Meet the Teenage Snooker Sensations Taking the Game by Storm
While most of their peers are preoccupied with schoolwork, two 14-year-old snooker prodigies are spending their free time mastering complex angles, spins, and century breaks. Ellise Scott from Eastleigh, Hampshire, and Michal Szubarczyk from Poland are rising through the ranks at a breathtaking pace, earning praise from some of snooker's biggest names.
Ellise Scott: From Junior Champion to Facing Giants
Ellise Scott began her snooker career in 2022 at just 11 years old and has already achieved remarkable success. She won three Under-21 titles on her way to becoming the best-rated junior player earlier this year. The teenager impressively reached the last 16 of both the 2024 British Open and the 2025 Belgian Open tournaments.
Scott credits her 16-year-old brother, O'Shay Scott, for inspiring her to pick up a cue. In an interview last year, she set herself the ambitious goals of one day playing at the Crucible and becoming the top-ranked player in World Women's Snooker (WWS).
Her talent was evident during her first international tournament in Bruges, where the amateur valiantly took professional Rebecca Kenna to a deciding frame before narrowly losing 3-2. Next month, Scott faces her biggest challenge yet: former World No. 3 and two-time WWS champion Bai Yulu at the Shoot Out in Blackpool. A victory would make her one of the youngest-ever winners of a World Snooker Tour tie.
The Shoot Out, running from December 10 to December 13, features unique rules like ten-minute matches and a shot clock. Scott was nominated for the event by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and will share the stage with stars like world champion Zhao Xintong and Shaun Murphy.
Scott, who also beat Tessa Davidson en route to the EPSB English Women’s Championship, hopes to inspire others. "I hope to encourage other little girls to join and play," she said in a 2024 WPBSA interview. Snooker runs in her family; her uncle, Daniele Zagaroli, once competed against her idol, Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Michal Szubarczyk: The Polish Prodigy Practising with a Legend
Meanwhile, Michal Szubarczyk has been making headlines after a stunning victory at the IBSF World Snooker Championship. The Polish 14-year-old defeated Ali Alobaidli, who is 18 years his senior, to claim the amateur title in Qatar. This championship is famed for launching stellar professional careers, with past winners including Ken Doherty and Stuart Bingham.
Szubarczyk's rise has caught the attention of snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan, who recently shared a video of them practising together in Nanjing. O'Sullivan described the youngster as a "great prospect for the future."
The Polish prodigy already sits just outside the top 100 in the men's rankings and has claimed impressive wins over far more experienced players. Earlier this year, he won the European championships at both Under-16 and Under-18 levels. He also came agonisingly close to breaking O'Sullivan's 33-year record as the youngest-ever qualifier for the World Championship at the Crucible, narrowly losing to Dean Young in April.
His incredible form has earned him a two-year card on the World Snooker Tour and a bout against six-time former World Championship finalist Jimmy White, who is 49 years his elder, in the UK Championship qualifiers later this month.
Former UK Championship winner Mark Williams has been effusive in his praise, telling Metro that Szubarczyk was "one of the best 14-year-olds I've ever seen in my life" and that he was "up there with O'Sullivan." Both Szubarczyk and Scott will also compete at the Shoot Out in Blackpool next month, with the Polish teen facing Jamie Jones.
A New Generation Emerges
The simultaneous rise of Ellise Scott and Michal Szubarczyk signals an exciting new era for snooker. These two 14-year-olds are not just competing; they are consistently defeating established professionals and setting new benchmarks for young talent in the sport. With the Shoot Out and other major tournaments on the horizon, the snooker world will be watching these prodigies closely as they aim to make history.
