Chris Wakelin vs Judd Trump Prediction: A historical final in the making

The final match of the 2023 Northern Ireland Open will take place on Sunday at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast between Judd Trump and Chris Wakelin. In this one, the all-English match that will decide who wins the title pairs one of the game's heavyweights against a ranked outsider. 

Since winning the lightning-fast Snooker Shoot Out in January, Wakelin has become a much more formidable opponent. However, not many people would have been able to predict his stunning run all the way to the final of the Northern Ireland Open this week. The 31-year-old man seems entirely unaffected by the unusual surroundings that he has maneuvered himself into, which is possibly his finest attribute, and it has been his overall demeanor that has served him so well. Chris Wakelin made his first appearance in the ranking semi-finals of a tournament using a traditional format after defeating Shaun Murphy in the fourth round. He then convincingly defeated Yuan Sijun to advance to the semi-finals. On Saturday, poor Jack Lisowski was quickly and easily dispatched by Wakelin, who went on to win by a convincing 6-1 margin. The victory ensures that Wakelin will have a seat in the forthcoming Champion of Champions invitational in Bolton, which is a prestigious competition. Before that, he will seek to continue his meteoric ascent up the ranking list by winning the Alex Higgins Trophy. He is on the verge of entering the top 20 and this would be a significant accomplishment for him.

Judd Trump is currently riding a 19-game winning streak and is already a two-time champion just for the month of October, thanks to his victories in the English Open and Wuhan Open. The Bristol Potter staged yet another comeback in the penultimate round, and he ultimately prevailed over Barry Hawkins by a score of 6-4 thanks to a five-frame winning burst at the conclusion of the match. Should he live up to the expectations placed upon him in the final of the Northern Ireland Open, the man ranked third in the world will become only the fifth player in the history of snooker to win three ranking titles in a row without losing a match. In the past, this uncommon accomplishment has only been accomplished by Ray Reardon, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, and Ding Junhui. A victory for Trump, who has already taken first place in this competition in 2018, 2019, and 2020, would also mean that he has won a total of 26 career ranking crowns. That would put him in fifth place on the all-time list, moving him over Mark Williams into that spot on his own. 

It's common for finals to be difficult and fiercely competitive, and this one is no exception. Judd Trump is currently the clear favorite, which makes sense considering how excellent his recent performances have been. Though Chris Wakelin's journey to this point has not been without hardship, his efforts and performances indicate that we should be prepared for another exceptional play from him. As a result, it is anticipated that this match will be competitive and require a lot of frames, with Judd Trump taking home the trophy.