Bai Victorious in Thailand
Bai Yulu has defeated Ng On Yee 5-1 to win the inaugural staging of the Niche Cues Women’s Open at the Hi-End Snooker Club in Thailand.
The two-time reigning world champion was in dominant form throughout the four-day event as she won all eight matches played, including against both of the world’s top two ranked players for the loss of just five frames.
The 22-year-old scored heavily throughout the event with 11 breaks over 50, including two century breaks of 113 and 111.
Victory earns her a sixth ranking event crown since her Tour debut in 2023, moving her level in 12th place on the all-time list alongside England’s Tessa Davidson. The win will also see her continue to close the gap to Mink Nutcharut and Ng On Yee at the top of the world rankings.
For Ng, the final represents her second defeat to Bai in a ranking final this season, having also lost to the world champion in the title match at the UK Championship last month, but will see her consolidate second position in the rankings behind leader Mink Nutcharut.
Bai Takes Down Top Two
Following the conclusion of the group stages and early knockout rounds during the first three days of the tournament, the final day began with the semi-finals, featuring four of the world’s leading players.
A blockbuster clash between Bai Yulu and home favourite Mink Nutcharut awaited in the top half of the draw, but it was Bai who would ultimately secure a comfortable 4-1 victory with top breaks of 71 and 64 to progress to her ninth WWS final.
Awaiting her would be Hong Kong China’s Ng On Yee, who won an entertaining match with Australian Open champion Ploychompoo Laokiatphong 4-2 to reach the final.
Thailand’s Laokiatphong made the stronger start to the match as she compiled a run of 92 – her highest break so far on the WWS Tour – to take the opening frame. Ng responded to win the second frame from behind on a respotted black, eventually winning four of the last five frames to seal her place in the final.
The decisive match would prove to be a one-sided affair as Bai notched further breaks of 83, 52 and 39 as she raced to a 4-0 lead at the mid-session interval, while Ng would rue a missed final black in the second frame as she looked to gain a foothold in the match.
Ng was to claim the fifth frame upon the resumption of play to avoid the whitewash, but Bai was not to be denied as she finished with a break of 81 in the sixth and final frame to seal victory.
Phoemphul Takes Top Spot, Chai at the Double
Thailand’s Narucha Phoemphul maintained her 100% record at Under-21 tournaments this season as she claimed her third successive title with a 2-0 victory against compatriot Panchaya Channoi.
The 19-year-old reached the final with wins against Thanchanok Promtong and China’s Liu Zi Ling, before overcoming current world under-21 champion Channoi to add to lift her fifth junior crown in under a year.
The win will also see her reach the summit of the Under-21 rankings for the first time, displacing England’s Ellise Scott as the number one ranked junior player.
In the Seniors competition there was a maiden success for Singapore’s Charlene Chai, who won her first WWS title eight years in Bangkok.
Having recently finished as runner-up to Tessa Davidson at the UK Championship last month, the 45-year-old went one better this week as she defeated Phennapha Sungthong and Hong Kong China’s So Man Yan to take title.
It was to be a double success for Chai as she also claimed victory in the 6-Red Challenge Cup with wins against Lim Jin Er, Hong lay Toh, Chu Pui Ying and Wing Man Shiu.
World Women’s Snooker thanks everyone who has supported the event, in particular Niche Cues, the Hi-End Snooker Club and the Billiard Sports Association of Thailand, without whom the event would not have been possible.
The World Women’s Snooker Tour continues with the Irish Women’s Snooker Open, which runs from 28-30 November 2025 at the SBI HQ in Carlow, Ireland. Enter now via WPBSA SnookerScores.
