Snooker Shoot Out: Chris Wakelin beats Julien Leclercq to win first ranking title

Chris Wakelin playing snooker — Wakelin's triumph almost quadrupled his earnings for the season

Chris Wakelin claimed his first ranking title as he beat Belgian teenager Julien Leclercq to win the Snooker Shoot Out.

The 30-year-old Englishman compiled a break of 119 in the final - the highest of the week in Leicester.

World number 47 Wakelin, who had won £14,500 in prize money this season, picked up £50,000 for the victory and £5,000 for the top break.

"It's everything I could have dreamed of," he said.

"You work day in, day out, 10 years now of not achieving anything spectacular - but today it all came together."

The ranking event features one-frame matches in each round, lasting a maximum of 10 minutes with a shot clock to speed up play.

Fourteen-year-old Vladislav Gradinari's run ended after winning two games earlier in the week when he became the youngest player to win a televised ranking-event match.

The Moldovan teenager was beaten by Tom Ford, who made a 91 break in the third round.

Three-time world champion Mark Williams went out at the same stage.

The Welshman lost 53-12 to crowd favourite Dechawat Poomjaeng, the popular Thailand player who joined spectators in the front row of a boisterous crowd to watch some of Friday night's action.