Chris Wakelin has admitted that Ronnie O'Sullivan's late withdrawal from the Masters was good news only for him. The eight-time champion pulled out of snooker's most prestigious invitational event on the eve of the tournament for medical reasons, marking the second successive year he has missed the competition.
Wakelin, ranked 17th in the world, was drafted in as the highest-ranked player outside the top 16. While delighted to step in, the 33-year-old acknowledged the disappointment for fans at Alexandra Palace. 'There's only one person who's thrilled about it and luckily for me, that is me,' he told Metro. 'It's a massive shame for the tournament and for the fans.'
Despite his excitement, Wakelin's stay was brief as he suffered a 6-2 defeat to Neil Robertson in the first round. Reflecting on the match, he said: 'I felt really good at 2-2, then Neil came out and made back-to-back centuries, and I felt like I melted out there.'
Robertson, who had replaced O'Sullivan the previous year, admitted he was not surprised by the withdrawal. 'I knew there was the possibility of him not coming,' he said, citing O'Sullivan's recent relocation to Dubai and related citizenship allowances.
