Snooker star, 20, dislikes 'arrogant' Ronnie O'Sullivan and 'hates' watching the sport
Ronnie O'Sullivan has been brutally dug out by a budding snooker star.
Professional snooker’s newest face Antoni Kowalski has already made waves shortly after earning his first two-year tour card by describing Ronnie O’Sullivan as “arrogant”. Kowalski defeated Simon Blackwell, Peng Yisong and James Cahill at Q School Event Two, reaching professional status as he bids to make a name for himself on tour.
And the 20-year-old is not worried about making friends in high places, having carefully omitted O’Sullivan from the list of players that he looks up to. Kowalski’s rise to the professional tour is unexpected to many within snooker, having excelled on Q Tour and at the European Under-21 Championship, but could be set for a frosty reception when he faces the Rocket.
But the Polish star informed the Metro that he “doesn’t feel pressure” in a bold statement that he is ready to challenge the world’s top snooker players. That would include O’Sullivan after another incredibly successful season saw the 48-year-old pick up UK Championship and Masters crowns, but Kowalski does not see the Rocket as a role model.
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“I don’t know how to say it, but he’s pretty arrogant,” said Kowalski of O’Sullivan. “No, he’s a good guy, genius on the table for sure, he’s one of the best players of all time, but he’s not one of my favourites, if I put it like that.”
Kowalski instead names four current rivals of O’Sullivan as players he enjoys watching, though generally “hates” sitting down to take in a game of snooker and would much rather be playing.
“That’s a tough question,” he added when asked to name some of his snooker heroes. “It might sound weird but I hate watching snooker. Whenever I’m watching snooker and someone messes something up I have the feeling of ‘give me the cue I’ll show you how to do it!’
“I loved how Zhao Xintong was playing. His technique, the smoothness, just really natural. My hero when I was six or seven years old was Shaun Murphy mostly because I met him then, the first professional I met, as well as Mark Selby. I also love John Higgins, I like how he plays, he’s just class. Also Judd Trump, just a great player.”
Despite his unfavourable comments about O’Sullivan, Kowalski is looking forward to meeting snooker’s biggest name after following in the footsteps of Polish professionals Adam Stefanow and Kacper Filipiak.
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“I am chuffed to bits. I am so delighted to be a professional, finally. I have struggled in the last four years. Despite playing at what I think is a professional level, I couldn’t quite make it. Finally something clicked,” said Kowalski after earning professional status.
“I love playing against players who are better than me. You gain so much experience from it. Hopefully I will meet Ronnie O’Sullivan or Judd Trump in the TV stages of a tournament and hopefully I will beat them.”
