KO BEATS ANOTHER PINOY IN UNIVERSAL CHINESE TAIPEI OPEN FINALS

  MANILA, Philippines — Taiwanese cue artist Ko Pin Yi got his second title in weeks, after securing the title at the 4th Universal Chinese Taipei Open.

  This time, Ko defeated Filipino Ronel Nalaunan 13-11 in the final.

  Similar to his victory at the CTPBA Grand Finals, Ko was trailing 5-2 before capitalizing on a few errors in reaching the hill.

  It was a close match between Ko and Nalaunan, until a jump shot on the 7 gave the Taiwanese his second championship, after beating AJ Manas at the CTPBA Grand Finals.

  In a Facebook post, Vietnam’s Duong Quoc Hoang respected the Filipino’s game.

  “When I saw Ronel standing as the runner-up of the Chinese Taipei Open 2026, 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,” Duong said.

  “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,” he added.   

2026-01-13T06:44:44Z