Kacper Filipiak - Talk about a hard school.

[fateric]

Kacper Filipiak, the Polish lad who won last years European Under 21 Snooker Championship has dropped off the main tour after losing all of his qualifying matches, winning only 4 frames in the process, also playing in 10 PTC's again without winning a match. He's only 17 but it must be completely demoralising and it's going to leave scars that he'd do very well to overcome. Obviously he was completely unready for the pro ranks (but he's not going to turn it down is he?) so is it right for the W under 21 champ to get a definite place in the pro ranks if the gulf is this huge?

[Rane]

Yes, a tough lesson. It started so well when he beat John Higgins in the team WC, maybe the others got aware, that he should be taken serious, hopefully it´s not a career killer, as we are in need of some good players from the european mainland.

[DandyA]

Kacper Filipiak, the Polish lad who won last years European Under 21 Snooker Championship has dropped off the main tour after losing all of his qualifying matches, winning only 4 frames in the process, also playing in 10 PTC's again without winning a match. He's only 17 but it must be completely demoralising and it's going to leave scars that he'd do very well to overcome. Obviously he was completely unready for the pro ranks (but he's not going to turn it down is he?) so is it right for the W under 21 champ to get a definite place in the pro ranks if the gulf is this huge?

yes a tough lesson ... although according to Wikipedia he is only 16 (17 in November this year) which may help him - he joined the tour at a very early age, he isn't on it this coming year (I believe) so he can concentrate on PTC's and amateur events which might really help him ...

to contrast, Luca Brecel is just over 8 months older than him and he too had a pretty miserable first season as a pro, although Luca showed some promise towards the end (ie World Championship qualifiers and main event) so hopefully that will give Kacper some heart too ...

[SnookerFan]

It just shows you the level of quality out there these days.

[Neil Taperell]

Huge learning curve for the young man . Must be very demoralising losing so many matches .

But shows that he has determination by playing in so many PTC's and getting beaten all the time . Good luck to him for the future .

[eaoin11]

Well they should be encouraged by the fact that Neil Robertson had a similar experience in his first season on the tour.

[screw-back]

Kacper has obvious quality and will have a bright future (eventually) but he was FAR TOO YOUNG and was thrown to the wolves. Hendry, Higgins etc were of a far better pedigree and this goes to show how good those guys really were at the same age. I don't think he should have a wild card. He needs a good grounding which top amateur play will give him, and enter the Q school next year.

[LittleMissAlexa]

Kacper has obvious quality and will have a bright future (eventually) but he was FAR TOO YOUNG and was thrown to the wolves. Hendry, Higgins etc were of a far better pedigree and this goes to show how good those guys really were at the same age. I don't think he should have a wild card. He needs a good grounding which top amateur play will give him, and enter the Q school next year.

there isnt a european nomination left so he cant get a wildcard

[frazz]

Am not being mean but he doesnt deserve a wildcard whatever age he is, he never won a game all year or in q school, i dont think anyone who falls off should get a wildcard straight back on.

[LittleMissAlexa]

this year it was michael leslie lets see how he fares