Christine Firth | A Snooker Story
Australia’s Christine Firth recently competed in her fifth tournament on the World Women’s Snooker (WWS) Tour as she continues a remarkable snooker adventure which all began at the 2018 Australian Women’s Snooker Open.
It was as a spectator, rather than a player, that current world number 34 Firth attended the first ever WWS ranking event held in Australia, but the trip would prove to be the catalyst for the Illawarra resident to take up the sport.
“I knew of Reanne Evans at the time and so I came to watch the first WWS event here in 2018,” explained Firth. “After the event I thought ‘let’s have a go at that’ and so I played the following year.
“I knew of snooker before as my dad used to watch Pot Black when I was growing up on the TV, but didn’t really know much about it. I started playing pool because I was at the pub one afternoon and had a bit of talent!”
Since its first staging in 2018 the Australian Open has become an established fixture on the WWS Tour with six ranking events held in the country to date and a record number of entries involved at this year’s event. Only England has more players ranked from one country than Australia.
“I think that this event is extremely important for women’s snooker in Australia!” said Firth. “I wouldn’t have started if I hadn’t come up to watch this tournament during the first year and then it was great because I ran into Jess [Woods], who I had actually met playing pool and she introduced me to Carlie [Tait] and that’s how I got invited to start playing in New South Wales tournaments and everything”.
“I always enjoy coming to these tournaments, the women are always really supportive and it’s just amazing to see these international players and how they play. They put in the work to play like that – whereas I don’t! – but it inspires me to want to go and put in some work.”
There was nothing more inspiring for Firth during this year’s event than the total clearance of 133 made against her by world number two Ng On Yee during the round robin stages – which she said almost brought her to tears – and saw players around the room stop their matches to applaud the achievement.
“Mink was my favourite but I think On Yee is now!” said Firth. “I love watching both and like them both equally. They are both beautiful to watch and inspire me to want to be better. It is amazing to have them here and helps to grow the sport and get interest.”
As well as the snooker itself, it is the camaraderie at events that Firth cites as being hugely important and something that she has not come across before in sport.
“Everyone is just really supportive,” said Firth, “Even when you have beaten somebody, you can sense it’s sincere that they wish you all the best for your next match, I’ve never played anyone I’ve beaten that has not wished me good things to come.
“It’s not always like that, I’ve never experienced that before. I’ve played other sports and I’ve never come across such supportive women. I played in the New South Wales Championships last year and I wrote a big post about it afterwards saying that I’ve never come across being in a room full of so many women that have been so loving and caring and supportive and wishing everyone all the best and it just makes for such a nice environment.
“It’s the same here, there’s no angst out there, nothing, it’s just so inviting and a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.
“I like to think as well that everyone respects everybody, the level they have got to and the work they have put in to get to where they are”.
“There’s a lot of experience in the room, some players have been playing for 30 plus years! So, I am relatively new in comparison, but I feel like coming to these tournaments I learn something every time I come here and it also helps with the nerves and that last frame my heart was racing but it’s all good experience and I get that little bit better each year and that’s all you can hope for.”
Of those she is closest to on the circuit, Firth highlights players including Jessica Woods and Rhonda Knight, as well as Carlie Tait (read our recent interview with Carlie HERE) who plays a significant part in developing the sport in New South Wales both officially as a Director and informally by regularly encouraging players to get involved.
“Carlie is the loveliest person you will ever meet and so helpful,” added Firth. “She had me feeling very emotional when I was runner up to her at the New South Wales Championships last year as in her speech she said the most heat warming things about me, and she is just the nicest person.
“She is the most inviting person and goes out of her way to get everyone involved. I’m the same, I will go to any snooker event at home and see the girlfriends on the sidelines and I will be like “do you play?” I feel like I am accosting them at times, just to get them to come and have a hit, come along and just trying to get more women to play all the time!”
Away from the baize, Firth works as an office manager and also enjoys crafting, having brought personalised cue towels for each player who competed at this year’s Australian Open.
“It started off during Covid, I was putting names and designs on masks, then a coffee company saw it and they wanted masks and shirts. I do it as more gifting, personalised coffee cups and so on.
“All the events Carlie does she has little goodie bags and when we went to New Zealand Agnes [Kimura] had made ties with our names on and I thought I could have done that. So as soon as the draw came out I thought I would do some towels. It was very exciting because I just saw Mink using my towel!”
As her snooker journey continues, Firth cites her main aspiration as to go one better and win the New South Wales Championship, while also not ruling out the possibility of competing abroad on the WWS Tour in the future.
“I guess my goal is to win the New South Wales Championship,” continued Firth. I fell short this year in the semi-finals. Leading up to that I’d made the quarter-finals, then second year the semi-finals and the next year the final, so I felt a lot of pressure that this year I was supposed to get to the final.
“In the world ranking events – and this is why they are so important – I want to achieve something and do better and it’s nice to see that ranking grow. I think my goal was to make the top 100, once I achieved this, I needed a new goal, and then I was realistic and thought top 70. Then I did really well last year in a small field last year, but I still felt that I played really well to reach the quarter-finals.
“Yes I would [consider playing a tournament outside of Australia]. My husband Ian is always trying to get me to go on holiday and if you are going you might as well bring your cue right?”
WWS would like to thank Christine for her time and look forward to seeing her again at a future event!
