Ng On-yee eyes fourth world women’s snooker title with defending champion Reanne Evans and Thailand’s Mink among the favourites
- The tournament at the Ding Junhui Academy returns for the first time since 2019 and acts as a pathway event for the mainstream tour
- Ng’s participation was in doubt because of the coronavirus pandemic but she was eventually given permission to travel to the UK
Hong Kong’s Ng On-yee will be aiming for her fourth World Women’s Championship snooker title when she lines up at the Ding Junhui Academy in Sheffield, England.
Ng won the last of her three world crowns in 2018 and was beaten in the quarter-finals by Thailand’s Nutcharut “Mink” Wongharuthai in the 2019 tournament in Bangkok.
The tournament was cancelled in 2020 and last year because of Covid-19, but the top players are all gathered in the academy launched by Chinese star Ding for its long-awaited return.
“I’m really glad to be here for the world championships and the rest of my pro tour events for this year, despite the Covid-19 situation around us,” Ng told the Post. “We are almost getting a full house this year with most of the top players from around the world flying in, so it should be an exciting event.”
This year’s tournament takes on added significance with snooker’s world governing body raising its status to become one of the pathway competitions for the mainstream tour.
Among the favourites in the 50-player tournament is England’s 12-time world champion and top-ranked Reanne Evans, who Ng beat in the final of last year’s Eden Championship. However, Mink goes into the tournament on a high having beaten five male players in pro tour qualifying matches.
