Kyren Wilson and Shaun Murphy in firing line as British Open star lashes out – 'Quite pathetic'
Chris Wakelin has hit out at Shaun Murphy and Kyren Wilson for their ongoing rivalry over who is the best player with the rest, branding the debate "pathetic"
Chris Wakelin has lashed out at snooker stars Shaun Murphy and Kyren Wilson, calling their ongoing spat over who is the best player with the rest "pathetic" and a "sausage competition." The 33-year-old, who was eliminated from the British Open by Wilson earlier this week, told the duo to "grow up" and drop what he sees as a pointless argument.
In the specialist world of snooker, the question of who is most adept at using the rest - a piece of equipment used to steady the cue for tricky shots - has ignited fierce debates. Wilson, 33, and Murphy, 43, are commonly considered the leading pair in this particular skill, with Barry Hawkins and Jimmy White also earning recognition for their ability.
Yet the discussion, regularly stoked by the players themselves, has become tedious for Wakelin, who doubts its significance. Speaking before his first round clash at The Centaur, Wakelin pulled no punches, branding Wilson and Murphy "pathetic" for entertaining such debates.
"There's no easy games," he said. "You have to play difficult players in every single round. Obviously, you don't get much tougher than the world No. 2 [Wilson], the self-proclaimed best rest player in the world."
When questioned on whether he backed Wilson's assertion, Wakelin brushed off the whole dispute. "I don't get involved in all that," he said.
"I think it's quite pathetic, to be honest: 'I want to be the best at something that probably doesn't make any difference to your game.' I want to be the best all-rounder."
Wakelin went further, calling the rivalry a "sausage competition" and urging both players to find more meaningful topics to discuss. Every time they get the rest out, they're like, I'm the best because I've potted one with it,'" he added.
"There's a life to be lived, guys. Get over it."
The spat hit its peak earlier this year when Murphy claimed the Masters crown in January, defeating Wilson in the final. He also boasted a perfect 100 per cent success rate with the rest at Alexandra Palace, sinking all 51 of his attempts.
Yet he kept the feud bubbling by graciously admitting that Wilson might have the upper hand. "If I'm totally honest, it is a bit niche, but isn't that what we're here for?" Murphy said.
"I would actually say Kyren is better with the rest than I am. I think he has a much wider range, a much fuller range of shots that he can play. I might be a bit more accurate, but he's incredible."
As the British Open gets underway, attention turns back to the baize. Murphy defeated Ross Muir in the opening round to secure a second round encounter with Scott Donaldson on Wednesday.
Wilson, meanwhile, couldn't build on his triumph over Wakelin after being eliminated by Stan Moody on Tuesday.