Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan narrowly missed out on capturing one of the few titles absent from his illustrious career after losing the 2026 World Open final to Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. The defeat not only denied him the trophy but also a significant share of the prize money.
The tournament, now known as the World Open since 2010, has previously been held under names like the Grand Prix and LG Cup. Despite his dominance in the sport, O’Sullivan has never managed to win this particular event.
Heading into the final at the Yushan Sports Centre, O’Sullivan looked in top form. He produced a historic 153 break during a commanding 5-0 quarter-final win over Ryan Day the highest break ever recorded in professional snooker. He then edged past Wu Zise 6-5 in a tightly contested semi-final.
In the final, O’Sullivan surged into a 4-0 lead in the race to 10 frames, appearing in control. However, Un-Nooh staged a dramatic comeback, winning six consecutive frames to turn the match around. Although O’Sullivan responded with three straight century breaks (114, 102, 136) to regain a 7-6 lead, Un-Nooh matched his brilliance with three centuries of his own and clinched victory by taking four of the final frames.
The win earned Un-Nooh £175,000, while O’Sullivan collected £80,000 comprising £75,000 for finishing runner-up and a £5,000 bonus for the tournament’s highest break. Notably, Un-Nooh became only the second Thai player to win a full-ranking event, following James Wattana.
Elsewhere, defending champion John Higgins exited early in the last 64, losing to Stan Moody and earning £5,000. Other notable early departures included Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, and Mark Williams in the last 32, each taking home £9,000.
In the last 16, Zhao Xingtong was eliminated, earning £14,000. Quarter-finalists including Day, Gary Wilson, and Mark Allen each received £22,000. Semi-finalists Judd Trump and Wu Zise walked away with £33,000.
Attention now shifts to the upcoming World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, where the winner will claim a top prize of £500,000. Trump is currently viewed as the leading contender, though both O’Sullivan and defending world champion Zhao are also strong favourites.
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