Snooker is traditionally seen as a man's game. Women are generally seen as being inferior. However, recent success by Asian female players has resulted in a new generation, and the future for women's Snooker looks bright.
2019 was the year of Australia's first women-ranked event. It was won by Nutcharut Wongharuthai, who is believed to be the first woman to achieve a 147 break. She was born in 1998 and is now eligible to compete on next season's professional World Snooker Tour.
Chitra Sri Krishnamurthy is another Asian woman snooker player. In 2008, she was the first Indian woman in Australia to win the Australian Open Snooker Championship. She also won the six-red snooker championship in 2011. In 2014, she made her first appearance at the Eden World Ladies Senior Championships. She also reached to the final of the Eden World Ladies Senior Championships.
Reanne Evans is the world's #1 lady snooker player. She holds ten world titles and is currently the reigning champion. She has been invited wildcard to play on the men's touring in 2010/11. Her services to snooker have also earned her an MBE.
Reanne Evans was born in Dudley, West Midlands. She began playing pool at the age of 14 and went on to become a professional in snooker. She has won eight titles in billiards or ball pool, as well as snooker. She is also the current holder of the World Pool Championship title. She has won the European Masters, and she is the most successful woman player in the UK.
In 2006, Evans won the ladies world title, and was seven and a half months pregnant. She was first woman to reach main stages in a ranking event. She qualified for the Wuxi Classic televised stage in China and beat Thepchaiya Uni-Nooh 5-4 in qualifying matches.
Evans has been the world number 1 for the past 10 years. She has won ten World titles and was awarded an MBE to acknowledge her service to snooker. She was also granted a wildcard invitation to participate on the professional tour in the 2010/11 season. She will compete in London's final stages in the world ranking event. In the first round, she will play Neil Robertson, world number 2.
Reanne McIlroy, Reanne Evans, Emma Bonney, and Kelly Fisher are some of the best female players in the world. They were all world number one players at one time and remain among the top snooker players. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association says there is no barrier for women in snooker. At the moment, there are only two women ranked among the top 30 in the world's men's rankings. Women's snooker's future is bright if there are female players who can challenge these world-class players.
Many talented ladies snooker players are out there, and the future looks bright. The sport has been growing in the United States, as well in other countries. Mike Dominguez from OX Billiards Seattle hopes to bring the sport to the United States.