Ronel Naluanan

From Kalibo, Aklan in the heart of the Philippines, Ronel Nalaunan is one of the most quietly compelling stories on the World Nineball Tour.

Those who have shared a table with him describe the same thing: a quick rhythm, meticulous intention, and an intensity that does not switch off even in a casual practice session. Vietnamese number one Duong Quoc Hoang, after playing a friendly match with Ronel at Marboys Billiards in Manila, came away with one clear impression: this is a player who wants it. That hunger has translated into results. At the 2025 Ibalong International 9-Ball Tournament, Ronel came back from a 6-10 deficit in the final, clawing all the way back to 11-11 before sealing a thrilling 13-12 victory and taking home the title.

His breakthrough on the international stage came at the 2026 Chinese Taipei Open, a World Nineball Tour ranking event that drew 128 players including World Champions Carlo Biado and Johann Chua. Ronel was the underdog nobody had circled. He went on to defeat AJ Manas, Naoyuki Oi, and former world champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz in an 11-10 semi-final that ended with a kick shot described by observers as Efren Reyes-esque, before reaching his first-ever WNT ranking final. He fell 13-11 to Ko Pin-Yi in a tight championship match, but left Taiwan with a reputation that no longer needed an introduction.

He currently sits inside the top 56 on the World Nineball Tour rankings, and the trajectory is unmistakably upward. Ronel's game is built on composure and craft, a patient style that draws opponents in before pulling the rug from underneath them. He is exactly the kind of player Triple 60 is built for: technically precise, mentally sharp, and still with everything ahead of him.