Sunday, 22 March 2026
RONNIE O'SULLIVAN DENIED SNOOKER HISTORY BY THEPCHAIYA UN-NOOH IN WILD WORLD OPEN FINAL
 |
| Ronnie O’Sullivan fell short against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in an epic World Open final (Picture: Getty Images) |
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh made a 147 on his way to beating Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-7 in an incredible final of the World Open on Sunday.
The Rocket was hot favourite to beat the 40-year-old, who had only won one ranking event previously and that was at the one-frame Shoot Out.
However, the Thai star has proved unstoppable this week in Yushan, having beaten world number one Judd Trump 6-4 in the semi-finals.
Even falling 4-0 behind to O’Sullivan on Sunday did not faze Un-Nooh, who responded by reeling off the next six frames on the spin.
The seven-time world champion did look rattled, showing obvious signs of frustration, but settled down and showed his own immense talent once again.
O’Sullivan knocked in three centuries on the bounce to regain the lead, moving 7-6 ahead and looking incredibly strong again.
However, that was as good as it got for the Englishman, with Un-Nooh making a 77 to level up and then a 132 to go ahead again.
 |
| Thepchaiya Un-Nooh lands the £175,000 top prize (Picture:Getty Images) |
Then came a stunning 147, which rarely looked likely and came amid huge pressure, but he knocked it in seemingly without nerves.
It was the seventh maximum of the Thai’s career, but will not see him claim the high break prize after O’Sullivan’s record-breaking 153 in the quarter-finals against Ryan Day.
That will not bother him, though, and he continued his rampant form by winning the match in the next frame, knocking in a break of 131 to win 10-7.
O’Sullivan looked on course to become the first player in history to win a ranking event in his teens, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, but will have to wait to try and achieve that feat.
The 50-year-old was brilliant over the event, most notably when he made that highest ever break of 153, but just could not do anything to stop the man known as F1 for his rapid pace of play.
Former world number three Neal Foulds said on TNT Sports commentary of Thepchaiya’s final three tons, including the 147: ‘I just think it’s one of the best displays of break-building under pressure that I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s just incredible.
‘If he’d have done that in any match it would have been out of this world, but to do it to win his first title is just something off the scale for me.’
O’Sullivan has chosen not to play in that event, despite qualifying, and will pick up £75,000 for finishing runner-up in Yushan.
The former Shoot Out champion had been having a quiet season so far and had not been to a ranking quarter-final since the 2022 Scottish Open.
In that regard this run came out of nowhere, but his only previous ranking final outside of the Shoot Out came at this event in 2019, when he was beaten by Trump.
- Phil Haigh
Saturday, 21 March 2026
LIVERPOOL'S PREMIER LEAGUE CLASH WITH BRIGHTON DELAYED AS STATEMENT RELEASED
Liverpool and Brighton will kick off their Premier League clash 15 minutes later than scheduled due to a traffic accident near the Amex Stadium
 |
| Brighton host Liverpool in the Premier League's early kick-off (Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images) |
Liverpool's Premier League clash with Brighton has seen kick off delayed by 15 minutes due to a road traffic accident near the Amex Stadium.
The incident has occurred on the A27, with Brighton confirming the delay on their social media accounts. In a post, the Premier League said: "Kick-off for today’s Premier League match between Brighton and Liverpool has been delayed by 15 minutes to 12:45pm.
"This is due to heavy traffic in the local area delaying the arrival of supporters." While speaking on TNT Sports, Lynsey Hipgrave added: "We do have a lot of empty seats still at the moment.
 |
| Arne Slot made two changes to his Liverpool line-up (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) |
"There is going to be a delay to kick-off here while they try and get as many fans as possible into the stadium. There has been an accident on the A27 heading toward the AMEX today, so long tailbacks outside.
"They are going to hold the match back a little bit just to try and get as many of the supporters in as they can."
Arne Slot was forced to sideline Mohamed Salah, with Cody Gakpo named in the starting side. Florian Wirtz was also named in the starting side, and he opened up about his season to TNT Sports ahead of kick-off.
Wirtz said: "Everyone in the world knows that the Premier League is the most intense and physically it was maybe a bit more than I was thinking but there’s always difficult things on the pitch where you have to adapt.
"Maybe you have also a bit more responsibility for more people who are supporting you and wanting you to do good.
“When I was at Leverkusen, I could have more time on the ball and maybe turn easier.
"Here you have to be so ready, with your first touch you have to be away already because otherwise there are three people on you and smashing into you. That’s maybe also a big difference. I have to be faster in my decisions.”
- Will Schofield
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)