So enthralled by snooker was Mateusz Baranowski when he first discovered the sport at the age of eight that he would play using a mop and tennis ball on his family's kitchen table. He rapidly progressed to the green baize, then for several years in Poland was renowned as a coach for the national junior team. But now he has the chance to test his own game at the highest level, having come through Q School in 2025 to earn a two year tour card. He won six consecutive matches, culminating in a 4-2 defeat of Patrick Whelan, and 'The Baron' will be one of three Poles on the tour in 2025/26 alongside Antoni Kowalski and Michal Szubarczyk.