Thepchaiya Un-Nooh sends home crowd wild by reaching Six Reds World Championship final in Thailand

The home favorite kept his nerve in the crucial frame to drive the crowd mad and he now meets Ding Junhui or Tom Ford for the title in a best-of-15 frames on Saturday.

It is the third time Un-Nooh has reached the finals of this invitational tournament, which was first held in 2008 and last held in 2019 after winning the title in 2015 when he defeated Liang Wenbo 8-2 and finished second behind Mark Williams in 2017 .

Vafaei had taken a 5-2 lead, but a crucial miss in the eighth frame allowed Un-Nooh to earn a frame-winning break from 50 to get back in the match.

The world No. 45 pulled another one back, only for Vafaei to grab the next and move 6-4 away from victory.

Un-Nooh managed a brave 59 break to stay alive before edging a tight 12th frame and running away with the deciding set.

“I am so relieved. When I was 6-4 behind, I didn’t feel good. I only looked to my family to give me some strength. He missed in the last frame and I got the first chance. It’s a good game to win,” said 37-year-old Un-Nooh.

“I’m very happy to play among them (Thai fans), including my family. This is a very rare chance to reach the finals of a major event in Thailand. I will now give my best in the final.

“The fans have helped me a lot. They were with me on every shot and that gave me energy to sink balls. Hopefully there will be more tomorrow.

“It’s going to be a big moment tomorrow. It’s been eight years since I won the trophy at this event. I’ve waited a very long time to win the Six Red again. It would be great if I could lift the trophy.”

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Six Reds tournament format and results so far

• The first round consists of eight groups of four players and runs from March 6th to 8th.
• Each group match is the best of 11 frames, with the winner receiving one point and the loser none.
• The top two players in each group advance to the KO round. When the players are tied, the frame difference comes into play.
• The last 16 and quarterfinals are both best-of-11 frames and take place on March 9th.
• The semifinals are the best of 13 frames and will take place on Friday March 10th. The finale will be the best of 15 frames on Saturday March 11th.

Six Red Group A

• Ding Junhui 5-2 Stephen Maguire
• Zhang Anda 5-2 Mink Nutcharut
• Zhang Anda 5-2 Stephen Maguire
• Ding Junhui 5-2 Mink Nutcharut
• Zhang Anda 5-0 Ding Junhui
• Stephen Maguire 5-0 Mink Nutcharut

Zhang Anda (1st) and Ding Junhui (2nd) are making progress

Six Red Group B

• Thepchaiya Un Nooh 5-0 Jimmy White
• Tom Ford 5-1 Zhou Yuelong
• Zhou Yuelong 5-1 Jimmy White
• Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5-3 Tom Ford
• Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5-2 Zhou Yuelong
• Jimmy White 5-3 Tom Ford

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (1st) and Tom Ford (2nd) advance

Six Red Group C

• John Higgins 5-2 Ken Doherty
• Hossein Vafaei 5-2 Poramin Danjirakul
• Hossein Vafaei 5-1 John Higgins
• Pormin Danjirakul 5-3 Ken Doherty
• John Higgins 5-0 Poramin Danjirakul
• Hossein Vafaei 5-1 Ken Doherty

Hossein Vafaei (1.) and John Higgins (2.) progress

Six Red Group D

• Judd Trump 5-0 Ricky Walden
• Ma Hai Long 5-3 Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn
• Judd Trump 5-4 Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn
• Ricky Walden 5-1 Ma Hailong
• Judd Trump 5-4 Ma Hailong
• Ricky Walden 5-4 Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn

Judd Trump (1.) and Rick Walden (2.) Progress

Six Reds Group E

• Robert Milkins 5-2 Matthew Selt
• Chris Wakelin 5-4 Dechawat Poomjaeng
• Chris Wakelin 5-4 Matthew Selt
• Dechawat Poomjaeng 5-0 Robert Milkins
• Chris Wakelin 5-3 Robert Milkins
• Matthew Selt 5-3 Dechawat Poomjaeng

Chris Wakelin (1.) and Dechawat Poomjaeng (2.) Progress

Six Red Group F

• Joe Perry 5-1 Mark Williams
• Andres Petrov 5-3 Sunny Akani
• Mark Williams 5-4 Sunny Akani
• Joe Perry 5-3 Andres Petrov
• Mark Williams 5-2 Andres Petrov
• Joe Perry 5-3 Sunny Akani

Joe Perry (1.) and Mark Williams (2.) Progress

Six Red Group G

• Noppon Saengkham 5-4 Jordan Brown
• Stuart Bingham 5-1 Mahoud El Hareedy
• Stuart Bingham 5-2 Jordan Brown
• Noppon Saengkham 5-1 Mahoud El Hareedy
• Jordan Brown 5-2 Mahoud El Hareedy
• Stuart Bingham 5-2 Noppon Saengkham

Stuart Binham (1.) and Nopon Saengkham (2.) progress

Six Red Group H

• Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-3 Jimmy Robertson
• James Wattana 5-1 Stan Moody
• Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-2 Stan Moody
• James Wattana 5-4 Jimmy Robertson
• Jimmy Robertson 5-2 Stan Moody
• Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-2 James Wattana

Ronnie O’Sullivan (1.) and James Wattana (2.) progress

knockout phases

In drawbar order

Last 16 (March 9)

• Zhang Anda 6-4 James Wattana
• Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 6-2 Dechawat Poomjaeng
• Hossein Vafaei 6-3 Noppon Saengkham
• Judd Trump 6-3 Mark Williams
• Chris Wakelin 3-6 Tom Ford
• Joe Perry 2-6 John Higgins
• Stuart Bingham 6-0 Ricky Walden
• Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-6 Ding Junhui

quarter–final (9th March)

• Zhang Anda 2-6 Thepchaiya Un Nooh
• Hossein Vafaei 6-5 Judd Trump
• Tom Ford 6-5 John Higgins
• Stuart Bingham 2-6 Ding Junhui

semifinals (March 10)

• Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 7-6 Hossein Vafaei
• Tom Ford vs Ding Junhui

Finals (March 11)

• Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Winner SF 2