BBC snooker pundit Steve Davis fought back tears while discussing a “brave” moment by one player at the World Championship. The six-time champion, alongside host Hazel Irvine and Ken Doherty, named their favourite shots made at the Crucible and one moment stood out to Davis.
After Doherty picked out Mark Williams’ last blue in a final-frame decider with John Higgins as his shot of the tournament, Davis looked to an earlier tie when Chris Wakelin beat Mark Allen in the second round. Having already gotten the better of Neil Robertson, Wakelin continued his giant-killing run against Allen, with a moment of magic in the final frame of his 13-6 win.
Wakelin had led 10-2 before Allen fought back to claim four more frames, including the only 147 of the tournament proper, and the qualifier had plenty of pressure when his cue ball was tucked up against the cushion.
But the world No. 20 spotted a near-impossible angle and sent the yellow into the middle pocket with expert precision. It was the moment that sealed his place in the quarter-finals, against eventual finalist Zhao Xintong, and brought Davis to tears as he remembered the moment.
He explained: “It’s great to see all those shots, in the context of the match, were important and not just exhibition shots. But when I was watching Chris Wakelin roll that yellow into the middle pocket it was astonishing. I couldn’t believe he was going for it, he had to get it, what a shot.”
Irvine then interjected, pointing out: “You’ve gone all teary haven’t you?”
Davis admitted: “I have, it’s sort of these things because you know how much pressure is on the shot and you see someone being that brave out there, it’s incredible.”
Irvine continued to enthuse about the tournament as she added: “It is incredible and the emotion of it is flying around here because I would say this is one of the greatest Championships that we have ever seen. Just the number of massive breaks and the drama and records, Judd Trump setting the season record for centuries and the maximum for Mark Allen as well.”
Wakelin’s shot was rightly lauded as one of 2025’s best shots, with Stephen Hendry on commentary at the time declaring it “one of the best shots I have ever seen.”
He later added: “Phenomenal, some of the best pots I’ve seen.”
Masters champion Shaun Murphy tried to replicate the effort on practice tables at the Crucible, shown on the BBC, but failed to find the mark to highlight just how difficult a shot Wakelin made to seal victory.