Vietnamese number one Duong Quoc Hoang has heaped praise on Filipino Ronel Nalaunan following his incredible run to the Chinese Taipei Open final.
Nalaunan reached his maiden ranking final on the World Nineball Tour in the Taiwanese capital and was narrowly denied in a 13-11 defeat to Ko Pin-Yi in a gripping championship match.
He executed a phenomenal Efren Reyes-esque kick shot in the deciding rack of his semi-final victory over former world champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, having also beaten AJ Manas and Naoyuki Oi on his way to the final.
Duong expressed his admiration of Nalaunan in a Facebook status, recollecting his practice session alongside him in Manila and discussing the financial aspects of competing in professional events.
“I once had the chance to play a friendly match with Ronel Nalaunan at Marboys,” Duong began. “It was a very ordinary session, with no audience and no stakes. We played three games that day, I lost one and won two, but what stayed with me was never the score.
“At that time, I had just been knocked out early at the Philippines Open, losing in the very first round after an unbelievable miss on the nine ball. I was honestly drained, low on motivation, and discouraged, yet when I played with Ronel, I felt something very clearly, hunger.
“He has a small, slim frame. His rhythm is relatively quick, but every shot is played with great care and intention. Even though it was only a friendly match, he was extremely serious and composed.
“He adjusted his posture, sat upright, and was always ready to step onto the table the moment he had a chance. I could feel in that moment the mindset of someone who genuinely wanted to play pool and who took the game seriously.
“To compete internationally, skill alone is never enough. Financial reality is often the first barrier. Taiwan is in Asia, yet the visa process is far from easy – visa fees, accommodation and travel are not cheap. Many Vietnamese players have not even been able to obtain a visa to compete.
“With around fifty million Vietnamese dollars, let me ask a simple question – would you choose to travel to another country to compete, carrying a slim hope of winning as many matches as possible, or would you buy a brand new smartphone that you could comfortably use for years?
“I believe most people would choose the phone. That is why athletes who decide to take that money and go and compete have to make very different choices.
“It is the same amount of money. But when you take it to a tournament, you might lose two matches and go straight home, with no title and no prize money, leaving only the experience and questions you ask yourself afterwards.
“When I saw Ronel standing as the runner-up of the Chinese Taipei Open yesterday, I genuinely felt happy for him. It reminded me of an old moment, a simple and ordinary match where I once felt his seriousness and hunger so clearly.
“For me, elite sport is not built on victories alone. It is built on quiet choices, invisible sacrifices, and the determination to stay true to one’s path, even when you know you might have to leave very early.”
