Chris Wakelin produced the upset of the second round when he dispatched 8th seed Mark Allen 13-6 on April 27, stringing together a remarkable run of 7 consecutive frames either side of the mid session interval. Beginning the day with a 6-2 advantage, the Coventry cueist extended the cushion to 10-2 before Allen’s historic maximum briefly stalled the onslaught. Undeterred, Wakelin regrouped to clinch the final frame of the session and wrapped up victory in authoritative style that evening.
The turning point arrived in frame 11 when Wakelin nailed a thin cut yellow from baulk to spark a 119 clearance. BBC pundit Stephen Hendry called it “phenomenal” and “one of the best shots I have seen in that situation,” noting the positional precision required to develop the green. That audacious pot epitomised Wakelin’s confidence throughout a contest where he consistently outmanoeuvred Allen in safety exchanges while capitalising on every scoring chance.
Statistically the 33 year old achieved 87 percent pot success and a safety success figure above 80, eclipsing Allen in both departments despite his opponent’s headline grabbing 147. Wakelin’s reward is a maiden Crucible quarter final with Zhao Xintong, a showdown few predicted when the draw was made.
The victory continues a breakout season for Wakelin who upset Neil Robertson in round one after starting qualifying ranked outside the top 30. He credits mindfulness training and a reduced practice schedule for improved mental stamina during marathon sessions. Speaking to World Snooker Tour media, Wakelin said “I used to over work and arrive burned out. Now I do three focused hours and leave the table wanting more.”
Allen was magnanimous in defeat, describing Wakelin’s tactical resilience as “first class” and predicting his conqueror could emulate Jordan Brown’s unlikely Welsh Open run of 2021. For now, Wakelin’s giant slaying march stands as the feel good story of the championship’s opening week.
