Laokiatphong and Davidson Crowned Champions in Sheffield
Ploychompoo Laokiatphong and Tessa Davidson have claimed the opening titles at the 2022 World Women’s Snooker (WWS) Championships held at the Ding Junhui Snooker Academy in Sheffield, England.
To be staged over five days from 10-14 February, the event began with the World Women’s Under-21 and Seniors Championships, contested for the first time in almost three years, with both tournaments having attracted a strong field.
Ploy Defends Junior Crown
Champion three years ago on her debut in the competition, Thailand’s Ploychompoo Laokiatphong completed the successful defence of her title in dominant fashion without the loss of a frame during her three matches.
The 19-year-old booked her place in the final with victories against English duo Chloe White and Zoe Killington, highlighted by a top run of 49 during the second frame against White.
There she would await 13-year-old Lilly Meldrum, with the Australian competing in only her second Tour competition and first on UK soil. The talented youngster impressed onlookers with her performances which included a standout 3-1 victory against number one ranked junior Steph Daughtery in the last eight, before she recovered from 2-0 down to defeat Japan’s Miina Tani in the semi-finals.
Ultimately, however, it would be Laokiatphong’s experience that would tell in the final as she ran out a 3-0 winner to make it back to back World Under-21 titles on the WWS Tour.
Davidson Does The Double
England’s Tessa Davidson claimed her second Seniors title on the WWS Tour within the space of a month as she added World Championship success to the British Open crown that she won last month in Leicester.
Having returned to competitive action following a 23-year absence from the circuit, former multiple ranking event winner Davidson has hit the ground running and dropped just one frame in four matches during the day to claim the prestigious title for the first time.
She began the day with success against another Tour returnee in Belgium’s Anja Vandenbussche, before adding the scalps of Mary Talbot-Deegan and Izabela Łącka to reach the final.
Further Polish opposition would await in the title match, with Ewelina Pislewska joining her following victories against Jenny Poulter, Annette Bates and Marianne Williams – who was competing in her first tournament in over nine years.
But Davidson was not to be denied, a break of 40 in the final frame enough to see her succeed Poulter as champion and continue her impressive return to competition.
The 2022 World Women’s Snooker Championships continue with the main competition which runs from 11-14 February.
