Women’s world No 2 Ng On-yee relishing teaming up with Judd Trump for World Mixed Doubles

The burgeoning rivalry between snooker’s high two resumes this weekend. Only the circumstances couldn’t be extra totally different to the final time they shared a desk.

When Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump met in May, they have been carrying waistcoats in a best-of-35 World Championship ultimate on the Crucible Theatre. 

This weekend, they are going to be in polo shirts for a four-frame round-robin fixture at Milton Keynes’ Marshall Arena.

Oh, and they are going to be taking part in alongside a feminine accomplice.

Women’s world No 2 Ng On-yee just lately (above) beat 1997 world champion Ken Doherty

For the primary time since 1991 — when Trump was solely 18 months outdated — snooker is staging a serious combined doubles occasion, with the world’s greatest 4 women and men all in motion. O’Sullivan will play with girls’s No 1 Reanne Evans, whereas Trump has been paired with Ng On-yee, who just lately beat 1997 world champion Ken Doherty.

The different groups see Mark Selby partnered by Rebecca Kenna and Neil Robertson alongside girls’s world champion Mink Nutcharut.

And Trump has his sights set on emulating Steve Davis, who received with Allison Fisher in snooker’s solely different event of this type on the World Masters 31 years in the past.

‘Being a new event, everyone wants to be the first pair to win it,’ Trump tells Sportsmail. ‘It’s such a giant alternative for all of us to showcase what we will do.

‘There is going to be a bit of extra pressure because you don’t need to let your accomplice down, however I’m certain the very best gamers can thrive off that. It’s going to be fairly enjoyable.’

The World Mixed Doubles will likely be dwell on ITV, with the 4 pairs taking part in one another over 4 frames in a spherical robin, with the highest two going by means of to a best-of-seven ultimate. Team members will make various visits to the desk slightly than taking part in alternate photographs. It is the most recent try by World Snooker to advertise the ladies’s sport, with Evans and Ng receiving playing cards to play on the principle tour final 12 months, and Kenna and Nutcharut becoming a member of this season.

‘This event is especially good for the women to get their opportunity to play on mainstream TV and hopefully help the women’s sport take off much more,’ says world No 2 Trump.

‘For them to be able to learn from greats like Ronnie up close, and to play with the pressure of TV, it can only be a good experience.

Ng will partner Judd Trump at the World Mixed Doubles in Milton Keynes this weekend

‘If women are seen playing on TV and it looks cool, it will hopefully inspire a future generation. If girls take up the sport from a young age, eventually you are going to get female players who are able to get into the top 50 of the rankings.’

Trump’s accomplice Ng has already proved she will be able to combine it with the lads, beating China’s Wu Yize in February after which Doherty in British Open qualifying final month. Now the 31-year-old is worked up to tackle seven-time Crucible winner O’Sullivan, who she as soon as ran shut in a observe match. 

‘I met Ronnie at breakfast once,’ Ng recollects over Zoom from Hong Kong. (*2*)Sullivan, however ultimately misplaced 10-7″ class=”blkBorder img-share” type=”max-width:100%”>