Snooker star Ng On-yee scores first-ever professional victory, beating China’s Wu Yize to reach Welsh Open main draw
- The 31-year-old Hong Kong star fought back from a one-frame deficit to win 4-2 and take her place in the last 64 of the Wales event
- Ng becomes the second women’s player to beat a man in a pro competition after 12-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans
Hong Kong’s Ng On-yee scored her first-ever victory as a professional on the world snooker tour on Sunday, reaching the main draw of the BetVictor Welsh Open.
Days after her defeat in the quarter-finals of the World Women’s Championship, the Hong Kong star made a quick recovery to beat Chinese youngster Wu Yize 4-2 in the qualifying round in Wolverhampton, setting up a clash against Ali Carter in the last 64 of the Welsh Open at ICC Wales in Newport on February 28.
The victory makes 31-year-old Ng the second women’s player to win a match after 12-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans, of England.
“I was practising and had a few games with different professionals such as Michael Holt, Li Hang, Lulian Boiko and Xu Si after the World Championship [in Sheffield] to prepare for the Welsh Open qualifiers,” said Ng who returned to England a fortnight ago after a surge in Hong Kong Covid-19 cases briefly stopped her season.
“I feel so excited for my very first win in the professional tour, especially after suffering narrow defeats twice early this season when leading a few frames over Craig Steadman in the German Masters before losing 5-4 and Shaun Murphy in the Scottish Open when I lost 4-3.”
Against the 18-year-old Chinese mainlander, Ng lost the opening frame but hit back with a run of 84 to take the second, then got the better of a scrappy third. In the fourth she trailed 43-16 but recovered with breaks of 37 and 33 to lead 3-1. Wu pulled one back but the Hong Kong player sealed victory in frame six with a break of 82.
“It was a slow start, took a while to settle the nerves, but glad to be able to produce two one-visit frames with breaks over 80,” Ng said. “That consistency is exactly what the professional circuit needs. I remember once watching a player made one century and three 60s but still lost 4-3. So, it can get tough in the tour. My scoring and shots selections are definitely areas which I will need improvements on.”
