Hong Kong hailed for helping to globalise snooker as world body marks women’s day with online recruiting campaign
- World Women’s Snooker director Matt Huart says Ng On-yee, Jaique Ip, So Man-yan and Thailand’s Mink have played a key role in growing the sport
- World No 1 Reanne Evans, Rebecca Kenna, Mandy Fisher and top players flood social media encouraging young women to play the game
World Women’s Snooker (WWS) has praised Hong Kong’s role in helping to spread the game globally, with three-time world champion Ng On-yee leading the way.
WWS on Wednesday celebrated its annual Women’s Day in England, filling social media with content about growth of the sport among women and encouraging youngsters to pick up a cue.
England’s 12-time world champion Reanne Evans, Hong Kong Masters champion Rebecca Kenna, iconic former player and now administrator Mandy Fisher and a host of top players were part of an intense online campaign to raise the profile of women’s snooker.
“Over the past decade Hong Kong has played a significant part in the globalisation of the women’s game with players having regularly travelled halfway around the world to play in WWS events in England,” said WWS director Matt Huart.
“Of course, Ng On-yee has led the way, winning 15 WWS ranking event titles during her career to date – including three world titles – but we have seen many other players including Jaique Ip Wan-in and So Man-yan reach finals and win titles on the circuit before too.
“We have always been grateful to [coach] Wayne Griffiths and his team at the Hong Kong Sports Institute for their support and it has always been a pleasure to welcome their players to our events.”
The 29-year-old Ng, ranked No 2 in the world behind Evans, said players from Hong Kong and Asia have benefited from the increased number of tournaments around the world.
“Recently, we have more competing opportunities compared to a few years ago,” said Ng, who this week was supposed to be at Sheffield’s famous Crucible for the World Championship qualifiers but is at home in Hong Kong because of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. “I played at the Q School, Challenge Tour, Paul Hunter Classic, World Championship qualifiers, Sangsom World 6 Reds.
“Reanne also played at the champion of champions. We, along with Mink (Thailand’s world No 3 Nutcharut Wongharuthai) and Rebecca had a chance to play at the Crucible last year.
“I think those opportunities have greatly improved the exposure of ladies snooker. Last year, [China’s] Bai Yulu reached the final of the Hong Kong Masters. She was the youngest player there. This shows the standard of ladies snooker has improved significantly.
“I believe the ladies tour will be more competitive as we continue to grow.”
Huart said Asia will have an even greater role to play in the growth of the women’s game, in terms of tournaments and players.
The World Championship has already been held in Singapore and Thailand, with Bangkok originally meant to host an edition in June until the coronavirus crisis forced the tournament to be postponed.
“With the World Women’s Championship held in Singapore and Thailand in recent years, we have seen an increasing number of players from Asia,” Huart said.
“Nutcharut, in particular, has established herself as one of the best women snooker players in the world over the past couple of years and that five of the eight quarter-finalists at last year’s World Championship were from Asia demonstrates the growing talent based in the region.
“Both Ng and Nutcharut are fantastic role models for snooker and hopefully more and more women and girls will be inspired by them to pick up a cue and perhaps one day emulate some of their achievements in our sport.”
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