Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan beat Bai Yulu 6-3 to capture the 2023 World Women’s Snooker Championship on Saturday in Thailand.
Nuanthakhamjan, known as Baipat, took control toward the end of a tense and scrappy showdown at the Hi-End Snooker Club in Bangkok.
In addition to the £8,000 top prize, the 23 year-old is also set to land a two-year card to compete on the professional main tour for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns.
The final pitted an unexpected pair together after Nuanthakhamjan and Bai upset reigning world champion Mink Nutcharut and 12-time winner Reanne Evans in their respective semi-final ties.
Even so, China’s Bai was widely regarded as the favourite having already knocked in a 127 break earlier in the competition – a new World Women’s Snooker Championship record.
It looked as though the script was being followed when the 19 year-old took the opening couple of frames in the final.
But Nuanthakhamjan, a former winner of the World Cup with Thailand, clawed her way back into the contest and a contribution of 56 helped her to restore parity after the fourth frame.
Bai moved back in front to lead 3-2 at the interval, but the teenager struggled for any momentum upon the resumption of play.
Lengthy periods of tactical play left it difficult for either competitor to gain any rhythm in among the balls, and higher breaks were at a premium throughout.
It seemed to favour Nuanthakhamjan, and after drawing level again at 3-3, the home player took the lead for the first time following a dramatic and pivotal seventh frame.
Once on top she grew in confidence, and upon moving two in front she made a couple of title-winning contributions in the ninth frame to seal the success.
It marks the second successive World Women’s Snooker Championship in which the winner has come from Thailand.
Featured photo credit: WWS
Fantastic to see these talented female players coming through, I think there great for the sport!