Chris Wakelin scored his first match win at the Crucible this year on a run to the World Championship quarter-finals and the Rugby cueman is now striving for further success on the sport’s biggest stages.
Wakelin put in a fine performance to beat 2010 World Champion Neil Robertson in the opening round, before breezing world number one Mark Allen 13-6 in the last 16. However, his run was then halted by a 13-5 loss at the hands of eventual World Champion Zhao Xintong.
There were many highlights for Wakelin away. One of which was moving six-time World Champion Steve Davis to tears with a daring yellow in his match with Allen.
Davis was analysing the match in the BBC studio when presenter Hazel Irvine asked if he had been moved to tears in relation to the shot. He replied: “I have, it’s sort of these things because you know how much pressure is on the shot and you see someone being that brave out there, it’s incredible.”
We’ve caught up with Wakelin to reflect on his run and to hear how it impacts his plans for the season ahead…
First of all, what were your emotions regarding winning that first match vs Neil? He came roaring back from 7-2 down to 7-7, how did that impact on your mentality?
“It was always going to be tough to get my first win at the Crucible, as it is for any player. I played how I know I can do. That was what it was all about. I knew if I could play to the level I am capable of, then I would be a match for anybody. I said that before the event and it was a bolshy thing to say in the pre tournament interviews. However, I think that was testament to the progress I had made. I feel like I backed it up.
“I wouldn’t have been able to win that match five years ago. It is as simple as that. When he came back to 7-7, the writing would have been on the wall. He would have known that as well. He wouldn’t have thought about getting to ten, it would have been to get to seven and draw level. Those matches are always going to have a bit of drama at the end, but I felt totally calm at 7-7. I wasn’t worried in the slightest. I was prepared for Neil to come back. He is a World Champion and one of the best players we have ever had. He doesn’t roll over. Once he got the bit between his teeth it was never going to be easy. There was no shock at that. I dug in and got over the finish line.”
Your yellow against Mark was one of the shots of the tournament. What was it like when you heard it had made Steve Davis emotional in the studio?
“Steve is one of my idols. It is still weird for me to be in the same room for people like Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry. To have them commentating on my matches, I’d have been terrified of that thought a few years ago. They’d have been tearing me to pieces. It is an honour to play in front of these guys and to have Steve showcasing the bravery of one of my shots is great. It is tough out there. It takes nerves of steel. Steve has lived and breathed everything at the Crucible. There is nothing that has happened there that he hasn’t seen. To see him experiencing emotions from my match is an honour.
“It took me a couple of minutes to work out that was the right shot to play. But when I did I was totally at peace with the fact that if I missed the ball and Mark got on a roll from it then that was how it was. It was amazing to hear that Steve was very complimentary. It was probably one of my favourite moments from the tournament."
You had a big lead when Mark crafted a 147. Did that change the dynamic of the match at all?
“When Mark got to 73 I wanted him to make the maximum. It was amazing moment for him and the tournament. There haven’t been that many at the Crucible. To sit in the chair and watch it was incredible. When the balls got racked up it was only one more frame on the board. He knew that unless he made another eight of them he’d struggle to win the match from there.
It didn’t end the way you’d hoped against Zhao. Were you still able to reflect positively on the event?
“The disappointing thing was that the only match in that tournament that Xintong looked beatable was against myself. I was mentally exhausted by the time the quarter finals came around. I think the psychological warfare of it all is something I’d never experienced before, in that sort of length of tournament. That really caught up with me so it has made me more determined to be fitter and stronger for next season. Not quite as Iron Man like as Luca Brecel, but definitely more physical targets for next season.
“There have been a couple of deep runs this season and the finals I’ve been in over recent years have taught me about longer matches. The psychological part is huge. Most players will play 15 to 25 frames a day in practice quite happily. When it means everything, it is more difficult to play with a clear mind. To make sound decisions every shot, as well as controlling your emotions, is quite difficult. We are in the entertainment business, so we are trying to do that as well as put food on the table for our families. I have an enormous amount of respect for anyone who has won that tournament. It is such a challenge. It is without doubt the toughest one to win.
“It was disappointing but I understand how and why it happened. I didn’t come away disappointed at all. It has made me more determined to be better prepared next season. I want to be in the top 16 next time because although Zhao won it from qualifying, it is very hard to be fresh. He hadn’t had a whole season on tour before that. What he achieved is incredible and it is massive for snooker. He is a genuine superstar and I’m sure he will go on to great things.”
How do you feel ahead of the new season?
“My only real goals for this season and every season going forward is to be ready and well prepared. This is a tough game. If someone plays out of there boots there isn’t a great deal you can do. I’ll make sure I’m prepared and ready and that is all I can ask of myself.”