Chris Wakelin reveals reason he almost pulled out after 'mind-blowing' Scottish Open final win over Chang Bingyu

Chris Wakelin was in disbelief after he clinched the second ranking title of his career, and his biggest triumph to date. The Englishman revealed in his winner's interview that he had almost pulled out of the tournament earlier in the week due to family issues. The 2023 Shoot Out champion managed to hold it together in Edinburgh, recording an emphatic 9-2 victory over Chang Bingyu in the final.

'Who'd have thought it?' - Wakelin reacts after Scottish Open final triumph

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Chris Wakelin was stunned by his "mind-blowing" 9-2 victory over Chang Bingyu to seal the 2025 Scottish Open crown.

It was only the 33-year-old's second ranking title of his career and one which boosted him into the top 16 in the world.

But the 2023 Shoot Out champion's tournament could have been over after the first round, with a family emergency putting his participation in serious doubt.

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"Who'd have thought it?" said Wakelin in the immediate aftermath of his triumph. "When we arrived up here on Sunday, I had no expectations at all given how the last few weeks have been. We've had some issues at home.

"My only objective this week was to turn up, to literally walk in the building and get my cue out. To be the winner is just magic."

Wakelin had suffered a bout of pneumonia the week previously, and was given a scare on his arrival in the Scottish capital, as he later explained to TNT Sports' Jimmy White, Alan McManus and Rachel Casey.

Watch Wakelin's wondrous title-winning century break in FULL

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"We got up here on Sunday and on Tuesday lunchtime we were in hospital with her [Mia, Wakelin's one-year-old daughter]. She wasn't very well, but thankfully the nurses there managed to get her back.

"When I got back from my first-round match, they were right as rain back in the hotel. So to think, in the last five days, we've gone from nearly pulling out to standing here [as champion].

"I had pneumonia last week. I've got so many excuses - more excuses than when I lose!

"I couldn't sleep last night. Luckily, Lucy [Wakelin's fiancee] agreed to go and stay in an entirely different hotel to give me a little bit of a break.

"But I was going to sleep last night and thinking, wouldn't it be just magic to be out there lifting the trophy and having Mia and Lucy there as well?

"To get it done in such emphatic style and to have them celebrate with me is something I'll never forget."

Wakelin clips in 'amazingly good' red to go one frame away from glory

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Wakelin's season has seen him reach the Saudi Arabia Masters final four, barely a month after he recorded his best finish at the World Championship.

Eventual winner Zhao Xintong halted his progress in Sheffield at the quarter-final stage, but nobody could stop the former delivery driver from going all the way in Edinburgh this December.

"This sort of thing is mind-blowing for me. Only a couple of years ago, I could never see myself being able to walk out here in a big final and then hold myself together," said Wakelin.

"I'm a humble man. I don't see myself as anything different from any other man on the street. So to think that someone like me, coming from such humble beginnings can achieve such things, I'm blown away by myself, genuinely.

"It doesn't get any better than this, right?"

Chang dazzles crowd and stuns opponent with incredible long red

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Wakelin also had words of praise for his opponent in the final, Chang, who had knocked out Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby and Mark Allen en route to the showpiece on Sunday.

"I just want to say a massive well done to Bingyu over there," said Wakelin. "He's an absolute credit to this sport. He's had some issues over the last couple of years, so to see that he's making his way up the rankings so quickly now, he's a phenomenal talent.

"He's definitely one to watch out for and I'm sure he'll be back in a big final soon.

"There are so many good young players now, and obviously the guys who've been doing it for 20, 30 years are still at the top of the game as well. So you've got to be incredibly special to break through."

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