Rugby-born snooker star Chris Wakelin has booked his place in the 2025 World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
The world number 20 defeated Xing Zihao 10-5 to set up a final round decider against Martin O’Donnell. Online bookmakers made him the favourite to win the game.
Requests for reviews of fast withdrawal betting sites spiked as punters sought to capitalise on Wakelin’s odds to progress to the final tournament.
He never gave them a moment’s worry after racing into a 6-0 lead. He recorded four 50+ breaks during that run to leave O’Donnell shell-shocked.
O’Donnell won two of the next three frames, but Wakelin steadied himself to rattle off three consecutive frames and claim an impressive 10-2 victory.
The 33-year-old will head into the main tournament at the Crucible in a buoyant mood after what has undoubtedly been a tricky time for him off the table.
Wakelin’s baby daughter was born prematurely in January, but her health has stabilised and she is now doing well. The experience has put snooker into perspective for him.
“I’ve not had the best few months,” Wakelin said. “I’ve had a nervous start to becoming a dad. The results over the last couple of months haven’t gone my way, but I’m aware the reason for that is I have a family now.
“It is absolutely magic being a dad. I never wanted children until I found out Lucy was pregnant. As much as it was scary when she was born prematurely, I am really grateful to all the people who have reached out to me.
“We are through the worst of it now, she is coming up to four months old and I’m looking forward to the future.
“I want to win, but if I lose I can say to myself that I can win the next tournament and I go home to a loving and beautiful partner and a little baby girl who is doing amazingly.
“The results aren’t as important anymore. I’ll try my absolute best, but the reality is I’m very lucky in my life with the people around me.”
While Wakelin is looking forward to a bright future on and off the table, seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is yet to decide whether he will play in the tournament.
The 49-year-old has withdrawn from numerous major events this season as he prioritises his health and wellbeing. ‘The Rocket’ remains snooker’s most engaging character, but his well-documented struggles with mental health have made life difficult for him.
In a recent interview with TNT Sports, O’Sullivan indicated that he would leave it as late as possible to decide whether he will compete in Sheffield.
“I don’t know when I’m due to play my first match, so I’m going to try and leave myself as much time as possible,” O’Sullivan said.
“I’d love to be able to go there and play – I’d love to be able to have the confidence to be able to get my cue out and go and play snooker.
“I just need to give myself as much time as possible to see where I’m at with it, and see whether it’s something I’m going to be able to do.”
“It’s been a real struggle. I’ve tried to play my way through. I’ve had moments and glimpses where I thought, ‘okay, this is okay’.
“But on the whole, probably three and a half years out of the last four have been pretty terrible for me, and that’s kind of took its toll.”
If O’Sullivan withdraws from the biggest snooker tournament in the sporting events calendar, it will be the first time he has missed it in his professional career.
He last won the event three years ago, when he equalled Stephen Hendry’s record in the modern era of seven world title successes at the Crucible.
Four-time world champion John Higgins believes O’Sullivan will play this year and is capable of repeating his 2013 success, when he won the title after missing most of the season.
“I think he will be there – I’ve got a feeling,” Higgins said. “I think he’ll be holding on to try and have the same thoughts he had when he took the year out and he came back and won it.
“I think he’ll be trying to take the positives. Although he’s not had a year out, he’s obviously had a good chunk of the season out. I’m sure he’ll be there, yeah.
“He can win it because he’s Ronnie. I would never ever rule that man out from winning anything, not at all. If he plays, he’s going to be a massive danger to everyone, without a doubt.”
By Machael Cage
