former women's world champion Ng On Yee in the opening round. He is now just two wins away from qualifying for the Crucible, which would make him the youngest player to appear at the tournament. Belgium's Luca Brecel was 17 when he made his debut in 2012.
“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. “For me, getting to the Crucible is the first goal of many others in professional snooker. I'm enjoying the pressure and expectation.”
The teenager has drawn comparisons with seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan. Three-time world champion Mark Williams praised Szubarczyk after watching him play. “He just stands out by far for me,” Williams said. “He's been beating quite a few pros already. Ronnie wasn't beating established pros at 14 on tour.”
In his second-round match, Szubarczyk trailed 63-0 in the final frame but compiled a clearance of 64 to seal a 10-8 victory. He will face Vafaei on Saturday in the third of four qualifying rounds.
