Billy Thorpe emerged victorious following a preposterous deciding rack against Ronel Nalaunan as the American advanced through to the Philippines Open Championship third round in Quezon City.
Thorpe struggled to hold back the laughter at the conclusion of a chaotic match against Nalaunan, with the pair contesting a thrilling second round clash in the middle of a boisterous shopping mall.
The two-time Mosconi Cup champion, who could encounter two-time US Open champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz in round three, admitted his fortune following a crazy battle and was keen to try his luck at the Filipino lottery.
“I literally have no words,” Thorpe told the World Nineball Tour. “Honestly, I played actually really great in that match and we both did. It was like, it was a hell of a match, honestly.
“Towards the end there was a couple of funny things that happened to me. I made a good jump shot, got hooked, kicked the ball in, then I missed a long three ball.
“We were the only match left in the building, so the whole mall is sitting here watching us and it was sick.
“I got very lucky. I need to go play the lottery. Tell me where the lottery’s at in the Philippines and I’ll be there. I’ll play. I’m going to get all the pesos y’all got.”
You just had to be there 🤯 Billy Thorpe and Ronel Nalaunan played out one of the craziest finishes you will ever see in your LIFE! 🔥 #WNT | @roobet #PhilippinesOpenPool 🇵🇭 https://t.co/oE97jz96Tr
— World Nineball Tour (@MatchroomPool) October 21, 2026
Chinese Taipei Open runner-up Nalaunan decisively scratched from an eight-nine combination in a mind-boggling final rack, with plenty of other shenanigans having unfolded prior to that moment.
“I missed the seven ball when I had a chance,” Thorpe explained. “I played a heck of a safe on the six ball, did exactly what I wanted, and he could barely see the edge of it. I thought I froze him to it, I thought I welded him to the eight, but he made a heck of a shot actually.
“He left me a shot, but my cue ball was on the rail and I only could drop the ball in and leave myself long, tough, straight in on the seven hill-hill with the whole mall watching. And I moved, I hit it like crap.
“But I don’t know, man, that game, that game was unreal. Obviously, we had I don’t know how many innings back and forth. I s*** out. I got lucky. I don’t know what else to say.”
Thorpe was full of praise for Nalaunan, adding: “He’s a monster that kid, he’s a monster for sure. And I just got lucky. It was meant to be. I don’t think I can lose from here now. I’m just going to free will.”
Defending champion David Alcaide was also embroiled in a dramatic deciding rack affair in the second round, surviving a scare against unheralded Filipino Paul John Ortega with the help of a brutal fluke in the penultimate rack.
Justin Bergman battled back from 7-2 behind to overcome 2025 runner-up Arseni Sevastyanov, while Duong Quoc Hoang was the biggest name to tumble on Wednesday at the hands of Tristan Deocareza.
