Snooker

Mark Selby continued his good form in the run up to the World Championship by winning the Championship League, beating Joe O'Connor 3-1 in the play off final. Although he gets no ranking points for it, he should have enough points to qualify for the Tour Championship as long as he doesn't have a first round disaster at next week's World Open.

The WWS Women's World Snooker Championship Final is on today between Mink Nutcharut and Bai Yulu at the Changping Gymnasium, Dongguan, China.

In a dramatic semi-final Bai Yulu was losing 3-0 against Reanne Evans but won 5 frames in a row to win 5-3. Frame 6 was extraordinary because it went to a respotted black. Reanne went for a long black and potted it, but watched helplessly on as the cue ball also found its way into a pocket.

Bai Yulu from China is the current IBSF Women's Champion. She is widely regarded as the best woman player in the world but because she's preferred to enter the IBSF Women's tournaments rather then the WWS ones she can't pick up enough WWS ranking points to qualify for the men's tour, the WST, by that route. If she wins today she will get a 2 year tour card for the WST tour for the first time.

Mink Nutcharut is the 2022 WWS Women's World Champion and the current World no.1 on the WWS Rankings so she is bound to have her 2 year tour card for the WST renewed whatever happens today. She crushed her long time rival Ng On Yee 5-0 in the semi final. She will have to prove she is the best to beat the highly regarded Bai Yulu today to claim her 2nd World title.

Bai Yulu is the new Women's World Champion after beating Mink Nutcharut 6-5 in a closely fought final. the match between the 2 giants of women's snooker lived up to it's billing as it went to the wire with Bai winning the decider after a safety duel on the final pink that showed how far the women's game has progressed on safety play. Bai gets a 2 year tour card for the WST so next season she can show the men how it's done. Can she be the woman that makes the breakthrough?

It's a shame Mink had to lose such a close match but she can console herself by thinking of the the payday she's going to get from defending her mixed doubles title with Neil Robertson on the weekend of March 30/31.

Luca Brecel and Reanne Evans beat Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna 4-2 in the World Mixed Doubles final.

A player of the tournament performance by Luca as he found himself up against the man he beat in the World Championship Final around 11 months ago. He carried Reanne a bit with his performances yesterday, but Reanne put in a good shift today. Each get a share of the £40,000 first prize, which is great considering Bai Yulu only got £10,000 for winning the Women's World Championship a couple of weeks ago.

Reanne has won 61 women's tournaments, but her £20,000 share today makes it her biggest payday ever. This tournament makes it well worthwhile for a female player to get a tour card from the WST.

Alternative snooker commentary.......by the late, great Murray Walker

https://youtu.be/zl-oAsDCGNA?si=vw5xHCYXf4bn6Prd