Thepchaiyan Un-Nooh surprises Ronnie O’Sullivan by winning his second ranking title at the World Open Final on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
The snooker GOAT, O’Sullivan had started the final quickly, winning the first four frames in a row including a break of 124, but the Thai 39 seed swept six frames in a row, credited to a big score including five breaks out of 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, then strike three centuries later to claim the title.
Un-Nooh’s remarkable scoring run included breaks of 132 and 131, with each side scoring a cool 147 in the penultimate frame, to cap off a fitting finale.
For the unversed, O’Sullivan made 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, excited about the triumph, said: “I just wanted to do my best because I didn’t know when I would be able to compete in another final again,” said Un-Nooh, who only won the last title of his career at the 2019 Shoot Out.
“It’s like a dream double final now. It’s always been my dream, to win the title against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final. For the rest of my life, it’s something I’m not going to forget. And to make a 147 in the final against Ronnie O’Sullivan is a great honour.”
“It’s the first time I’ve won a major event and it’s the biggest prize of my career. It’s a dream come true and a step forward.”
The Thai talent’s spectacular performance earned Un-Nooh a huge prize worth £175,000, while runner-up O’Sullivan received a £75,000 prize for the highest break.
