Chris Wakelin speaks out on foul controversy during Neil Robertson defeat

Chris Wakelin is still not sure he fouled after a controversial call during defeat to Neil Robertson, but accepts the decision and admits he did not deserve to win.

Robertson was 7-6 ahead when Wakelin knocked in a long red, cueing close to the yellow as he did.

Referee Peggy Li called a foul on Wakelin, who jumped up and looked surprised at the call.

Li said the Monster had touched the yellow with his cue, but was happy to look at video replays, which were inconclusive.

With no further evidence, the referee stuck with her decision and Robertson knocked in a break of 65 to go two frames clear.

Wakelin would win just one more frame in the match as Robertson powered to a 13-7 win, making two centuries on a burst to the winning line.

Are you snooker loopy?

You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro.

In my new newsletter, The Table, I’ll be analysing the biggest talking points, breaking down frames and crowning the week’s winners and losers every Monday.

The World Championship is here, so there’s no better time to sign up.

In defeat, the Scottish Open champion accepted he did not play to a standard to beat the former Crucible conqueror, but the call on the foul was still bothering him.

‘I thought I played like an absolute berk if I’m being truthfully honest,’ said Wakelin. ‘It was just a really frustrating day yesterday, what happened in the 14th frame.

‘I don’t think that had an impact on me over the next few frames, but it definitely had an impact on Neil. Going 7-7, he still needs to try and establish a lead, but going 8-6 it meant that he can relax, knowing he’s not going to be behind going into today.

‘I don’t normally come away from matches in recent years, anything other than just philosophical. Yesterday did get to me and that probably has cost me.

‘I’ve watched it back a hundred times and I’d have my house that it weren’t a foul, but it’s one of them, it’s frustrating. The bottom line is I’ve got nothing against Peggy, she’s a brilliant referee, but I just didn’t play well enough, so I’ll go back to the drawing board for next season.

‘I don’t think it necessarily had an impact on the next couple of frames from my point of view, but it just meant that he was a lot more relaxed. When you give one of the best players in the world the tools to do the job, then they quite often produce.’

While frustration remains, Wakelin ultimately does accept the referee’s call, given she was in the best place to make it.

‘She was in the best position to see,’ he said. ‘I was looking at the red because it was a difficult pot anyway, so I wasn’t even looking at the white ball or the yellow.

‘She was standing in the right place. If she thought it was a foul, then I trust Peggy. Me watching it back myself, I couldn’t see it.

‘If I’d have had one little piece of evidence that went, there you go, it was a foul, I could have just accepted it. I think we need to get some higher resolution cameras next season so we can check these things out.’

On the controversial situation, Robertson said: ‘It was a tough one. When Chris played the shot, Peggy called the foul straight away.

‘Chris didn’t really dispute it, he just went, “oh, okay, are you sure? Maybe just check?” I came out and had a look at the monitor but they couldn’t really come up with a close up of what actually happened.

‘Peggy stuck with it and Chris accepted it. If Chris had kicked up a massive fuss then we would have hung around and seen if they could have got more close-up footage.

‘It’s just one of those things. If there’s not a conclusive replay available then you just have to go with the referee’s word. She was in the perfect spot.’

Robertson moves on to take on John Higgins in the quarter-finals, starting on Tuesday afternoon.

MORE: Mark Selby slams Crucible conditions in ‘pathetic’ World Snooker Championship exit

MORE: Ronnie O’Sullivan ‘had flight booked for morning of John Higgins defeat’

MORE: John Higgins comeback stuns Ronnie O’Sullivan in World Snooker Championship classic