Last Eight Set in Dongguan
The 2026 World Women’s Snooker Championship has reached the quarter-finals stage following five days of action at the new Snooker Sports Arena in Dongguan Changping, China.
Just eight players remain from the 77 that began the week at this year’s blue riband event and a high-quality field remains with five of the world’s top six players among those set to contest the final stages.
Two-time defending champion Bai Yulu remains on course to complete a hat-trick of titles following victories against compatriots Muyan Zhang and Wang Meng on Saturday. The 22-year-old equalled the tournament-high break so far with a run of 89 during her 3-0 win against Zheng, before coming through a deceptively close last 16 encounter 4-1 during the evening.
Awaiting the Chinese star is Thailand’s Panchaya Channoi, who has reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship for the first time in her career. The reigning world under-21 champion defeated China’s Bai Yaru and Fong Mei Mei of Hong Kong China without the loss of a frame to earn a rematch against Bai Yulu, following their match at the last 16 stage of last year’s event.
Elsewhere in the top half of the draw, there will be an all-Thailand clash between 2022 world champion Mink Nutcharut and current world under-21 number one Narucha Phoemphul.
Former world number one Mink Nutcharut is one of three players to have reached the sixth day without the loss of a frame after she added whitewash victories against Sizhe Wang and India’s Anupama Ramachandran to her perfect group stage record.
The 26-year-old will now face 20-year-old Phoemphul, who came through deciding-frames against Lu Zhao and Tessa Davidson – who herself had knocked out world number five Rebecca Kenna at the last 32 stage – to reach her first World Championship quarter-final.
In the bottom half of the draw, England’s Reanne Evans continued her bid for a record-extending 13th world crown with whitewash victories against Yuk Fan Lau and Qingning Huang in the knockout rounds. Like Mink and Channoi, the 40-year-old is yet to drop a frame as she looks to win the title for the first time in seven years.
Next up for Evans will be Mongolia’s Narantuya Bayarsaikhan, who progressed to the quarter-finals for the first time since her 2023 debut following wins over Singapore’s Charlene Chai and So Man Yan of Hong Kong China.
The remaining section saw three-time world champion OnYee Ng reach the last eight stage for the tenth time in her career after she defeated China’s Li Bihan and 2023 world champion Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan on Saturday.
It was not smooth sailing for the Hong Kong ace, however, as she required a deciding-frame to progress a 3-2 winner against Li, before coming through 4-1 against Thailand’s Siripaporn to continue her bid for a fourth world crown.
She will next face 17-year-old rising star Liu Zi Ling, after the local favourite overcame Katrina Wan and Yaqi Yao to reach her maiden World Championship quarter-final. The talented youngster earlier top scored with a break of 78 during a notable group stage win against Rebecca Kenna.
The action continues from 10am CST on Sunday 17 May with the first quarter-final matches, as well as the start of the Under-21 and Seniors Championships in Dongguan Changping.
Watch the latest action live via the WPBSA YouTube channel.
Photos by Tai Chengzhe.
