Thai talent Thepchaiya Un-Nooh scooped the biggest prize of his career by some distance after winning the World Open on Sunday. However, the 40-year-old could have bagged significantly more were it not for Ronnie O’Sullivan. Un-Nooh secured the second ranking title of his career after beating O’Sullivan 10-7 in the Yushan decider.

And it saw him walk away with £175,000, more than five times as much as he collected with his only previous ranking triumph at the 2019 Shoot Out, which awarded him £32,000. That being said, Un-Nooh would have increased his total winnings to £225,000 were it not for O’Sullivan snagging the bonus for the highest break. That’s after he made history by setting a new world record for the highest break on record thanks to his mesmeric 153 during his quarter-final showdown with Ryan Day. ‘The Rocket’ added to his catalogue of snooker accolades by breaking the previous record break of 148, which was set by Jamie Burnett during the 2004 UK Championship qualifiers. Usually, the highest maximum break in snooker is a 147, but O’Sullivan exploited a free ball opening against Day in the opening frame to breach that threshold.

As fate would have it, World Open champion Un-Nooh recorded a 147 in the final, which would have been sufficient to clinch the £75,000 break bonus under regular conditions. But O’Sullivan’s unique feat earlier in the competition meant that prize was already accounted for.

O’Sullivan, 50, was thoroughly gracious in defeat and put his opponent on a pedestal for his achievement. And the Englishman left fans in no doubt as to whom deserved the World Open crown.

“I just want to say well done to Thepchaiya, who played unbelievable snooker,” he said of the champion after Sunday’s finale. “I watched him play against Judd Trump last night, and he made the No. 1 player in the world look second best.

“I was hoping he wouldn’t play like that today but he did. He gave me a good hiding, really.”

In addition to the financial rewards won in China, Un-Nooh has also risen to 22nd in the World Snooker Tour rankings. His victory has also earned him one of 12 spots at next week’s Tour Championship, which gets underway in Manchester next Monday.

Regardless of how he fares at Manchester Central, the veteran will remain content with his display against O’Sullivan. And the biggest payday of his career to date will also make it difficult to forget.

“I just wanted to try my best because I didn’t know when I might be in another final again,” said Un-Nooh following his landmark win. “It is like a double dream final now. 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’m not going to forget. And to make a 147 in the final against Ronnie O’Sullivan is a great honour. This is my first time winning a major event and this is the biggest prize of my career. It is a dream come true and a step forward.”