Meet snooker’s future star Antoni Kowalski, 20, who thinks Ronnie O’Sullivan is ‘arrogant’ and hates watching the sport
SNOOKER talent Antoni Kowalski has labelled Ronnie O’Sullivan “arrogant” after refusing to name him as one of his favourite FOUR players.
The Polish youngster, 20, is beginning to make a name for himself on the amateur circuit after wins over ex-professionals James Cahill and Peng Yisong at Q School Event Two on Saturday.
Kowalski’s run, which also saw him beat Simon Blackwell, has earned him a two-year tour card.
It comes after he won a Q Tour event last year and finished runner-up at the European Under-21 Championship.
And the prodigious snooker star, who picked up a cue at the age of just six, is certainly not lacking in confidence.
When discussing his snooker heroes, he listed a number of current players, before he took aim at seven-time world champion O’Sullivan, 48, who is widely regarded as the best to have graced the sport.
Speaking to the Metro, he said: “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.”
Referencing O’Sullivan, he went on to add: “I don’t know how to say it, but he’s pretty arrogant.
“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.”
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Inside Ronnie's colourful career
FROM his lightning breaks to blasts at officials, Ronnie O'Sullivan has fired snooker into the spotlight.
The seven-time world champion makes almost as big an impact away from the table as on it.
O’Sullivan has three children – two daughters and a son.
And the Rocket’s on-off relationship with British actress Laila Rouass has also hit the headlines.
He has opened up on battles with his weight and addiction.
While the controversial cueist reckons he wasted NINE YEARS of his career by partying too hard.
Despite being worth £14million, O’Sullivan is renowned for his love of canal boats and snubbing flashy cars.
His rivalry with fellow star Judd Trump has been branded ‘snooker’s greatest feud’.
And Ali Carter had his nose knocked out of joint by the Rocket in their infamous ‘Snotgate’ row.
Check out all our latest Ronnie O’Sullivan articles.
Kowalski, who still lives in Poland but is keen to move to the UK, has developed his game impressively over his 14 years at the table.
Yet he surprisingly does not enjoy watching others play.
He said: “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!'”
The 2024/25 snooker season gets underway later this month, with Kowalski eager to prove his credentials.
He said: “Obviously I want to do some big things and make some big surprises in my first two years on tour.
“I’ll be ready.”
Inside Ronnie O'Sullivan's 'Snotgate' rivalry
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN bitter feud with Ali Carter hit the headlines earlier this year in the Masters final, which the world No1 won 10-7.
As they walked past each other, the Rocket shoulder barged his rival in shocking scenes.
After the match, Carter added fuel to the fire as he alleged O’Sullivan violently cleared his nose and labelled him “disgusting”.
He added: It’s outrageous behaviour from a top professional. If it gets swept under the carpet then for me, it’s not good.
“Did we have any words of exchange? No. I’ve got no words for him at all.”
O’Sullivan responded, putting his middle finger up in a press conference while saying: “For him to come out and try to trash talk me like that, do you know what? He can have one of them.
“He can sit on it as far as I’m concerned. I don’t give a f***. You know what he’s like, everybody knows what he’s like. He’s got issues.
“F***ing why has he got issues with me? I’m not having it. I don’t care, grow some balls.
“I don’t give a f***. The more he brings it on, the more I f***ing punish him every time.”