Mink Nutcharut has defeated Ng On Yee 4-2 to win the WineCellars.com US Open for the first time her career following a high-quality final at Ox Billiards in Seattle.
The Thai star extends her career-title haul to six on the World Women’s Snooker Tour (WWS) since her maiden victory in 2019 and in doing so ensured that she will reclaim the world number one ranking following the tournament.
The second staging of the tournament welcomed four of the world’s top five players, with Mink and Ng both competing on US soil for the first time, while 2022 finalists Jamie Hunter and Rebecca Kenna both returned for another tilt at the title. The field included players from no fewer than eight countries, with Canada’s Maryann McConnell notably making her return to the circuit following a 28-year hiatus and sensationally reaching the knockout stages.
With the top four seeds having progressed to the semi-finals, it was Mink and Ng Yee who were the standout players throughout the event and defeated the defending champion Hunter and last year’s runner-up Kenna to reach the title match.
Three-time world champion Ng made the stronger start as she dominated the opening frame with runs of 55 and 47, before she claimed a dramatic second on the black to double her advantage.
Mink was not to be deterred, however, as she responded by winning the following two frames to draw level, before turning the tables with a black-ball steal of her own in frame five to take the lead for the first time. A high-quality contest with both players approaching 90% pot success, hopes of a deciding-frame for neutral watchers were to be dashed as Mink closed out victory with an impressive run of 56 in what would prove to be the sixth and final frame.
Success for Mink means that the 23-year-old has claimed the season-opening event for the first time and will replace England’s Reanne Evans at the top of the world rankings, after Evans had overtaken her following last season’s British Open. She also recorded her first century break of the season with a run of 107.
For Ng, the tournament nevertheless represented an impressive return to form as she reached her first ranking final of the calendar year, as well as having claimed the bumper $500 high-break prize on offer from tournament title sponsors WineCellars.com following her impressive run of 121 during Friday’s group stage matches.
Side-Tournaments
The Seniors side-tournament saw Hong Kong’s Jaique Ip Wan In defeat US player Kathleen Stanley to win her first Tour title in four years. The 43-year-old saw off Maryann McConnell and Diana Schuler in two hard-fought matches to reach the final match against home player Stanley, before scoring a 2-0 victory to earn her maiden Seniors crown.
In the Challenge Cup it was Germany’s Schuler who earned her second career WWS title following wins against US trio Frances Tso, Kaarin Lysen and Stanley to add to her success at last season’s Scottish Open Seniors tournament.
World Women’s Snooker would like to thank title sponsors WineCellars.com for their support of the event which helped ensure a significant increase in prize money from a year ago, as well as all of the team at Ox Billiards for their wonderful hospitality without whom the event would not be possible.
And some more pictures from yesterday’s action
Now about the future of our sports…
David Hendon has gone to see and talk to Barry Hearn at his home in Brentwood.
Barry Hearn may be retired but he remains very active and very much involved in snooker. His ambition is to further develop the sport by bringing in more events and upping the prize money to 20 millions pounds next season. That’s ambitious but also typical Barry Hearn.
However to reach that goal snooker will have to go where the money is and currently the money is essentially coming from countries that are after sportswashing. Although the contract isn’t signed yet, it looks very likely that snooker will head to Saudi Arabia next season. I know that we live in world driven by money, not morals. I know that the players deserve to earn more from a very skilful and difficult sport. Yet, I can’t come to terms with the idea. You will tell me that China isn’t the most democratic/tolerant country either, that they don’t treat persons from some ethnic minorities as equal citizens. I know that, I don’t agree with it at all, but at least snooker IS played in China, the CBSA is a very active body. It’s not just about the money, it’s not just about sportswashing.
The other major theme in this conversation is the Crucible. WST contracts with the Crucible and with the BBC end in 2027. What’s next? Barry Hearn feels that for the sports to grow, the World Championship MUST move to a bigger venue. He is pressing Sheffield to build such venue, but if they don’t he’s ready to see the World Championship move away from the city. The truth is that – for all the sentimental attachment we have for that iconic venue – the Crucible isn’t a very suitable venue for the World Championship. It’s too small by today’s standards, it’s too cramped, it doesn’t offer enough proper facilities for hospitality. And it’s not true that you have the perfect view from every seat either, not if you are a 1m 67cm tall (or short) woman like me. Unless you are up in the rafters, you may well spend most of the session trying to peek around the head of the taller person(s) sat in front of you. David admits that he is now convinced that moving away from the Crucible is almost inevitable and that staying in it, as it currently is, would be unwise.
In a more immediate future … this from Sinosports on twitter today
11 thoughts on “Mink is the 2023 Women Snooker US Open Champion … and some serious food for thoughts about the future of snooker”
About Saudi Arabia stuff,
I remember some decades ago in China, film companies had to find mining bosses when filming industry and econ was not flourish back then. (mining bosses are almost certainly despised due to their lack of art sense, but they normally not lay a hand in filming – or just create a small role for his mistress.)
Partly because of its size and structure, the Crucible creates a pressure-cooker intensity that is not replicated elsewhere. I don’t know if a replacement venue would substitute adequately.
The Wembley Conference Centre and, to an extent, Goffs were also known for generating a high-pressure atmosphere. What do you think are the equivalents today? Are there any? Alexandra Palace seems to generate a raucous and gripping atmosphere, but not the same intensity as Wembley did.
Congrats to Mink: it was an enjoyable final and way-way better than the women’s world championship that earned her the tourcard 1.5 years ago. Now she (they both) played positive snooker, scoring as much as possible: I really hope she will play better on the Tour too.
Incidentally I’m also happy last Year’s unpleasant argument was avoided.
Me too, Csilla , about the argument. And about the positive changes in Mink’s game, that, to me, has come with playing on the main tour. They may struggle and not win many matches, but they learn from it, change their approach and eventually it will pay off. The women’s tour is needed until the attitude towards women and girls changes drastically at grassroots level, but it has his limitations.
I very much look forward to Dave Hendon’s book. Despite what he may think, I am a great fan of his commentary and all the hard work he does to popularise snooker, such as the podcasts. We have seen that he’s interviewed Ray Reardon and now Barry Hearn – both massive figures in snooker. I also hope he can offer a range of views from some younger players to give perspective, i.e. snooker’s continuing history and future.
Nutcharut Wongharuthai was a deserved winner. Unfortunately, the semi-finals were as one-sided as the Q-finals, but the final was a proper match. Ng On-Yee looked better, but probably needs to win one of these events to regain her confidence.
Made me remind Ronnie’s comment of arena size in HK masters!
Even it is difficult to watch directly, big arena should have projectors!
Yes, I wasn’t sure about stadium snooker, but it was managed magnificently in Hong Kong. I don’t think the World Championship would be able to attract such crowds for 31 matches. Most likely we are looking at a 3000 arena, but perhaps with screens, which we do get in tournaments like the Masters.
Matchroom should thank the protestants bringing the change of WC arena a possibility.
(Even glass boxes in squash matches won’t be there, security staff should have more time to react.)
You mean the protesters I suppose 😉
Yes Balvark, the security breach was just another item in a long list of things wrong with the Crucible. Could prince William attend the final? No, he couldn’t. I cannot understand snooker fans who want snooker’s biggest event to be played in inadequate conditions. Are they serving snooker’s interests, or trying to preserve their own precious memories of the 1980’s?
Yes, moving would mean a change of atmosphere, per force. We wouldn’t get the ‘intimacy’ where a member of the audience can reach out and touch a player on a shot. But why on earth should that be considered the ‘only’ suitable atmosphere for a World Championship? I would prefer an environment where players could play their best snooker, in front of the whole world, which means larger live audience and top-class broadcasting facilities. Even Eurosport aren’t able to attend the Crucible venue until the one-table set-up.
To Monique: Protesters lol
To Lewis: “preserve their own precious memories of the 1980’s”=>sounds not nice to the sport.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 
About Saudi Arabia stuff,
I remember some decades ago in China, film companies had to find mining bosses when filming industry and econ was not flourish back then. (mining bosses are almost certainly despised due to their lack of art sense, but they normally not lay a hand in filming – or just create a small role for his mistress.)
Partly because of its size and structure, the Crucible creates a pressure-cooker intensity that is not replicated elsewhere. I don’t know if a replacement venue would substitute adequately.
The Wembley Conference Centre and, to an extent, Goffs were also known for generating a high-pressure atmosphere. What do you think are the equivalents today? Are there any? Alexandra Palace seems to generate a raucous and gripping atmosphere, but not the same intensity as Wembley did.
Congrats to Mink: it was an enjoyable final and way-way better than the women’s world championship that earned her the tourcard 1.5 years ago. Now she (they both) played positive snooker, scoring as much as possible: I really hope she will play better on the Tour too.
Incidentally I’m also happy last Year’s unpleasant argument was avoided.
Me too, Csilla , about the argument. And about the positive changes in Mink’s game, that, to me, has come with playing on the main tour. They may struggle and not win many matches, but they learn from it, change their approach and eventually it will pay off. The women’s tour is needed until the attitude towards women and girls changes drastically at grassroots level, but it has his limitations.
I very much look forward to Dave Hendon’s book. Despite what he may think, I am a great fan of his commentary and all the hard work he does to popularise snooker, such as the podcasts. We have seen that he’s interviewed Ray Reardon and now Barry Hearn – both massive figures in snooker. I also hope he can offer a range of views from some younger players to give perspective, i.e. snooker’s continuing history and future.
Nutcharut Wongharuthai was a deserved winner. Unfortunately, the semi-finals were as one-sided as the Q-finals, but the final was a proper match. Ng On-Yee looked better, but probably needs to win one of these events to regain her confidence.
Made me remind Ronnie’s comment of arena size in HK masters!
Even it is difficult to watch directly, big arena should have projectors!
Yes, I wasn’t sure about stadium snooker, but it was managed magnificently in Hong Kong. I don’t think the World Championship would be able to attract such crowds for 31 matches. Most likely we are looking at a 3000 arena, but perhaps with screens, which we do get in tournaments like the Masters.
Matchroom should thank the protestants bringing the change of WC arena a possibility.
(Even glass boxes in squash matches won’t be there, security staff should have more time to react.)
You mean the protesters I suppose 😉
Yes Balvark, the security breach was just another item in a long list of things wrong with the Crucible. Could prince William attend the final? No, he couldn’t. I cannot understand snooker fans who want snooker’s biggest event to be played in inadequate conditions. Are they serving snooker’s interests, or trying to preserve their own precious memories of the 1980’s?
Yes, moving would mean a change of atmosphere, per force. We wouldn’t get the ‘intimacy’ where a member of the audience can reach out and touch a player on a shot. But why on earth should that be considered the ‘only’ suitable atmosphere for a World Championship? I would prefer an environment where players could play their best snooker, in front of the whole world, which means larger live audience and top-class broadcasting facilities. Even Eurosport aren’t able to attend the Crucible venue until the one-table set-up.
To Monique: Protesters lol
To Lewis: “preserve their own precious memories of the 1980’s”=>sounds not nice to the sport.