Bai Yulu to face Mink Nutcharut in mouth-watering 2025 World Women's Snooker Championship final

The best of 11 frames title decider is a repeat of the memorable final from here last year when home hero Bai dramatically ousted Mink 6-5 on the final pink in a thrilling climax.

Defending champion Bai is aiming to join an elite club of players who have successfully retained the title, and at their first attempt. The last player to have ticked both of those boxes at the same time was Reanne Evans in 2006.

This season’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ on the professional World Snooker Tour, 21-year-old Bai has made the showpiece match for a third consecutive year. On her debut in the tournament two years ago in Thailand, she was denied the ultimate prize by Baipat Siripaporn, but last year she created history by becoming the first winner from mainland China.

Starting her title defence, Bai finished top of her round robin group after winning all four of her matches and dropping just one frame in the process, fashioning a break of 112 and seven further efforts over 50.

In the knockout rounds, Bai defeated compatriot, 16-year-old Liu Zi Ling 3-1 in the last 32 with a top break of 89. In the last 16, Bai ended the hopes of another 16-year-old, this time Thailand’s Panchaya Channoi.

Channoi won the first frame with a run of 74 but Bai responded by stringing together the next three (57 break, frame three). The Thai teenager reduced her arrears with the aid of a 69 in frame five, but the title holder crafted an 88 to win 4-2.

Elsewhere during the World Women’s Snooker Tour’s stay at the Changping Gymnasium, Channoi defeated Liu 3-1 in the final to win the 2025 World Women’s Under-21 Snooker Championship - taking over the title from Bai who claimed it in 2024.

In the 2025 World Women's Seniors Snooker Championship - also played at the same venue - Tessa Davidson retained her crown following a 3-1 victory over China's Han Fang in the final.

There was a tasty quarter-final encounter between Bai and three-time champion Ng On Yee from Hong Kong, who will be back on the professional circuit from next season.

On Yee - the first player from Asia to wear this crown when she conquered the world in 2015 - deposited the opening frame with the help of a 62, but Bai bagged four of the next five frames (82 break, frame four) for a 4-2 verdict.

Bai enjoyed a straightforward route through to the final she defeated fellow countrywoman Xia Yuyin 5-0 in the semi-finals.

Having been eliminated during the groups phase on her debut last year, 26-year-old Xia went on a fantastic run in her second outing, stunning record 12-time champion Evans 4-1 in the last 16 before dispatching India’s Amee Kamani 4-1 in the quarter-finals.

World number one Mink through to her fourth world women’s final

Mink has been the player of the season, so far, on the World Women’s Snooker Tour - she has now reached at least the final of the last six main events on the circuit.

The 25-year-old Thai ace has already lifted trophies in Australia and Morocco during this term , and is now looking forward to the fourth world women’s final appearance of her career - all of those have come within the last five editions of the competition.

Mink was relentless during the initial phase of this year’s tournament, winning all four of her group matches without relinquishing a single frame.

She then kept up that sequence by defeating China’s Enmiaoer Li 3-0 in the last 32, but found herself under pressure as she went 2-0 down to Deng Xin Shun (China) in the last 16. However, Mink dug her way out of trouble, as she won four consecutive frames - along with efforts of 65 and 92 - to emerge a 4-2 victor.

A 4-0 victory over India’s Anupama Ramachandran in the last eight put Mink into the semi-finals where she saw off fellow Thai cueist and 2023 winner of this title, Baipat, 5-1.

Who will win the 2025 World Women’s Snooker Championship title? Bai and Mink head-to-head history

All signs point to another very close final between Bai and Mink, and it would be no surprise if we had a similar finish to that of last year’s.

Three of the last six world women’s finals have gone down to a deciding frame. The last five finals on this season’s World Women’s Snooker Tour - all involving Mink - have resulted in a decider.

In terms of their head-to-head record, five of the last six meetings between Bai and Mink on the WWST have gone the distance.

With the recent memory of her narrow defeat to Bai here last year, Mink is aiming to reclaim the world crown. She did win their most recent encounter when she pipped her Chinese opponent 4-3 in the final of the 2025 World Snooker Federation Women’s Championship in January, in Saidia.

Who will be celebrating their second world women’s title triumph on Tuesday, in the Far East?

Live coverage of the final will be shown on the WPBSA YouTube channel here.

For the results from the 2025 World Women’s Snooker Championship, visit snookerscores.net here