Bai Yulu Retains UK Championship
Bai Yulu has defeated Ng On Yee 4-2 to win the Taom UK Women’s Snooker Championship for a second time following a high-quality final at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, England.
The 22-year-old from China becomes the first player since Ng in 2017-18 to successfully defend both the UK and World Championship titles during consecutive years and maintains her 100% record of having reached at least the final of both events since her Tour debut.
Glory represents her fifth ranking victory overall since 2023, seeing her equal Kim Shaw and Sue Foster in the all-time list of ranking title winners on the WWS Tour.
Having won the title for the first time a year ago, the top seed made smooth progress through the round robin group stage on Saturday, before she saw off Deborah Fladgate – who secured her place in the knockout rounds following a dramatic black ball playoff – to reach the final day.
Victories against English duo Tessa Davidson and Rebecca Kenna – who both came close to forcing a deciding frame – would see her through to the title match for a third successive year.
Awaiting her was four-time UK champion Ng On Yee, who herself had navigated a draw which featured former world champions Reanne Evans, Baipat Siripaporn and Mink Nutcharut to earn a ranking final with Bai for the first time on the WWS Tour.
The decisive match would prove to be a thrilling contest as the first four frames were split with Ng hitting breaks of 53 and 50, either side of a stunning 102 clearance by Bai to equal the tournament high break set by Mink Nutcharut earlier in the competition and earn a share of the high break prize.
As the match became increasingly tactical as it entered the final frames, it was Bai who would emerge victorious with breaks of 46 and 30 enough to see her over the line and continue her reign as UK champion for a second year.
Phoemphul, Davidson claim titles
The Under-21 competition saw an all-Thai final as Narucha Phoemphul defeated Phakwalan Kongkaew 2-0 to lift her third junior crown since November 2024.
The 19-year-old Thai talent – who was only denied a place in the main tournament semi-finals by a gutsy comeback from Rebecca Kenna – defeated Daisy May Oliver and compatriot Kongkaew to earn her first UK Junior title and her defeat to the same opponent at the World Under-21 Championship earlier this year.
In the Seniors competition meanwhile it was runaway number one Tessa Davidson who extended her unbeaten run to an incredible two years with a 2-0 final victory against Charlene Chai of Singapore.
The 56-year-old did not drop a frame as she defeated Rose Nicholson, Selina Dean and Chai – who was competing on UK soil for the first time since 2017 – to lift the title for the third time in Leeds.
Finally, the 6-Red Challenge Cup competition was won by India’s Anupama Ramachandran following a 2-1 final victory against Charlene Chai.
The 2023 World Cup winner – who had narrowly lost out to Narucha Phoemphul at the last 16 stage of the main competition – defeated Audrey Chua, Ellise Scott, So Man Yan, Zeinab Shahi and finally Chai to earn her first individual trophy on the WWS Tour.
The season will continue with the Australian Women’s Open from 4-7 October 2025 – enter now via the ABSC website.
