Snooker fans have been treated to a whirlwind start to the 2025/26 season, with stories of redemption, resilience, and charity taking center stage. Two names have stood out in recent weeks: Ashley Hugill, the Yorkshireman fighting his way back from the professional wilderness, and Chris Wakelin, who added his name to the illustrious roll of honor at the Pink Ribbon Pro-Am charity event. Their journeys, though different in circumstance, both showcase the grit and determination that define the sport.
For Ashley Hugill, the past two years have been nothing short of a rollercoaster. After making his Crucible debut in 2022 and reaching his first ranking quarter-final that same year, Hugill seemed destined for bigger things. He even received high praise from snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan, a moment that would be a career highlight for many. But snooker, like life, can turn on a dime. By the close of the 2023/24 season, Hugill found himself just one match win short of retaining his tour card, slipping one place too low in the rankings and losing his professional status.
“I was sat thinking that two years ago I was at the Crucible and I’ve worked so hard since then and now I’m here in Q School, what is going on?” Hugill told Metro. The months that followed were some of the toughest of his life. “It was really hard, it was one of the hardest times of my life. Obviously you look at other things going on in the world and you think, what are you on about? It’s only a game snooker, but those six months after falling off the tour…not knowing where you’re at with the game and even if you want to continue playing.”
The financial pressures of the amateur circuit only added to the strain. Hugill admitted, “On the amateur circuit even if I do well I’m only going to cover my costs at best and I didn’t even achieve that. You’re watching your money going down. It is stressful, it was really stressful.” For six of the last seven years, Hugill had been a professional, and losing that identity was a heavy blow. “You’ve applied yourself to it so much and been doing it since you were 12 years old and then it’s taken away from you, you kind of lose yourself. You’ve got to get your head around that.”
It took Hugill four to six months to come to terms with his new reality. “I think it took me probably four to six months to accept that I wasn’t on the tour and I had to try and get back on, because I didn’t want to play for quite a while,” he said. “I thought about getting a job but my parents talked me out of it. I got the hunger back for playing, I accepted where I was at and felt more determined that I do want to come back.”
That determination has started to pay off. In 2025, Hugill finished third in the Q School rankings. While he remains an amateur, he’s now receiving invitations to most pro events—a testament to his tenacity and reputation. The 30-year-old has already racked up wins in both the Saudi Arabia Masters and Northern Ireland Open qualifying rounds this season, signaling a return to form. He credits his recent resurgence to the guidance of new coach Anthony Hamilton. “I think this is the most confident I’ve been in my game since I got to the Crucible, without a doubt,” Hugill said. “I’m working with Anthony Hamilton now and I can see how that’s working for me already and it’s only been a couple of months. I feel like my game’s heading in the right direction.”
His 4-3 victory over Ricky Walden in the Northern Ireland Open qualifying, with breaks of 132, 68, 67, and 63, was a clear sign of that confidence. “I was just happy to show my form on the match table,” Hugill reflected. “It’s not often in the past where I’ve won a best of seven with four 60-plus breaks. I’m working on it with Ant, the technical changes I’ve made to try and help me score heavier because I think the other parts of my game are really strong. So hopefully I’m going to reap the rewards.”
But Hugill’s journey isn’t just about technical improvement. It’s about rediscovering the joy of the game. “I completely lost sight of that for at least a year, 18 months,” he admitted. “The last six months on tour and then the majority of last season, it was a real slog, a real battle to try and enjoy it. That’s the nature of the sport at the lower end of the rankings, it’s very cutthroat. It is hard to keep perspective.” With a packed schedule—ten competitions in the next eight weeks—Hugill knows he needs to manage his energy, but he’s relishing the opportunity. “It’s a good problem to have, it means I’m doing something right. I know I’m more than good enough to be on the tour, but I don’t just want to be on the tour, I want to be up the rankings.”
Next up for Hugill is a first-round clash against Ben Mertens in the English Open on September 12 at 7 pm. Fans will be watching closely to see if his upward trajectory continues.
While Hugill battles for a place back among snooker’s elite, Chris Wakelin has cemented his status with a standout performance at the Pink Ribbon Pro-Am charity event. The Pink Ribbon, first held in 2010 at the South West Snooker Academy in Gloucester, has raised over £100,000 for breast cancer charities. After a five-year hiatus, the event was revived in 2024 at Landywood Snooker Club by Paul Mount and a dedicated team of volunteers. The tournament is unique—not only do professionals and amateurs compete side by side, but every player dons a pink top in support of the cause.
Wakelin, world number 14, entered the 2025 Pink Ribbon fresh from a semi-final run at the Saudi Arabia Masters in Jeddah, where he was stopped by none other than Ronnie O’Sullivan, who made history with two maximum 147 breaks in the same match. Wakelin’s Pink Ribbon campaign began in the round of 64, where he dispatched Tom Maxfield 4-2 and Oliver Sykes 4-1. He then whitewashed Ben Woollaston 4-0 in the last 16, before compiling breaks of 102 and 132 to eliminate Wayne Brown 4-1 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Wakelin swept Wuhan Open runner-up Gary Wilson 4-0, setting up a final against former professional and Crucible qualifier Steadman.
The final was a tense affair. Steadman led 1-0 and 2-1, but Wakelin strung together three frames to reach the hill first. Steadman forced a deciding frame, but a break of 68 saw Wakelin lift the trophy. The victory not only adds to Wakelin’s growing list of achievements but also shines a light on the charitable spirit that runs through snooker’s veins.
As the new season gathers pace, the stories of Hugill and Wakelin remind us that snooker is as much about perseverance and community as it is about potting balls. With Hugill eyeing a return to the tour’s upper echelons and Wakelin savoring his latest triumph, the coming months promise plenty of drama—and perhaps a few more surprises along the way.
