Bai Yulu reveals targets as she looks to make her mark on pro snooker tour

Two-time World Women’s Snooker Champion Bai Yulu has revealed a couple of specific ambitions she wants to achieve on the sport’s top-flight.

Trailblazer Bai created history in 2024 when, as a 20-year-old, when she became the first player from mainland China to win the flagship event on the women’s snooker scene. The following year, Bai successfully defended the crown.

Bai has collected a plethora of titles on the World Women’s Snooker Tour; earlier this year she got up to a 41-match winning streak on the circuit, and earlier this month claimed a third consecutive UK Championship top prize, a result that pushed her back to the top of the women’s rankings.

With the WWST providing a direct pathway to the professional World Snooker Tour these days, Bai earned her tour card for the big time and made her debut there in 2024. As has been the case for many young, overseas rookies, the going was generally tough for Bai during her opening spell on the Tour, but she did accumulate a number of victories against her male peers.

During the qualifying rounds for the 2024 UK Championship - the second most prestigious ranking competition in the sport - Bai defeated Farakh Ajaib, Jamie Jones, and then Scott Donaldson to reach the final hurdle where she was denied a spot at the main venue, televised stages by Jack Lisowski. In making the last 48, it was the furthest a woman has ever gone in a Triple Crown event.

At the 2025 International Championship, Bai created more history by compiling a 145 - the highest break ever made by a woman in a professional snooker event.

Bai Yulu on her top 64 vision

Back on the professional tour this season with a new two-year card, Bai has been more than competitive, but on the wrong side of several close finishes.

She drew a couple of games at the Championship League, and defeated Sahil Nayyar, 4-1, to qualify for the British Open.

In Cheltenham, she came agonisingly to a last 32 spot but was denied by Ross Muir, 4-3, on the final black. Bai has also lost deciders in the qualifying rounds for the Shenzhen Open, International Championship, and Scottish Open.

Bai recently did an interview with the Global Times, discussing her success on the women’s tour, women getting involved in the sport, and being inspired by the achievements of compatriots Ding Junhui, Zhao Xintong, and Wu Yize. She also made it clear her desire to break into the world’s top 64 bracket.

Currently with a world professional tour ranking of 121 (although she only has a few months’ worth of points because of her new two-year tour card), Bai was placed as high as 88th, last year.

"I hope that in five years I can reach the top 64” the Weinan-born cueist said. "Although that is only just the top 64, there will actually be a lot of challenges.

"In that kind of high-intensity competition, I still need more experience, as well as more experience in tactics and technique.”

Bai Yulu on the challenge and dream of qualifying for the Crucible

Another specific target that Bai has is to play at the Crucible Theatre in the main draw, televised stages of the World Snooker Championship.

Under its current format, the lowest ranked professionals in the competition must win four best-of-19 frames matches to qualify. Few players have managed to navigate that gauntlet in recent years, and Bai acknowledges it has been draining for her competing in such multi-session contests.

"I definitely want to qualify for the main draw stage at the Crucible” she said.

“Every time I play in the qualifying tournament, it's a very long match. For me, every time I finish one of these matches, I feel a little exhausted. It really feels like I'm using everything I have in that match. There is also the mental battle of facing the problems your opponents give you and trying to solve them."

No woman has qualified for the final rounds of snooker’s blue riband event before, although Bai can draw on her experiences during her aforementioned UK Championship qualifying run. Earlier this year, she became the first woman to win a World Championship match in nine years when she defeated Daniel Womersley, 10-7, in the opening qualifying round.

The top 64 and Crucible qualification may still be a while away, but Bai says she is focused on developing as a player in the often unforgiving surroundings of snooker’s top tier.

"I think first of all, I need to be a good player. For me, no matter what happens, I want to always maintain that perseverance in competition.

“I hope to show everyone that kind of determination, and also inspire more young girls."