In a thrilling match at the Brentwood Centre in Essex, Mink Nutcharut staged a spectacular comeback from 2-1 down against former women’s world champion Reanne Evans to secure a 4-2 victory on the first day of the English Open. The Thai professional showcased her matchplay skills to triumph over Evans in a hard-fought battle between two former champions.

Evans, who was looking to recover from her recent defeat in the women’s UK final, could not capitalize on a promising start and fell short against Nutcharut. Despite trailing 2-1 after a close third frame, Nutcharut regrouped and dominated the final three frames to emerge victorious against the 12-time UK and world champion.

Reflecting on her win, Nutcharut expressed her excitement for the upcoming match against three-time ranking event winner Ricky Walden in the second round. She stated, “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to compete against such a talented player like Ricky. It will be a tough match, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

In other matches on the opening day of the English Open, Liam Pullen secured a dominant 4-0 win over Antoni Kowalski, while Dylan Emery emerged victorious with a 4-1 win against Alfie Burden. Ashley Carty also cruised to a 4-0 victory over Anton Kazakov, and Oliver Lines held off Rory Thor with a 4-3 win to advance to the next round.

Looking ahead to the defending champion Judd Trump’s tournament opener, the world’s top 16 players are all seeded through to the last 64. Trump is set to face either Carty or Liu Hongyu in his first match on Monday afternoon, as the battle for the coveted £100,000 prize intensifies.

The English Open has set the stage for an exciting competition, with top players showcasing their skills and fighting for victory. Stay tuned for more thrilling matches as the tournament progresses.