Snooker has always been viewed as a men's sport, with women players being considered inferior. However, with the recent success stories of Asian female players, women's snooker has a bright future.
2019 was the year of Australia's first women-ranked event. Nutcharut Woongharuthai was the winner. She is believed be the first woman in Australia to score a 147 break. She was born in 1999.
Chitra Krishnamurthy (Asian lady snooker) is another Asian player. She was the first Indian woman ever to win the Australian Open Snooker Championship 2008. She also won the 2011 six-red snooker championship. In 2014, she made her first appearance at the Eden World Ladies Senior Championships. She has also reached finals in the Eden World Ladies Senior Championships.
Reanne Evan is the world's top lady snooker players. She holds ten world titles and is currently the reigning champion. She has been invited wildcard to play on the men's touring in 2010/11. She was also given an MBE in recognition of her services to snooker.
Reanne Evans was raised in Dudley (West Midlands). Reanne Evans started playing pool when she was 14 years old and has been a professional player of snooker ever since. She has won eight titles in billiards or ball pool, as well as snooker. She is also currently the World Pool Championship holder. She is also the European Masters champion and the most popular female player in the UK.
Evans, who was seven and a quarter months pregnant, won the ladies world title in 2006. She was the first woman to reach the main stages of a ranking event. She qualified for the Wuxi Classic televised stage in China and beat Thepchaiya Uni-Nooh 5-4 in qualifying matches.
Evans has been the number one world snooker player for the past ten years. She has won ten international titles and was awarded the MBE for services to snooker. She was also invited to the professional tour as a wildcard for the 2010/11 season. She will compete in the final stages of the world ranking event in the UK. In the first round, she will play Neil Robertson, world number 2.
Reanne McIlroy is, Reanne Evans and Emma Bonney are all great female players. They all were former world number one players, and they are among the most outstanding snooker players in history. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association believes there is no obstacle for women to snooker. There are currently only two women in the top 30 on the men's global rankings. If the next generation can challenge the best players worldwide, women's snooker will be a bright future.
There are many skilled lady snooker player around the world and the future looks bright. The sport has been growing in the United States, as well in other countries. Mike Dominguez from OX Billiards Seattle hopes to bring the sport to the United States.