Bai Yulu is emerging as the new star of women’s snooker (Picture: Matt Huart/WWS)
19-year-old sensation Bai Yulu has won the Women’s British Open by beating Reanne Evans 4-3 in the final at at the Landywood Snooker Club in Walsall.
The Chinese teenager is proving to be the brightest young female talent in the game after her run to the Women’s World Championship final in March has been followed up by this success, her first title on the World Women’s Snooker Tour.
It was a tense final which went to the edgiest of deciding frames, but Evans couldn’t make her experience pay as Bai got over the line.
It is the first time Bai has competed in a UK tournament on the WWS Tour and she not only beat 12-time women’s world champ Evans in the final, but three-time world champ Ng On Yee in the quarter-finals as well.
That loss for On Yee means she has lost her place on the main World Snooker Tour for next season and Evans regains hers.
There are four places on the main tour to be won through the women’s tour, given to those in the top four of the women’s rankings or the current women’s world champion.
Both Evans and On Yee dropped off the main tour at the end of the season. With Mink Nutcharut and Rebecca Kenna having another year of their tour cards and world champion Baipat Siripaporn claiming another spot, the higher ranked of Evans and On Yee after the British Open would return to the main tour. A run to the final confirmed that for Reanne.
Bai Yulu conquered Reanne Evans in the final of the Women’s British Open (Picture: Matt Huart/WWS)
While it was a disappointing day for On Yee, it was a fantastic one for Bai who also made the only century of the event with an effort of 105.
Yet to book her own spot on the main tour, it seems inevitable that she will find her way on through the women’s tour in the near future, but will look to speed up that process when she enters Q School later this month.
It will be a huge ask for the teenager to come through the open field of former professionals and the top amateurs in the sport, but judging by her form and talent she will likely do some damage to some other hopefuls at Q School against the men.
Elsewhere in the draw in Landywood, Ploychompoo Laokiatphong enjoyed a run to the semis where she was beaten 4-1 by Bai, while Rebecca Kenna lost out to Evans by the same scoreline at the same stage.
There were narrow defeats in the last 16 for current world champion Baipat, who lost 3-2 to Kenna and 2022 champion Mink who was downed by the same score by Jamie Hunter.
MORE : Ronnie O’Sullivan says he and ‘very creative’ Luca Brecel falls into same bracket of player
MORE : Ronnie O’Sullivan explains ‘horrible’ World Snooker Championship experience
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The 19-year-old is making a big impact.
