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.
The first women's ranking event in Australia was held in 2019. Nutcharut Woongharuthai was the winner. She is believed be the first woman in Australia to score a 147 break. She was born in 1999 and is eligible to play on the next season of the World Snooker Tour.
Chitra Krishnamurthy is another Asian lady snooker player. She became the first Indian woman to win the Australian Open Snooker Championship in 2008. She also won the 2011 six-red snooker championship. In 2014, she made her first appearance at the Eden World Ladies Senior Championships. She has also reached finals in the Eden World Ladies Senior Championships.
Reanne Evans is the world's #1 lady snooker player. She is currently the world champion and has won ten titles in world snooker. She has also received a wildcard invitation to compete on the men's tour for the 2010/11 season. For her contributions to snooker, she was also awarded an MBE.
Reanne Evans was brought up in Dudley West Midlands. She started playing pool at age 14 and has since gone on to become a professional snooker player. She has won eight billiards and ball pool titles, in addition to snooker. She is also the current holder of the World Pool Championship title. She also won the European Masters title and is currently the most successful female pool player in the UK.
Evans, then seven-and-a half months pregnant, won 2006 the ladies world title. She was also the first woman to make it to the main stages of a ranking tournament. She was able to qualify for the Wuxi Classic in China's televised stages and defeated Thepchaiya U-Nooh of Thailand 5-4 in a qualifying match.
Evans has been the number one world snooker player for the past ten years. She has won ten international titles and was awarded the MBE for services to snooker. She has been invited as a wildcard to participate in the professional tour 2010/11 season. She will be competing in the UK's final stages of 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 are all former world number ones, and are some of the greatest snooker players of all time. According to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), there are no barriers for women in snooker. Two women are currently ranked in top 30 of the world rankings for men. However, if women can challenge the top players around the world, then the future of women’s snooker could be bright.
There are many great lady snooker pros around the world. The future looks bright. The sport is growing in the United States and other countries, and Mike Dominguez, owner of OX Billiards in Seattle, hopes to get the sport to grow in the U.S.