Last Four Set in Bangkok
The inaugural Niche Cues Women’s Snooker Open is set for a thrilling final day with each of the world’s top three ranked players among those in the hunt for the title in Bangkok.
From the 36 players who began the week at the Hi-End Snooker Club, just four remain following a fantastic week of high-quality snooker in Thailand, which has seen the world’s leading players contest the third ranking event title of the 2025/26 World Women’s Snooker Tour.
Bai, Mink set up All-Star Semi
Reigning world champion Bai Yulu and world number one Mink Nutcharut, each progressed in the top half of the draw to set up a repeat of the last two World Championship finals on Thursday morning.
China’s Bai Yulu has been in devastating scoring form throughout the event so far, highlighted by two century breaks of 113 and 111 and four further runs over 50, to reach her 11th world ranking event semi-final from 12 appearances on the WWS Tour since 2023.
The 22-year-old was, however, to survive a real scare at the quarter-final stage as she was taken all the way by Mongolia’s Narantuya Bayarsaikhan before coming through a 3-2 winner. A tense match, in contrast to Bai’s victory against Ho Yee Ki in the previous round, was ultimately settled by a crucial fluke on the final brown in the deciding-frame, a cruel blow for world number 11 Bayarsaikhan who had earlier taken out seventh ranked Narucha Phoemphul in the last 16.
In contrast, home favourite Mink Nutcharut has dropped just one frame from seven matches played so far, with whitewash wins against Hong Kong China’s Fong Mei Mei and 2023 world champion Baipat Siripaporn in the quarter-finals enough to see her into the semi-finals.
The world number one is looking to claim her first silverware on the circuit since January, when she memorably defeated Bai 4-3 to win the WSF Women’s Championship in Morocco.
Ng to Face In-Form Laokiatphong
World number two Ng On Yee is through to the semi-final of a world ranking event at the Hi-End Snooker Club for the first time, having previously fallen prior to the last four stage at the venue in 2019 and 2023.
The three-time world champion has made serene progress through the competition so far with 14 frames won from 14 played, highlighted by victories against Thailand’s Phakwalan Kongkaew and world number six Anupama Ramachandran in the knockout rounds.
Runner-up at the UK Championship in September, Ng will be hoping to go one better in Bangkok and claim a 23rd ranking event title to move clear of a tie with Stacey Hillyard for fifth place in the all-time list.
Awaiting her in the last four will be Thailand’s Ploychompoo Laokiatphong, who is looking to win back-to-back ranking titles for the first time following her triumph at the Australian Women’s Open earlier this month.
The 23-year-old was one of four players to progress through the group stage without the loss of a frame, but found herself 0-2 down to Hong Kong China’s So Man Yan in her last 16 match and on the brink of a potential early exit. The two-time ranking event winner was to find her form when it mattered, however, with breaks of 49 and then 55 in the fifth and deciding frame to complete an impressive comeback.
Victory against 14-year-old Natcharin Sornprasert – who enjoyed a breakthrough tournament with wins against more experienced compatriots Narucha Phoemphul and Panchaya Channoi to reach her first quarter-final – was enough to send Laokiatphong through to her second consecutive semi-final on Tour.
The action continues from 10:00am on Thursday with the two semi-finals, to be followed by the final at approximately 2pm local time. All matches will be broadcast live via the WPBSA YouTube channel, with live scoring available via WPBSA SnookerScores.
