World Women’s Snooker Championship: Hong Kong’s Ng On-yee in shock exit but Chinese teen Bai Yulu shines
- Three-time winner Ng suffers her worst result in the event in 11 years, with last-16 loss
- Debutant Bai records the tournament’s highest ever break during her stunning run to the latter stages
Ng On-yee’s hopes of winning the World Women’s Snooker Championship for a fourth time ended early as she crashed out in the round of 16 in Bangkok, but mainland Chinese teenager Bai Yulu made a name for herself in her debut appearance.
Bai recorded the tournament’s highest ever break this week on her way to Friday’s semi-finals, where she took on Reanne Evans of England.
The 19-year-old caused a major stir by compiling a 127 break in her opening group match against Amee Kamani of India, beating the previous best of 125 that was set by Kelly Fisher of England in 2003.
She saw off Anupama Ramachandran, also of India, 4-0 in the last 16 before cruising past England’s Maria Catalano in the quarterfinals, also by a 4-0 margin.
Hong Kong’s star player Ng was leading comfortably over Bayarsaikhan Narantuya of Mongolia in their round-of-16 encounter and looked set for a quarter-final spot after taking the first two frames.
But once the Mongolian fought back, Ng crumbled and lost her momentum as Narantuya took the next four frames to win 4-2.
It was Ng’s worst result in the World Championship since she lost to compatriot Yu Ching-ching at the same stage in 2012. She made it to all of the finals from 2014 to 2018, winning three of them, in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
And with the women’s world champion to be awarded a wild card for next season in the men’s World Snooker Tour, Ng felt under heavy pressure, according to her coach Alan Wong.
