Antoni Kowalski will make history by becoming the first Polish player to compete in the World Snooker Championship, which starts on Saturday. His participation means Poland is now the 21st nation represented in this prestigious tournament. Kowalski secured his spot with a 10-8 victory over Jamie Jones in the qualifying round. This year, the tournament features players from eight countries, with Poland being the only debutant. Of the 32 players competing at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, 24 are from either England or China, highlighting the dominance of these two nations in the sport. Notably, the previous champion, Luca Brecel from Belgium, has competed in the tournament multiple times but did not qualify this year. The tournament will run for 17 days, showcasing the best talent from around the world.