Chris Wakelin secured the Scottish Open crown on Sunday evening with a dominant 9-2 demolition of Chang Bingyu in Edinburgh, pocketing £100,000 and claiming his second career ranking title.
The 33-year-old Englishman found himself trailing 2-1 early in the final at Meadowbank Sports Centre before producing a devastating response, reeling off eight consecutive frames to seal victory emphatically.
Wakelin’s triumph follows his 2023 Shoot Out success, though this represents his first major ranking title outside the one-frame format.
The champion delivered seven breaks above 50 during the match, including runs of 73, 66, 96, 70 and 66 in the opening session, before capping his performance with a century to clinch the Stephen Hendry Trophy.
The victory came against a backdrop of turmoil that nearly derailed Wakelin’s tournament before it began.
The Englishman had battled pneumonia in the week leading up to the event, arriving in Scotland with just two or three days of practice behind him.
Then, on Tuesday lunchtime, his one-year-old daughter Mia was rushed to hospital, leaving Wakelin on the brink of withdrawal.
Wakelin told TNT Sports: “We got up here on Sunday and on Tuesday lunchtime we were in hospital with her. She wasn’t very well, but thankfully the nurses there managed to get her back.”
Chris Wakelin secured the Scottish Open crown on Sunday evening
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By the time he returned from his opening match, his daughter had recovered and was back at the hotel.
The sleepless nights continued throughout the week, with Mia teething and keeping her parents awake into the early hours.
Wakelin’s fiancée Lucy had even moved to a separate hotel on the eve of the final to give him a chance of rest.
He said: “I couldn’t sleep last night. 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.”
The victory came against a backdrop of turmoil that nearly derailed Wakelin’s tournament before it began
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Five quirky facts about snooker | PAThe former delivery driver described his achievement as “mind-blowing,” reflecting on his journey from humble beginnings to the sport’s elite.
He said: “My only objective this week was to walk in the building and get my cue out, so to be the winner is just magic.”
The victory propelled Wakelin into the world’s top 16, capping a remarkable season that included a World Championship quarter-final and Saudi Arabia Masters semi-final.
Chang Bingyu had arrived at the final as favourite following a stunning run through the draw that saw him dispatch some of snooker’s biggest names.
Chris Wakelin’s triumph follows his 2023 Shoot Out success
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The 23-year-old Chinese player, ranked 70th in the world, overcame 2023 world champion Kyren Wilson in the third round before eliminating four-time world champion Mark Selby in the quarter-finals and world number 10 Mark Allen 6-1 in the semi-finals.
Despite his disappointing performance in the showpiece, Chang remained positive about his breakthrough week.
He said through a translator: “I didn’t think that I could get this far and play this final. This has been a very big confidence boost to beat those top players.”
Wakelin was generous in his assessment of his vanquished opponent, declaring him “an absolute credit to the sport” and “a phenomenal talent” destined for future success.
