Hong Kong snooker star Ng On-yee says rankings tumble ‘extremely stressful’ with tour card a doubt
- Three-time world champion might have to go all the way at Women’s British Open in May to guarantee main tour return
- ‘This is my last few months on the men’s tour. I really hope I can keep playing there,’ the 32-year-old says
Hong Kong snooker ace Ng On-yee is ready to “fight from square one” if she is unable to secure a World Snooker Tour card based on her ranking and her performance in the British Open in May.
The world No 3, who returned to Hong Kong after a disappointing early exit in the Women’s World Championship in Bangkok, revealed the pressure of obtaining a tour card has been hard to bear in recent months.
“This is my last few months on the men’s main tour. I really hope I can keep playing there,” 32-year-old Ng said.
“To be honest, seeing my ranking fall is extremely stressful.”
The former world No 1 was awarded a two-year main draw ticket in 2021, along with 12-time world champion Reanne Evans of the United Kingdom, and it will expire in May following the British Women’s Open in Walsall.
The pressure was on early this year when Ng was unexpectedly knocked out in the quarterfinals of both the Belgian Women’s Open and the Asia-Pacific Championship, dropping out of the world’s top two for the first time in nine years.
Three-time world champion Ng also struggled last week in Thailand, losing in the last-16 to unheralded Mongolian Bayarsaikhan Narantuya – her worst finish at the event in 11 years.
“I must admit my recent form has been poor, and the Worlds loss was primarily due to my nervousness and lack of confidence,” Ng said.
“I have faced various bottlenecks in the past. It is a challenge for me to bounce back. It is not easy, but if I succeed, it means I’m a better and stronger player.”
Two young Asian players contested last Saturday’s Worlds final in Bangkok, with 23-year-old Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan of Thailand defeating teenager Bai Yulu of China 6-3 after a seven-hour battle.
“It is a good sign to see that more young players are coming through the field, to make it more competitive. Yhey are from all over the world – Thailand, China, Mongolia, Australia,” Ng said.
“In the past, female players tended to play in a conservative way with few high breaks, waiting for their opponents to make mistakes. However, young players today play it very aggressively, which is very different from what it used to be.
“Bai and Nuanthakhamjan are good examples for the youngsters. They are both very aggressive and very accurate with the white ball. I’m happy for them to have the breakthrough and I believe they will have a bright future.
“They have no burden on their shoulders and can play according to their flow, whereas experience is my strength, which I must make good use of.”
With the winner of the Women’s World Championship receiving a two-year main tour card, and world No 1 Mink Nutcharut of Thailand and No 4 Rebecca Kenna of the UK still having a year left on theirs, only one spot remains, with No 2 Reanne Evans set to battle it out with Ng.
With only the British Women’s Open remaining this season, Ng can still leapfrog Evans if she wins the tournament, and her head coach Wayne Griffiths if backing her to do it.
“I have two more [men’s] tournaments coming up, I hope I can gain more confidence,” Ng said, referring to the WST Classic in Leicester from March 16-22, and the World Championships qualifiers at the English Institute of Sport in April.
“Those experiences on the main tour have made me even tougher and stronger. Even though I lost the matches, I benefited and learned a lot, including the way they play the balls,” Ng added.
Ng said if she does not qualify by ranking for a tour card, she will return to qualifying tournaments. “I will keep trying, if not next season, then the one after, I will not quit,” she said.
