Polish pool star Wojciech Szewczyk has been named Athlete of the Month for April 2026 following a breakthrough victory that marks a defining moment in his career. Szewczyk captured his first Eurotour gold medal at the Turkish Open, delivering a composed and consistent performance across the weekend to finally secure a title that had long been within reach.
For years, Szewczyk has been knocking on the door of Eurotour success, often coming close but falling just short. This time, however, everything aligned. Competing in his favoured discipline of 8-ball, the Polish cueist maintained high-level consistency throughout the tournament—something he himself credits as the decisive factor.
“Winning a Euro Tour stop has been on my list of goals for quite some time,” Szewczyk said.
“I have always known it's within reach… in sports you need patience and believe that everything has its time.”
“I was consistent throughout the tournament and this time it brought the desired result,” he added. “Once you lift that trophy it is very rewarding—sometimes even more if you had to go through a few upsets along the way.”
Performance at The World Games 2025
His triumph in Turkey is made even more significant when viewed against the backdrop of recent near-misses. At The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, Szewczyk finished fourth, narrowly missing out on a medal after two heartbreaking 8–9 defeats. The podium was ultimately claimed by Oliver Szolnoki, Gerson Martinez, and Joshua Filler.
Rather than allowing those losses to derail his progress, Szewczyk used the experience to strengthen his mental resilience. Reflecting on Chengdu, he emphasized the importance of acceptance and emotional control.
“Once you lose a match it is done… but your reaction can shape you for what’s to come,” he explained. “If you don’t overreact to losing then there is less pressure.”
He also recalled a pivotal moment from the semi-final that proved decisive:
“I had that dreadful feeling when I scratched on my break at 8:8… very often it means a rack lost straight away,” he said. “Then Oliver played a great shot and runout to win the match—it was really impressive.”
That mindset appears to have paid off almost immediately. Just weeks after The World Games, Szewczyk returned to winning ways with a World Cup victory at the China Open, carrying that momentum into a strong 2026 season that has now been crowned with Eurotour success.
Despite competing against some of the world’s best, Szewczyk remains grounded and focused on continuous improvement. He spoke of the inspiration drawn from sharing the stage with elite athletes and the importance of adaptability in high-pressure environments.
Looking ahead, Szewczyk has set ambitious yet measured goals. He aims to secure a World Ranking event title, perform strongly across all three World Championships this season, and finish the year among the top-ranked players globally. Beyond results, he also stresses the importance of balance.
“My goal is to keep on improving… not being too hard on myself and enjoying the journey,” he said.