Hong Kong snooker star Ng On-yee was celebrating a "dream come true" on Friday after she became the first Asian woman to be invited to the men's world championships.

The bespectacled Ng, 25, will now attempt to become the first woman to reach the main draw after she was handed a spot at the qualifying tournament.

The women's world champion said her invitation to Sheffield in April was a positive move from the World Snooker Association (WSA).

"I am very excited about the prospect to compete in the best competition in the world," Ng said by email.

"I am sure... all the top lady players are very excited to see that the WSA is showing signs of moving away from past tradition and opening up the door for more opportunities for ladies to participate in different competitions," she added.

Britain's 10-time women's world champion Reanne Evans was invited to last year's tournament but she lost narrowly to former men's world champion Ken Doherty in qualifying.

Britain's reigning world champion Stuart Bingham, who beat Ng in an exhibition match in Hong Kong last June, said there was no reason women couldn't compete with the men.

"All it is is mental attitude, so hopefully someone like Ng On-yee can compete with the men and boost the game forward," he told the South China Morning Post at the time.
Source :AFP