Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Saudi Arabia Masters snooker match.
The Saudi Masters is heading towards its climax, with tonight’s evening semi-final pitting Ronnie O’Sullivan against Chris Wakelin. The snooker legend stands two wins from the title, but this won’t be a walkover. The head-to-head is level — one victory apiece — with Wakelin’s success coming earlier in 2025.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
O’Sullivan’s route to the semis has been marked by dramatic comebacks. He overturned a 2-4 deficit to beat Chang Bingyu, then fought back from 3-5 down to edge Kyren Wilson. The final three frames against Wilson were snooker of the highest order: minimal errors, a century of 118, three tons in total and two further 50+ breaks. Over longer matches, Ronnie has been finding another gear, underlining that both his fitness and mental game are in peak condition.
Chris Wakelin
Wakelin is a solid tour professional who has shown plenty of grit this week. He battled back from 3-5 to beat Zhao Xintong, then edged Barry Hawkins in a deciding frame after letting a 4-1 lead slip. He hasn’t registered a century in the tournament, but has compiled six breaks over 50. That said, his consistency remains questionable.
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Chris Wakelin Prediction
Wakelin is tenacious, but that alone is unlikely to be enough against O’Sullivan in this form. O’Sullivan’s ability to hit top gear in pivotal moments, combined with his wealth of big-match experience, makes him the clear favourite. Add to that back-to-back wins over high-calibre opponents from losing positions — a testament to his mental strength — and the signs point to a controlled victory without it going the distance.
