Yulu Bai

Bio

China’s Bai Yulu became the 15th winner of the World Women’s Snooker Championship in 2024 following a 6-5 victory against Mink Nutcharut in her home country.

The 20-year-old sensation improved upon her debut run to the final a year earlier to capture the Mandy Fisher Trophy and become the first Chinese player to lift the most prestigious title in women’s snooker.

Bai secured place on the World Snooker Tour for the first time in her career as a result of the success in China and, during her maiden campaign, became the first female player to win three matches in a WST ranking event by defeating Farakh Ajaib, Jamie Jones and Scott Donaldson to reach the fourth qualifying round of the 2024 UK Championship.

The following month, she became only the second female player to win a televised match by overcoming Jamie Clarke in the opening round of the 2024 Shoot Out.

Having impressed throughout the event, Bai most notably surived a stern test from record 12-time world champion Reanne Evans in the semi-finals, coming back from 3-0 down to win 5-3 and progress to the final.

The title match would swing back and forth between Bai and 2022 winner Nutcharut, but it would be Bai’s heavy scoring – which included a run of 122, the highest ever during a world final – that would prove significant as she would eventually secure a dramatic final frame win on the pink. The win also saw her earn a two-year place on the professional World Snooker Tour for the first time.

Bai also became the first player to win both the World Championship and World Under-21 Championship titles during the same year, having triumphed 3-0 against Narucha Phoemphul earlier in the week. The junior victory would see her become the number one ranked under-21 player for the first time.

Early Career

The talented 19-year-old impressed from the outset on her Tour debut in Thailand, victories against defending champion Mink Nutcharut, Indian World Cup winner Amee Kamani, former world number one Maria Catalano and most notably, 12-time world champion Reanne Evans, taking her into the final at the Hi-End Snooker Club.

Awaiting her in the title match would be Thailand’s Baipat Siripaporn and it was Bai who made the stronger start to lead 2-0 in the best of 11 final. Although it was ultimate Siripaporn who would prevail to win 6-3, Bai had impressed onlookers and a place inside the top 40 of the world rankings immediately.

It would not be long before Bai would claim her first ranking title, as she defeated Reanne Evans 4-3 to win the British Open at the Landywood Snooker Club in May 2023.

Competing in the UK for the first time, the youngster notably overcame three-time world champion Ng On Yee and Asia-Pacific Champion Ploychompoo Laokiatphong on her way to the final, before surviving a tense decider to overcome all-time great Evans and lift the title.