Women's snooker ace Ng On Yee breaks 30-year-plus record at English Open in Brentwood

In frame two of the contest, On Yee compiled a total clearance of 137 - the highest break ever made by a woman player in professional snooker competition.

The Hong Kong cueist breaks the previous record that stood for over 33 years. According to the World Women’s Snooker Tour records page here, Allison Fisher crafted a run of 133 during the 1992 Dubai Classic qualifiers - a world ranking event.

In 1994, during the invitational Matchroom League, Fisher equalled her own record with a break of 133 against Stephen Hendry; this is still the highest televised break from a woman.

Last season, current World Women’s Snooker Champion Bai Yulu - who was named the World Snooker Tour’s Rookie of the Year a few months later - constructed an effort of 128 during German Masters qualifying.

Away from the professional snooker scene, there have been higher contributions than 137 by women competitors.

On the women’s circuit, record 12-times World Women’s Snooker Champion Reanne Evans has fashioned 140 before, while On Yee has totted up a 139.

Thailand’s Mink Nutcharut (Nutcharut Wongharuthai) made a maximum 147 break during a practice match at the Hi-End Snooker Club in Bangkok in 2019. This was recorded on camera, and is recognised as the first verified 147 by a woman player.

As the wisdom goes, though, a century break only wins you one frame, and for On Yee, her English Open campaign is over for another year as she went on to lose the match to Highfield, 4-2.

Highfield - who is back on the World Snooker Tour this season having re-qualified via the Q Tour Playoffs - deposited the opening frame before On Yee's record-breaking sequence in frame two.

A 64 helped Englishman Highfield re-take the lead before notching up another frame to move 3-1 ahead.

On Yee clung on by winning frame five, and she was very close to forcing a decider having made a break of 69 in frame six, but Highfield pinched it by one single point on the final black ball. Next up for Highfield is a meeting with Oliver Lines in round two.

Earlier this season, On Yee won a four-player group - also containing Daniel Wells, He Guoqiang and Leone Crowley - at the Championship League Ranking Event to progress to the second stage where she registered a win against Haydon Pinhey before bowing out of the tournament.

Fellow women professionals have scored several victories on the top tier this season.

Evans qualified for the Wuhan Open, won back-to-back matches at the Saudi Arabia Masters, and has made it through to the televised stages of the British Open to be held later this month.

Bai is also set to be in Cheltenham for the British Open after winning her qualifying match.

Visit our 2025 English Open tournament information centre here for the draw, results, and details on the format, schedule, prize money, and how to watch.

The top 32 seeds for the event enter the fray from round three that begins on Monday; this coincides with the start of televised coverage. Contestants in Brentwood are aiming to lift The Steve Davis Trophy and collect a top prize of £100,000.