Ng On Yee made it consecutive British Women’s Open titles after edging Mink Nutcharut in a thrilling final on Sunday in Walsall.
Success for the Hong Kong cueist took her carry tally of ranking titles on the World Women’s Snooker Tour to 22, which sees her break into the top five on the all-time list.
The women’s world number two was in strong form throughout the weekend’s action at the Landywood Snooker Club.
Ng was seeded through to the last 16 of the competition, where she easily overcame Laura Killington in her opening outing.
A 3-0 defeat of countrywoman So Man Yan where she compiled a terrific 113 century break followed, before Ng then ousted Narucha Phoemphul in the semi-finals with a 4-2 scoreline.
It was a familiar opponent in the final as Ng rekindled a rivalry with Nutcharut that has developed into a fascinating ding-dong battle in recent seasons.
This was the sixth title-deciding encounter involving the pair since the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign.
Half of those showdowns have required deciding frames, including a tense tie to determine this year’s British Women’s Open champion.
Ng raced into a seemingly commanding 3-0 lead, but the women’s world number one fought her way back into the contest.
When Nutcharut restored parity and forced a seventh frame, it looked as though the Thai had seized the advantage.
But 34 year-old Ng dug deep and eventually took her opportunity to emerge with the trophy again.
It’s a second title of the 2024/25 snooker term for the three-time women’s world champion, who it has been confirmed will return to the professional World Snooker Tour next season.
For Nutcharut, it was incredibly the fifth time in a row this season that she reached a women’s ranking final that needed all seven frames to determine its champion.
The 25 year-old has been on the wrong end on three of those occasions, but she remains the most consistent performer on the World Women’s Snooker Tour at present.
Reigning women’s world champion Bai Yulu and all-time legend Reanne Evans suffered shock losses in the quarter-finals.
There will be one more big event this season – the prestigious World Women’s Championship that will be staged in China in May.
2025 British Women’s Open
Selected Results
Last 16
Ng On Yee 3-0 Laura Killington
So Man Yan 3-2 Ho Yee Ki
Narucha Phoemphul 3-0 Tessa Davidson
Reanne Evans 3-1 Cheung Yee Ting
Mink Nutcharut 3-1 Jasmine Bolsover
Chan Wai Lam 3-0 Ip Wan In Jaique
Rebecca Kenna 3-2 Anupama Ramachandran
Bai Yulu 3-0 Kate Le Gallez
Quarter-Finals
Ng On Yee 3-0 So Man Yan
Narucha Phoemphul 3-0 Reanne Evans
Mink Nutcharut 3-0 Chan Wai Lam
Rebecca Kenna 3-0 Bai Yulu
Semi-Finals
Ng On Yee 4-2 Narucha Phoemphul
Mink Nutcharut 4-0 Rebecca Kenna
Final
Ng On Yee 4-3 Mink Nutcharut
Featured photo credit: WWS
I watched the second half of the match, after Ng had taken a 3-0 lead and it was a tense and scrappy affair from then on in. I expected Mink to use her momentum from her fightback to carry the last frame but Ng saw out the last frame from a position of strength once the balls went up to the balk end of the table and she got the first chance in open play. Ng is a very solid player on the women’s circuit and was one of the first two women invited to take up main tour professional places; until Bai Yulu emerged I’d say she had been the most effective female player on the professional tour.