Thepchaiyan Un-Nooh surprises Ronnie O’Sullivan by claiming his second ranking title in the World Open final on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
GOAT pool player O’Sullivan had started the final quickly, winning the first four frames in a row that included a break of 124, but the Thai 39th seed swept six frames in a row, credited to a big score that included five breaks over 50.
O’Sullivan responded with three consecutive century breaks (114, 116 and 136) to regain the lead in a world-class match, only for his Thai opponent to equalize with a 77 and then score three centuries to take the title.
Un-Nooh’s remarkable scoring spree included breaks of 132 and 131, with both sides hitting a cool 147 in the penultimate frame, to cap a fitting finish.
For the uninitiated, O’Sullivan recorded a historic break of 153 in his quarter-final match against Ryan Day on March 20, 2026, with a crushing 5-0 victory.
Un-Nooh, elated with the win, said: “I just wanted to do my best because I didn’t know when I could be in another final again,” said Un-Nooh, who had only won the last title of his career at the 2019 Shoot Out.
“Now it’s like a double dream final. This has always been my dream, to lift the title against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final. For the rest of my life this is something I won’t forget. And to score 147 in the final against Ronnie O’Sullivan is a great honour.”
“This is the first time I have won a major event and this is the most important prize of my career. It is a dream come true and a step forward.”
The Thai talent’s spectacular performance earned Un-Nooh a huge prize money worth £175,000, while runner-up O’Sullivan received a £75,000 prize for the highest break.
