Teen Sensation Topples a Legend: Michal Szubarczyk, 14, Sends Jimmy White Crashing Out
Snooker legend Jimmy White suffered a surprising and emotional early exit from this year’s UK Championship qualifying after being defeated 6–2 by rising star Michal Szubarczyk, a 14-year-old prodigy from Poland who has quickly become one of the most talked-about young talents on the World Snooker Tour. The match took place in Wigan, where fans witnessed a compelling blend of experience and youthful fearlessness on the baize.
White, now 63 and still admired for his vibrant style and enduring passion for the game, briefly looked capable of turning back the clock. After Szubarczyk claimed the opening frame, the former 1992 UK champion responded in vintage fashion, producing an elegant 92 break to level the contest at 1–1. For a moment, it felt as though White’s vast reservoir of experience might steady the match.
But Szubarczyk—showing maturity far beyond his years—shifted into another gear. He calmly pieced together four consecutive frames, displaying sharp tactical awareness, excellent cue control, and an unshakeable temperament. His 6–2 victory not only marks the biggest win of his young career but also signals the arrival of a new and exciting presence in professional snooker. He now advances to face Northern Ireland’s Jordan Brown, the 2021 Welsh Open champion, in the next round of qualifying.
Elsewhere in an eventful opening day, world number 86 Liam Pullen delivered a dazzling highlight by making a 147 maximum break during his 6–1 win over fellow Englishman Kaylan Patel. The feat becomes the 15th maximum of the 2025–26 season, equalling the all-time record for most in a single campaign.
Women’s snooker was also strongly represented, with both Bai Yulu, the reigning world champion from China, and Reanne Evans, a 12-time world champion, advancing comfortably into the second qualifying round. With four qualifying stages still to unfold before the tournament officially begins in York next Saturday, the UK Championship is already shaping up to be a dramatic and historic event.
