Three of snooker’s brightest young talents, Antoni Kowalski, Stan Moody and Liam Pullen, made it to the Crucible for the first time with outstanding victories in the final qualifying round of the Halo World Championship.
The trio head for the Theatre of Dreams in Sheffield for the televised stages, which start on Saturday.
Kowalski was in tears after coming through the biggest match of his life, beating Jamie Jones 10-8. From 6-5 down the 22-year-old won four frames in a row with a top break of 84, then Jones battled back to 9-8 before Kowalski got over the line with a run of 62 to become the first Polish player to make it to the Crucible. The result also secured his place on the tour, while defeat would have meant relegation – instead it’s Allan Taylor who loses his pro status.
“The best explanation of how much this means to me is that I never usually cry!” said Kowalski, who has won three qualifying matches. “This is the only time I will think more about saving my tour card rather than playing at the Crucible. There are so many emotions for me now. It’s so special for an overseas player like me. My parents and girlfriend are going to come to the Crucible as well so that’s going to be amazing, I can’t wait.
“This was the first time in my life I absolutely gave up in a match. At the end of the first session and the start of the second I was gone, I couldn’t cue straight. I stopped thinking, turned off my brain and it worked. I played faster and more dynamically and my cue action came back. In the back of my mind I knew I could win. I can imagine how many people in Poland are going to watch me. I will realise one of my biggest dreams.“
When he is in the UK, Kowalski stays and practises with Chris Wakelin and he added: “I wish everyone could have a friend like Chris. He has helped me so much with nothing in return. Because of him I am a better player now. Hopefully I won’t draw him.“
Moody, long touted as a star of the future, will be the first British teenager to play at the Crucible since Judd Trump in 2007. The 19-year-old from Halifax made a fantastic century in the last frame to beat Jiang Jun 10-9. From 6-5 down, world number 44 Moody fired runs of 71, 70, 113 and 127 to go 9-8 ahead, then missed match-winning chances in frame 18, but made amends with a superb 104 in the decider.
His victory was all the more remarkable given that he was in hospital with tonsilitis last night, but discharged himself and played through the discomfort to book his place on the biggest stage.
“The doctors said to me ‘we know you are going to say no but we want you to stay in.’ I said no, I’ve got a match to play. And I’m glad I did. They gave me some antibiotics and other medication. I won’t be going back there, I don’t like it!” said Moody. “Towards the end of the match, I have never felt pressure like that in my life, I am just so happy. This has been a dream of mine since I started playing.”
York’s 20-year-old Pullen enjoyed a 10-8 success against Noppon Saengkham with top breaks of 131 and 105.
“When I saw Stan win, I thought I better not lose now, I’ll let everyone down!” said Pullen, who lost to Moody in the final of the WSF Junior Championship in 2023. “I am very proud. I appreciate everyone who has helped me along the way. When it went from 8-5 to 8-8 In didn’t feel great, but I hung in there.“
In a battle between two players with 63 years professional experience between them, former UK and Masters champion Matthew Stevens beat 2015 Crucible king Stuart Bingham 10-7 with a top break of 86.
Iran’s Hossein Vafaei secured his fifth consecutive visit to the Crucible with a 10-4 victory over Gao Yang. From 4-1 down, Vafaei won nine frames in a row with top breaks of 60, 53, 60, 70, 57 and 86.
“I’m fighting for my family and trying my best,” said Vafaei. “The Crucible is a fantastic place and we all love to play there, I can’t wait to meet the fans there.”
Zhou Yuelong and Pang Junxu will be among at least seven Chinese players at the Crucible, alongside five of the top 16 seeds. Zhou saw off Michael Holt 10-4 with a top break of 109 while Pang enjoyed a 10-8 defeat of Jackson Page with top runs of 104, 107 and 105.
David Gilbert, a semi-finalist in 2019 and 2024, beat Aaron Hill at this stage for the second consecutive year, winning 10-6 with top breaks of 141 and 126.
I’m very happy to see young players coming through. Antoni Kowalski’s win in particular pleases me because it’s so much harder for the “non British” players who have to live as expats in the UK, coping with a different culture and language away from their families. It’s either that or traveling back and forth all the time which is costly and tiring. It’s made even worse because, unlike British players, they have no right to take a side job “outside” snooker to make ends meet if the results don’t come regularly enough.
As for Hossein Vafaei, it must be very difficult as well to concentrate on snooker given the terrible situation in his country. I do hope that his family is safe.
Zhao Xintong won the 2026 Tour Championship in Manchester, having previously won the other two events of the “Players Series. He beat Judd Trump convincingly in the final.
Zhao Xintong boldened his status as the best player in the world on current form as he thrashed Judd Trump 10-3 in the final of the Sportsbet.io Tour Championship, becoming the first man to win all three events in the Players Series in the same season.
China’s Zhao was imperious all week in Manchester, conceding just eight frames on his way to the title as he showcased his tremendous long potting and seemingly effortless break-building. He beat Chris Wakelin 10-4 before dismantling John Higgins 10-1 – the heaviest defeat of Higgins’ career – then comfortably saw off an out-of-sorts Trump. A fierce battle was expected today between the World Champion and world number one, but it turned out to be a one-sided affair as Zhao pulled away from 5-3 to win the last five frames in the evening session.
Trump admitted: “Over the last two months Zhao has been the best player in the world. I always enjoy the challenge, it’s up to me to go away and try to improve.”
After a relatively quiet first half to this season, highlighted only by winning the invitational Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in November, in recent weeks 29-year-old Zhao has recaptured the form which made him the first Asian to conquer the Crucible last Spring. In February he won both the World Grand Prix and Players Championship, and he has now completed an unprecedented hat-trick of Players Series titles.
The top prize of £150,000 takes Zhao’s prize money for this season past the £1 million mark, and he climbs to a career high of fourth in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. He could even take over as world number one in Sheffield, albeit only if he lands the £500,000 jackpot and Trump goes out in the first round.
Zhao has now won his first six ranking finals – previously only achieved by Steve Davis, Mark Williams and Neil Robertson – and on the all-time list he is now level with Ken Doherty, Stuart Bingham and Ali Carter. The left-hander becomes the 12th player to win three ranking titles in a single season, and surely now heads to the Crucible as the clear favourite.
Trump misses out on a 32nd ranking title, which would have brought him within one of Higgins in fourth place on the all-time list, and has now lost 22 ranking finals. He has landed the German Masters crown this season, but the 36-year-old has finished second best at the Northern Ireland Open, Champion of Champions, UK Championship and now this event in Manchester, where he had never previously reached the final.
Zhao is an amazing player and I love to watch him at the table.
In less than two weeks, he will enter the Crucible arena as the defending Champion to start his defence of the title. No first time World Snooker Champion has ever defended at the Crucible but I certainly don’t write Zhao off … he could well be the one who breaks “The Curse”.
The qualifiers for the 2026 World Championship start today and those who will be action in the first round need to win four matches to get at the Crucible … a formidable task. Good luck to all players involved.
Midnite Brings Neon Green Cue Ball To The Crucible
World Snooker Tour has confirmed the iconic white ball will be replaced by a neon green colour at the 2026 Halo World Snooker Championship.
The new neon green ball will be paying homage to Midnite, the official UK betting and casino partner for the tournament.
The iconic white ball has been involved in every snooker tournament since its inception, but will change to neon green, Midnite’s flagship colour, for the full 17 days at the Crucible.
World No.2 Kyren Wilson, who won the 2026 Masters, has backed the move, saying:
“I honestly think it’s a fantastic step forward for snooker. The idea of the white ball turning Midnite neon green might sound bold at first, but that’s exactly what our sport needs right now – something that grabs attention and gets people talking.
“We’ve got such a proud history, especially at the World Snooker Championship, but evolution is key if we want to keep growing and bringing in a new generation of fans.
“From a player’s perspective, it’ll be really interesting as well. The visuals are such a big part of how we read the game, so having that bright green cue ball under the lights at the Crucible could actually enhance our game.
“You’ve got to be open-minded about these changes. If it helps showcase the sport in a new way and makes people stop and watch, then that’s a win for everyone. Personally, I’m really excited by it. I think it could give the whole championship a fresh energy and create something quite iconic in its own right.”
Jason Ferguson, Chairman of snooker’s global governing body WPBSA, added:
“Tradition and heritage are so important in our sport but we are also excited by innovation. Fans and players will love this new cue ball which is exclusive to the World Championship.
“This is one of the biggest changes to the equipment in the 150-year history of our sport and it will be fascinating to see this in action at the Crucible.“
Peter Wright, WST’s Chief Commercial Officer said:
“Players are going to have to adapt fast to the new neon cue ball, especially under the intense pressure that the Crucible always brings. This could really change the dynamic of the game and enhance the viewing experience for fans. We know it’s a bold move but we are a sport which thrives on rising to the challenge.”
Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, commented:
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of such an iconic moment for snooker. Seeing the traditional white ball reimagined in Midnite neon green at the World Snooker Championship is an exciting way to celebrate our partnership with WST.
“This is about bringing a fresh energy to a historic tournament while respecting everything that makes it so special. The Crucible has produced some of the most memorable moments in sport, and to have our brand reflected in such a visible and creative way during those 17 days will be truly special for us.
“We’re passionate about engaging fans in new and innovative ways, and this initiative does exactly that. We can’t wait to see the Midnite neon green ball in play on snooker’s biggest stage.”
If it isn’t an April fool … the snooker gods will turn even greener than the said ball … 🙄
O’Sullivan Makes Snooker’s Highest Ever Break With Historic 153
Ronnie O’Sullivan once again made snooker history after crafting the sport’s highest ever break, a stunning 153, in his quarter-final with Ryan Day at the World Open in Yushan.
The Rocket has achieved a perfect 147 break a record 17 times previously. However, this contribution was aided by a free ball and included 14 blacks with two pinks, before he deposited all of the colours to end on 153. That left the Englishman two points shy of the highest possible run of 155.
The only ever break to have exceeded 147 prior to this was a 148 made by Jamie Burnett at 2004 UK Championship qualifying. O’Sullivan’s incredible run this afternoon eclipses that and puts him in line for the £5,000 high break prize.
Earlier this season the seven-time World Champion became only the second player in snooker history to make two maximum 147 breaks in a single match, achieving the feat in his Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters semi-final with Chris Wakelin. He followed on from Jackson Page, who made two maximums in the penultimate round of 2025 World Championship qualifying.
Further runs of 62, 110, 103 and 95 saw him run out a 5-0 victor and book a place in the semi-finals against Wu Yize.
Here are the scores for that match
What can I add really? The man never ceases to amaze!
Tomorrow of course is another day, with another match to play … his opponent will be Wu Yize who beat Mark Allen by 5-1.
In the evening (in China), Judd Trump beat Hossein Vafaei by 5-1 and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh beat Gary Wilson by the same score, 5-1.
All four quarter-finals matches were one-sided. 😳 All the players still in the draw are fast and attacking. 😊
Ronnie O’Sullivan made an incredible 153 break, the highest ever in snooker’s history, during his 5-0 whitewash win over Ryan Day, which sets up a semi-final meeting with Wu Yize at the World Open in Yushan.
The momentous contribution came in the opening frame this afternoon, after Day left a free ball for O’Sullivan. He went on to deposit 14 blacks and two pinks, before clearing the colours to take the break to 153. That is just two points short of the highest possible break of 155.
He went on to conjure further runs of 62, 110, 103 and 95 to storm to victory in just 55 minutes. The Rocket averaged just 13.6 seconds per shot during the masterclass triumph.
“It was a great buzz. I could have tried to get the extra black, but I just thought nobody had made a break bigger than 147 on TV so I wanted to be the first. I’ve been the first of many things so I thought I might as well get that one as well. I feel blessed to achieve these things,” said 50-year-old O’Sullivan.
“Thank God for YouTube and streaming. If you are interested in a subject the algorithms will throw all sorts of good stuff at you. When a long time passes and I’m not here there will still be people saying it is pretty cool what that guy did.
“We are all blessed with a certain amount of ability to handle a certain amount of pressure. You are either a good pressure player or you aren’t. There are techniques which you can do to handle yourself well. I could have let the nerves get out of control but you have things you can do to lower the heart rate, stay focussed and stay present.
“I’ve never made anything more than a 147 (even when practising). For me if the excitement and the buzz is there, I can do great things. Unless there is something at the end of it I don’t. I hadn’t made a 147 for years, but I realised that I hadn’t made two in one tournament before so I went for it (at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters).“
International Champion Wu continued his bid for a second title of the season with an impressive 5-1 demolition of Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen.
China’s 22-year-old Wu won his maiden title earlier this season by defeating John Higgins 10-6 in the International Championship final. Breaks of 83, 140, 77, 109 and 53 helped him storm to victory this afternoon and set himself up for a crack at O’Sullivan in the last four.
Wu said: “Today I felt really good. When I got down on the shot, I felt very confident. When I can find that form I know I’m capable of producing some very high quality snooker. I did prepare mentally for this match. Mark is a tough opponent and can drag you into his rhythm, but I felt ready for that today. My safety has been good recently, so as long as my break building goes well, I think I can handle these situations.
“The 153 break from Ronnie O’Sullivan was actually the first time I’ve experienced something like that. It was quite special and I was happy to witness Ronnie making another record. I’m really happy for him. Of course, he’s an idol. I think he’s an idol for everyone.“
Ronnie beat Ross Muir by 5-1 in his first round held-over match at the 2026 World Open in Yushan.
Here are the scores for that match:
As you can see, Ronnie played pretty well and scored heavily when in the balls. He didn’t make many mistakes. I can’t say that Ross made many mistakes himself because, more often than not when he made one, it was ruthlessly punished and he didm’t get another chance.
Here are the last two frames of the match shared on Youtube by WST.
Ronnie was due to play Ishpreet Singh Chadah in round 2, but Ishpreet has withdrawn, so, next for Ronnie is a round 3 match against Matt Selt on Wednesday.
Ronnie O’Sullivan eased through his opening clash with Ross Muir at the World Open in Yushan with a 5–1 victory, but afterwards admitted that restoring his game to the level he wants would be the “biggest achievement” of his career.
The Rocket has recently embarked on a quest to rebuild his game in a bid to rediscover his top form before his career is over. Earlier this season he admitted that his one remaining goal in snooker is to win a record breaking eighth World Championship.
O’Sullivan came close to perfection in today’s encounter with Scotland’s Muir. The Englishman deposited 15 reds and 14 blacks in the fifth frame, before going in off with the 15th black to end his run on 113. He went on to fire past the line with 114 in the next to progress. With his last 64 opponent Ishpreet Singh Chadha having withdrawn from the event, O’Sullivan now progresses to the last 32, where he will face Matthew Selt.
“I got here a week early just to do some practising on my own. I’ve been working really hard on my game. I know I haven’t played a lot of tournaments, but I’ve been working because my game has been in such a bad place. It isn’t like I’ve had my feet up while everyone has been playing. I’ve decided I really need to attack this now. I have one last throw of the dice really. The last three years have been awful in terms of confidence. I’m trying to work on that now and see if I can get back to delivering the cue freely,”
“I’ll commit to two years to work on it and try to prolong my career. Cueing how I was cueing, there was going to be no longevity in it. I’ve been working harder than I ever have done, it just hasn’t been on TV. It has been behind closed doors. I’m trying to attack it rather than hope something changes. I’m breaking it down and trying to recoach myself.
“I was saying to a friend the other day that if I manage to get out of this it would be my biggest achievement in snooker. If I can feel how I did six or seven years ago, that would trump anything. Seven World Championships, eight Masters, this would rank higher than any of those achievements. I’m under no illusions how difficult it will be but I’m not going to retire because something I tried didn’t work for me. I’m going to get back to my natural instinct of playing and recoach myself in some sort of way.” said O’Sullivan.
Ronnie has achieved what he has in his career so far BECAUSE he’s a perfectionist, although this constant quest for perfection has also been his undoing at times, and a torture… but he is who he is, it’s his core nature, it won’t change. He has to live with that nature through successes and disappointments, through bliss and despair at times … and we, fans, live it with him.
Yesterday evening, Anton Kazakov from Ukraime defeated Oliver Sykes from England by 5-4 to become the 2026 European Champion. Both players get a 2 years professional tour card.
Kazakov Completes European Double As Sykes Secures WST Debut
Anton Kazakov defeated Oliver Sykes 5-4 to win the 2026 EBSA European Championship title in Gandia, Spain.
The victory saw the Ukrainian complete a memorable double, adding to the Under-21 crown he secured earlier in the week with 18 consecutive wins at the Gandia Palace Hotel, while Main event runner-up Oliver Sykes also earned a World Snooker Tour (WST) two-year tour card for the first-time in his career by reaching the final.
A total of 172 players contested the event, organised by the European Billiards & Snooker Association (EBSA), and Kazakov continued his outstanding form to finish top of a group that also featured Under-21 finalist Riley Powell, Belgium’s Nick Demuynck and Jan Laushman from Bulgaria.
A whitewash win over Arsenii Korolev was followed by a 4-1 success against reigning German national champion Simon Lichtenberg to reach the last 16, where he faced former professional Peter Lines.
Lines was able to rally from 3-1 behind to force a decider, but it was the 21-year-old who held his nerve to win through before denying former European Under-16 champion Vladislav Gradinari in the quarter-finals – just as he had done in the Under-21 competition earlier in the week.
The tournament high break of 140 then helped Kazakov comfortably past Finnish former professional Robin Hull to reach a second successive final, where he met Sykes.
The 20-year-old Englishman had been in fine form across the week and a 4-1 defeat of Germany’s Umut Dikme on Saturday morning guaranteed Sykes his place on the WST for the first time from the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
A closely fought title match saw the first eight frames of the match shared with neither player ever leading by more than a one, meaning it all came down to a decider.
It was Kazakov who proved to be the man of the moment once again as he took the ninth and decisive frame by a 62-5 scoreline to complete a memorable double in Gandia.
The final was a good match to watch. Both gave it their all, both played well. It’s just a shame that the live streaming on Youtube was interrupted for several minutes1 at one point.
Anton has been on tour before and he didn’t perform at all. This time however he will know what is expected, and having had this experience, hopefully will be able to play to his true potential. Also, we should not forget that the situation in his country is extremely difficult. It’s hard enough for a very young person to live alone in a foreign country, away from friends and family, just imagine how it must be if , every day, they fear for those they love because their country is at war. I hope that Anton will be made to feel very welcome on tour and that, if needed, he will get the psychological and emotional support, should he need it. We should never forget that behind the “player”, is a human person.
WPBSA Qualifying Criteria Announced for 2026 World Snooker Championship
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and World Snooker Tour have today announced the qualification criteria for the 16 amateur places at the 2026 World Snooker Championship in Sheffield in April.
The qualifying rounds will take place in Sheffield from 6-15 April with 16 places at the Crucible Theatre to be won.
Alongside all professionals ranked outside the elite top 16, following the 2026 Tour Championship, and top-ups from the 2025 Q School Order of Merit, will be 16 leading amateur players who have earned their place at the event following their performances at recognised international events across the season.
These include outstanding performers at the World Snooker Federation Championships in Sofia, and the WPBSA Q Tour Global which will reach its conclusion in Spain this March.
The exceptional performance of Alfie Burden who lifted his maiden professional ranking event title at the Shoot Out as an amateur top up player has also been recognised. Burden also won the World Seniors Snooker Championship for the first time in 2025.
Jason Ferguson, WPBSA Chairman said: “We are once again pleased to confirm how 16 WPBSA qualifiers will earn their places at this season’s professional World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.
“In line with previous seasons, the elite performers from recognised WPBSA Tour pathways are once again included and will have the opportunity to contest the biggest title in our sport this spring.
“There can be no better inspiration than the performance of China’s Zhao Xintong, who last year made history as he became the first WPBSA qualifier to lift the trophy at the Crucible Theatre, having begun his campaign in the very first round following his achievements at last season’s WPBSA Q Tour Europe.
“Players hoping to emulate his success a year on will include successful players at the WSF Championships – including our newly crowned junior champion Michael Larkov – as well as the WPBSA Q Tour Global and European Championships.
“We are also delighted to recognise the incredible achievement of Alfie Burden only last month, who became a world ranking event winner for the first time at the Shoot Out, whilst competing as an amateur qualifier.
“I look forward to seeing these players have the opportunity to achieve their dreams and to compete on the biggest stage of all.”
2026 EBSA Under-18 European Championship Winner (Runner-up if already qualified) – (Vladislav Gradinari – because the winner Michal Sbubarczyk is a pro)
2026 EBSA Under-21 European Championship Winner (Runner-up if already qualified) – (Anton Kazakov )
Highest ranked eligible player on the Q Tour Europe rankings
Exceptional Performance – Amateur winning a professional world ranking event (Alfie Burden)
All players selected will appear subject to acceptance of their place and any travel restrictions in place. Any replacement players for these 16 places will be selected from the final WPBSA Q Tour Europe ranking list this season.
Any current professional players who do not enter the tournament will be replaced from the 2025 Q School Order of Merit.
The players continued to play… of course, we just couldn’t watch them. ↩︎
The “2026 EBSA main event European Championship Winner” didn’t feature in that list, which is quite strange, but it doesn’t matter that much now as Anton Kazakovhad already qualified, but, of course, Oliver Sykes, the runner-up, may/will feel robbed and, no matter how you look at it, it isn’t logical, nor rigth. I hope he gets the call.
Also Wang Xinbo has qualified twice as a runner-up so I’m not sure what happens there …
As they say in all good series … to be continued in the next episode
