'You could see me shaking' - Chris Wakelin relives black-ball twist that almost cost him against Neil Robertson at World Snooker Championship
Updated 21/04/2025 at 12:00 GMT+1
Chris Wakelin clinched his first Crucible victory as he beat Neil Robertson despite making a sloppy error in what turned out to be the match-winning frame. The Englishman potted the black and played for a red that he would no longer be able to pot when the black returned to its spot. Speaking to TNT Sports afterwards, Wakelin admitted he "thought it was game over" when he realised his mistake.
Wakelin reflects on black spot miscalculation - 'I know it's game over'
Video credit: TNT Sports
Chris Wakelin said he thought it was "game over" after what could have been a costly miscalculation in his first-round victory over Neil Robertson.
Having led 7-2 following Saturday’s session, Wakelin lost the opening five frames on Sunday evening and was pegged back to 7-7 by the Australian.
However, the Englishman won two of the next three frames to go 9-8 up and just one shy of victory, before taking a 40-point lead as he looked to seal the match.
A careless in-off gave Robertson the chance to return to the table, and early on in his break, the Australian potted the black but decided to hold the cue ball on the black spot, meaning it was re-spotted on the pink spot.
Robertson missed the subsequent red, though, presenting another chance for Wakelin to wrap the contest up.
The world No. 20 took his first red before potting the black, now on the pink spot, and screwing back for a red just above the black spot.
However, the black ball was able to be re-spotted on its own spot now that there was no cue ball in the way, meaning the red Wakelin had played for could no longer be potted.
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Wakelin wraps up win after Robertson error
Video credit: TNT Sports
Speaking in the TNT Sports studio afterwards, Wakelin said: "When he missed that red down the cushion, I just assumed the black was going back on the pink spot.
"I could have played for the other red but just made it a simpler shot, just to screw back and then as soon as she (the referee) got the marker out I thought: ‘Oh no, it’s game over.’"
Wakelin cut a confused figure as the incident unfolded, and as he watched it back in the studio, he remarked: "You can see me shaking there."
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The Englishman was forced into taking on a tricky pot into the left centre pocket instead, but despite catching the jaws, the red ran safe, and he eventually went on to win frame and match.
Following his first-ever victory at the Crucible, Wakelin's reward was a meeting with Mark Allen or Fan Zhengyi in the last 16.
It's Allen who leads 5-4 following their opening session on Sunday and the pair will resume their contest on Monday afternoon.
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