One of the most eye-catching contests in the opening round of World Championship qualifying sees Mink Nutcharut take on her compatriot Dechawat Poomjaeng in an all-Thai affair that she would rather have avoided.
The former women’s world champion and the man known for his unpredictable showmanship practice together at Victoria’s Academy in Sheffield so know each other well from their time in England.
Their ties run deeper than that, though, as they are both from the Saraburi in Thailand, making their clash in Sheffield a genuine derby which will have plenty of people watching back home.
Mink would rather see all the Thai players do well, so would have preferred a different draw, but is still looking forward to a meeting with the outlandish fan favourite.
‘I didn’t want to play with a Thai player because I want us all to win,’ Mink told Metro.co.uk. ‘He’s from the same home town as me but I think this will be a good experience for me.
‘We have been practicing together. He is a good player, very good player. I went to watch him at the Shoot Out, I was like, “Oh my God, he has so many fans in the crowd!” He was very funny.
‘When we practice I try my best. If I can do anything I want to do it when I play in tournaments. I just try my best for myself.’
Mink is coming off something of a disappointing return to Thailand where she relinquished her women’s world title, defeated in the semi-finals by eventual champion Baipat Siripaporn.
‘It was nice to go back home but there was a lot of pressure because last year I was women’s champion and this year we go to play at Hi-End Snooker Club, my sponsor, Thailand is my country so I felt the pressure,’ she said.
‘I felt sad when I lost because I wanted to defend my championship and when I lost, the next day I realised it was gone and I couldn’t get it back. But I can move on and learn what I did wrong.’
One plus for Mink, though, is that Baipat earned a place on the main tour and will be another Thai player joining her for much of the season in England, something the 23-year-old is looking forward to after coming over alone from Thailand for the majority of this campaign.
‘She’s coming to play the World Championship qualifiers but she’ll stay in Q House in Darlington,’ said Mink. ‘But it’s good, I want more Thai players to come. I want snooker to be more popular in Thailand.
‘I’m excited for her, when she comes on the main tour it will be a nice experience, and for me, she’s is my best friend.
‘I think she can win, she is a good player, she can compete with the men.’
Mink’s first season on the professional tour has seen her win the first edition of the World Mixed Doubles alongside Neil Robertson and pick up a first win in a ranking event against Mitchell Mann at the Northern Ireland Open.
Needing to win four matches to reach the Crucible this month is an enormous ask, but she would love to return to the iconic venue having played there once before.
The Women’s Tour Championship was played at the Crucible in 2019, which featured Mink, Reanne Evans, Ng On Yee and Rebecca Kenna, and it was an experience that the Thai star absolutely loved.
‘I want to play at the Crucible again. I felt when I played there before like I’m world champion and everyone is watching me,’ she said.
‘I like that feeling of a big tournament, like the Mixed Doubles, I like the big crowds. First time I was nervous but the more times I do it, the better I can be.’
Mink has another year to come on her current two-year tour card, which means another few stints in Sheffield, which she has become fond of, but not for the reason you might expect.
‘When I come back here I like it, I like the weather here, in Thailand it’s too hot,’ she said, in a stunning revelation that South Yorkshire weather could be better than Bangkok.
‘It’s not the same as Thailand, sometimes I miss home but I feel a little bit at home here now. I like Sheffield, I think it’s a good city. When I miss home sometimes I can just eat Thai food or go and eat with Noppon [Saengkham].’
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