Laokiatphong Wins in Australia
Ploychompoo Laokiatphong has defeated Narucha Phoemphul 4-1 in an all-Thailand final to win the Australian Women’s Snooker Open for the first time in her career at Mounties, Sydney, Australia.
Victory for the 23-year-old Thai star earns her a second world ranking title, having claimed her first at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Snooker Championship, held at the same venue in Mount Pritchard.
She becomes only the 25th player to have won multiple world ranking event titles on the WWS Tour and is set to earn a return to the world’s top 16 when the rankings are updated later this week.
The former world number six qualified from her round robin group, with four wins from five matches played, her only defeat coming at the hands of home favourite Jessica Woods.
Victory against Jeongmin Park of South Korea in the quarter-finals earned her a clash with world number one and defending champion Mink Nutcharut, in a repeat of their quarter-final match at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Championship.
As was the case on that occasion, it was Laokiatphong who would emerge victorious as she recovered from 0-2 down with top breaks of 47 and 45, to eventually prevail 4-3 on the final pink.
Awaiting her was compatriot Narucha Phoemphul, who having reached her maiden semi-final at the event 12 months ago, went one better this year to reach her first world ranking event final.
Having topped Group B for the loss of just a single frame, the 19-year-old dispatched Australian pair Theresa Whitten and Joey Tohme, the latter who herself reached the last four for the first time with a 3-1 win against Jessica Woods, to progress to the title match.
The second all-Thailand final in WWS history, after the Asia-Pacific Championship two years ago which saw Laokiatphong defeat Baipat Siripaporn to become champion for the first time, the outcome was to be the same as the two-time world under-21 champion would prevail once again.
It was Phoemphul who looked to be on course to make the stronger start, only for Laokiatphong to come from behind to steal the opening frame on the black on her way to what would become a 3-0 lead. Although Phoemphul would claim the fourth to get herself on the scoresheet, Laokiatphong would finish strongly with a match-high break of 39 to seal victory and a memorable second ranking event crown in Australia.
Under-21s / Seniors
Narucha Phoemphul maintained her 100% start to the season in junior competitions as she triumphed in the Under-21s side tournament in Sydney. The 19-year-old came back from 0-1 and 1-2 down to defeat fellow Thai starlet Phakwalan Kongkaew 3-2 and lift her fourth Under-21 crown from the past 12 months.
In the Seniors competition it was to be Australia’s Carlie Tait who would claim victory on home soil following a 3-0 win against friend and competitor Agnes Kimura of New Zealand in the title match.
Having seen off Maria Paul-Bennett and Theresa Whitten – the latter from 1-2 behind before a break of 39 helped turn the match in her favour – Tait would prevail on Tuesday morning to become the first ever Seniors title held alongside the Australian Open.
The Challenge Cup event for players who did not reach the knockout stages was won by Rhonda Knight, who defeated Christine Firth in the final.
World Women’s Snooker would like to thank host organisers the Australian Billiards and Snooker Council, as well as event sponsors Mounties, The Snooker Shop and CL&S for their continued support of the event and without whom it would not be possible.
The World Women’s Snooker Tour will continue with the Niche Cues Women’s Snooker Open, to be held at the Hi-End Snooker Club, Thailand, from 27-30 October 2025. Enter by 17 October via WPBSA SnookerScores.
