Issue
08
Photography
Nik Hartley
Published
Reading Time
4 Min Read
There’s a quiet shift happening in the world of snooker. At a qualifying event in the North West of England (Wigan, to be exact), the tables hum with concentration, the air thick with the soft rhythm of chalk and cue. Among the hopefuls are a handful of young players who seem to belong to a new moment for the game: less smoke and spectacle, more calm precision and quiet ambition.
They grew up watching Ronnie O’Sullivan on YouTube, practising in small clubs, learning patience long before they learned fame. They talk about routine and resilience, about the players they admire and the pressure they’re beginning to understand. For all of them, the dream is the same: to make a living from the sport they love, and maybe, one day, to walk out at the Crucible. Some of the brightest names on the rise share how it all began, the first cues, the idols, and the goals that keep them at the table.
Liam Pullen, 21, England
How did you get into snooker? I first got into snooker after watching it on television. My grandma then bought me a small four-foot table and I loved it. After a Christmas holiday of constantly pestering my parents, I finally got to play on a full-size table when I was ten and a half.
Who inspires you? Everyone’s first answer is usually Ronnie O’Sullivan — and he is mine too. He’s the greatest to ever play the game. But my favourite player is Mark Selby. My style of play is a lot more like his than Ronnie’s.
For all of them, the dream is the same: to make a living from the sport they love, and maybe, one day, to walk out at the Crucible.
What are your goals? Like everyone who plays, I want to become a top player and win the World Championship. There’s no point in playing if that’s not the goal, even if only a tiny number ever do it.
Kreishh Gurbaxani, 23, India
How did you get into snooker? I used to swim and play table tennis at a club as a schoolboy, until my older brother took me into the snooker room one day. I got glued to it and quit all the other sports to focus on snooker.
Who inspires you? As a sportsperson, I’d definitely say Novak Djokovic.
What are your goals? To one day become World Champion.
Liam Graham, 20, Scotland
How did you get into snooker? Through my grandad and my dad. They used to take me to the Bowling Club, which had a snooker room. They’d leave me there while they finished playing bowls — that’s how it started. I didn’t actually watch it on TV until the 2012 final between John Higgins and Judd Trump.
Who inspires you? John Higgins. I’ve played him a few times, but I’ve bottled it every time.
What are your goals? To make a good living from the game. Whatever achievements come with that are a bonus, but I just want this to be my career.
Robbie McGuigan, 20, Northern Ireland
How did you get into snooker? I used to watch my step-dad play. He got me a small six-foot table and I gave it a go. I was rubbish at first, but I learned quickly after that.
Who inspires you? Nobody really. I don’t think you can idolise the top players when you’re playing them week in, week out.
What are your goals? To keep enjoying it. Long-term, I want to win tournaments and break into the top 16. I want to make a living out of snooker.
Antoni Kowalski, 21, Poland
How did you get into snooker? I started in 2006 when I was six – January 1st, actually. I began with pool because I was too small for snooker, then after three months I moved to a full-size table.
Who inspires you? I don’t really have idols, but I have favourite players — John Higgins, Shaun Murphy, and now more attacking players like Zhao Xintong and Judd Trump. I watch and learn from them rather than idolise them.
What are your goals? To win tournaments — as many as possible.
Bulcsú Révész, 18, Hungary
How did you get into snooker? I started watching on Eurosport in 2014, when I was seven. I remember Steven Maguire and Shaun Murphy playing a best of nine — that’s my first snooker memory. I began with pool soon after, then moved to snooker when I was eight.
Who inspires you? Ronnie O’Sullivan. He’s always been my favourite player. I played him last year and even won two frames — that was an amazing feeling.
What are your goals? To enjoy it and see as much of the world as I can through snooker. Of course, [winning] the World Championship is the big goal.
