Brilliant Bai Wins World Women’s Snooker Championship in Changping
Bai Yulu has dramatically defeated world number one Mink Nutcharut 6-5 to lift the World Women’s Snooker Championship title for the first time in her career in Dongguan, Changping, China this evening (Sunday).
A high-quality final would require all 11 frames to determine a winner and it would be 20-year-old Bai who would pot the final pink to claim a thrilling victory which sees her lift the Mandy Fisher Trophy and in doing so earn a two-year tour card on the World Snooker Tour from the start of the 2024/25 season.
The talented youngster was in impressive form throughout the week, having also claimed the world under-21 title on Thursday – and becomes the third successive first-time winner of the event following Baipat Siripaporn a year ago and Mink Nutcharut in 2022. The victory represents the second ranking title of her career from just five appearances and will see her break into the world’s top eight ranked players for the first time as she continues to climb the world ranking list.
She becomes the fourth player from Asia to win the title and the first from mainland China, with previous winners from Thailand and Hong Kong China having lifted the trophy.
The final itself would prove to be a match that will live long in the memory, with Bai notably compiling a tournament high break of 122 – the best ever run recorded during a World Championship final – on her way to a 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval.
In fact, the frame that Mink won in itself was to be full of drama, as the Thai player claimed it having needed two snookers to draw level at 1-1 in the early stages and it would be this determination which would see her later win three in a row to lead 4-3.
Having lost the 2023 final a year ago following an early start, Bai could have feared a repeat but was not to be deterred a year on as she hit back with breaks of 97, 44 and 75 to move to within one frame of glory at 5-4.
The following two frames would prove to be tension-filled as Mink again responded to force an 11th and deciding-frame, but unlike in 2022 when she also claimed the title in a final frame, this time it was to be Bai’s day as she potted the final pink to emerge victorious.
She will now become the first female player from China to turn professional as she joins the World Snooker Tour from the start of next season, as well as moving in line to secure a place at the Champion of Champions for the first time.
For runner-up Nutcharut, the final represents her second defeat from three appearances in the world final, having also lost out in 2019 to Reanne Evans. The 24-year-old will, however, remain the world’s number one ranked player and is well-placed to secure a further two years on the professional tour with just one more ranking event to be played this season and a significant lead to second placed Ng On Yee.
The final attracted significant media attention in China and internationally, with significant viewing figures recorded across all viewing platforms.
