I was an Asda delivery driver and nearly gave up snooker, now I’m playing for £175k in International Championship final

CHRIS WAKELIN was once an Asda delivery driver.

Now, he’s vying for £175,000 in the International Championship final.

Chris Wakelin edged past Xiao Guodong with a 9-8 victory on Friday

Wakelin, 32, will need to deliver the goods when he plays the winner of Ding Junhui and Xu Si in the final on November 10.

The Brit edged past China’s Xiao Guodong with a 9-8 victory in a thrilling semi-final that went all the way to 17 frames.

Wakelin looked to have bottled it when Xiao fought back from 6-3 down to level at 8-8 but held his nerve in the decider.

It’s the first time the Englishman has made it into the top 16 of the world rankings in his career and caps what has been a really fine season for him.

The Rugby man, who is expecting a baby with his partner, broke down in tears at the “hardest match of my life.”

He said: “It’s so hard to explain the feelings.

“You work your entire life at this game for moments like this.

“From 8-5 up, I had totally thrown it away. Xiao capitalised on me making ridiculously easy mistakes.

Wakelin beat China’s Xiao Guodong in the semi-final

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“When it came to the decider, I said to myself: ‘It’s now or never. If your chance comes, just forget about what has happened in the last 3-4 frames.’

“I’m so relieved I have a day off on Saturday. I’m absolutely done in by this. That was the hardest match of my life for sure.”

After playing in snooker leagues since aged 11, Wakelin’s career came to a halt at the age of 17 when he had to start working full-time as ASDA delivery driver to support himself financially.

And snooker became a hobby after it was forced to take a back-seat.

In 2012, Wakelin decided to give the game another go.

But he soon had to face more difficulties as family issues resulted in a severe depression: “I could line up but I just couldn’t pot.

“I thought I would never play again. But thankfully with the help of my friends I managed to turn it around.”

And now Wakelin has reached the third ranking final of his career.

He won the Shoot Out in 2023 and was runner-up at the Northern Ireland Open 10 months later.

But he will earn at least £75,000 in prize money as runner up – which would be his career highest payday.

List of all-time Snooker World Champions

BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.

The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season hen the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.

The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.

Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.

Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.

1969 – John Spencer
1970 – Ray Reardon
1971 – John Spencer
1972 – Alex Higgins
1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
1977 – John Spencer (2)
1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
1979 – Terry Griffiths
1980 – Cliff Thorburn
1981 – Steve Davis
1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
1983 – Steve Davis (2)
1984 – Steve Davis (3)
1985 – Dennis Taylor
1986 – Joe Johnson
1987 – Steve Davis (4)
1988 – Steve Davis (5)
1989 – Steve Davis (6)
1990 – Stephen Hendry
1991 – John Parrott
1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 – Ken Doherty
1998 – John Higgins
1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 – Mark Williams
2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 – Peter Ebdon
2003 – Mark Williams (2)
2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
2005 – Shaun Murphy
2006 – Graeme Dott
2007 – John Higgins (2)
2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
2009 – John Higgins (3)
2010 – Neil Robertson
2011 – John Higgins (4)
2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
2014 – Mark Selby
2015 – Stuart Bingham
2016 – Mark Selby (2)
2017 – Mark Selby (3)
2018 – Mark Williams (3)
2019 – Judd Trump
2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
2021 – Mark Selby (4)
2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
2023 – Luca Brecel
2024 – Kyren Wilson