Mink Nutcharut is looking forward to a ‘dream’ match with Ronnie O’Sullivan on Sunday, but it is the Rocket’s old rival Mark Selby who she sees as her snooker idol.
The women’s world number one takes on the seven-time world champion in the opening round of the International Championship in China on Sunday in a game that will attract plenty of attention.
The 24-year-old can’t wait to do battle with the Rocket, saying she was desperate to meet him on the table at some point before the 48-year-old hangs up his cue.
‘This time I’m really lucky with the draw. I’m really excited to play with him, it’s my dream,’ Mink told . ‘I told my friends that I wanted to play with him before he retires. This is my dream just to play him, lose or win I’m ok, I just want to play him.’
The Thai star has actually played O’Sullivan before, but in the World Mixed Doubles event, which is a very different challenge to a traditional match.
‘I remember that time, I played with him and he followed me, I felt the pressure because it’s Ronnie behind me!’ Mink said. ‘This time I want to try my best and maybe I can get experience from him.
‘It’s different in doubles, this time it’s just myself so I can play more for fun, but I want to win, I will try my best.’
The former women’s world champion is in no doubt that she is taking on the GOAT on Sunday, but she says it is actually four-time world champion Selby who she draws more inspiration from on the baize.
‘Ronnie is the best, for me, in snooker,’ she said. ‘The best one is Ronnie, but I can say my idol, for my style is Mark Selby. I just play snooker in my style but I want to control myself, like him.’
It is tough going for the four women on the World Snooker Tour, but Mink has pulled off some good results during her time as a professional.
She picked up a win at the first ever Saudi Arabia Masters this year, where her face adorned posters at the venue, much to her surprise.
‘The first time I saw it I was like, “Woah! Me! Are you sure?”‘ Mink said.
‘It was fun to go to Saudi, it was exciting when I played, I liked the venue, the tournament, the table. And every player went to Saudi. Sometimes you don’t talk to some players but we could talk a lot because everyone was there, it was nice.’
Mink joined the main tour in 2022 and obviously wants to win matches more regularly as she builds experience, but she has also set herself another target.
‘For the main tour now my goal I want to try to make a maximum,’ she said. ‘I think this is difficult for me but I want to try. I want to win more, of course, but it’s not easy for women. But my goal is 147.
‘I want to get the Women’s World Championship again too.’
Mink became the first woman to make a verified 147 in 2019, when she did so at the Hi-End Snooker Club in Bangkok, so it is within her capabilities.
Sheffield is home for her now that she is on tour, spending more time in South Yorkshire than Thailand, and while she is used to it, it can be lonely at times.
‘I’m here now more than in Thailand, I’m used to it, it’s better than the first year,’ she said. ‘I think the first year I was a little bit homesick, but now I can adjust to staying here a long time.’
Asked if she has made many friends in Sheffield, she said: ‘No, I just have like snooker players. There’s not a lot of Thai students. I practice and go back to my room, and go to play tournaments.
‘I like the lifestyle here, but for me the food in Thailand is better. Here is not easy for food. But everything else is ok, I enjoy to stay here. But it is very expensive! If I didn’t have sponsors it would not be easy to stay here.’
Mink is indeed decked out in sponsors on the shirt she practices in, ranging from more predictable snooker brands to Thai beer giants Singha.
It shows her popularity in her home country, which was also illustrated when she was made Commander (Third Class) of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn earlier this year, a prestigious honour in Thailand.
She will have her nation behind her when she takes on O’Sullivan in Nanjing this weekend, a match she is trying to treat like any other, but that might be easier said than done.
‘I look forward to play the games every time, I like to play in the tournaments. When I play in the small or big tournament it’s same,’ she said.
‘Sometimes it’s pressure but ok, I can control it. Every time it’s exciting. My game planning has improved and I have more experience now. I know what I can do.’