“You have to hit rock bottom to get high in your life at times.” Chris Melling, the famous professional pool player from the UK, also experienced such a low in his life to become who he is now.
The Magician, Chris Melling is a former pool champion in British Eightball who has won the WEPF World Rules World Championship twice (2001 and 2003).
Not only that but he was the first contender to procure two consecutive International Tour events and has won the Mosconi Cup twice.
Chris is currently serving as a Coach and has not given up on Pool and Snooker. He believes, he has a lot to do with balls and cue sticks. The connection can never go off-track.
The article will cover the personal and professional life of Chris Melling. But, first, let’s take a look at his quick facts before diving into the details.
Quick Facts
| Name | Chris Melling |
| Full Name | Christopher Melling |
| Nick Name | The Magician |
| Birth Date | January 27, 1979 |
| Age | 45 years old |
| Birth Place | London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Ethnicity | British |
| Education | Not Available |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
| Father’s Name | Not Available |
| Mother’s Name | Not Available |
| Siblings | Not Available |
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) |
| Weight | 202 lbs (92 kg) |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Melisa Moehlman |
| Children | Not Available |
| Profession | Professional Pool & Snooker Player |
| Major Achievements | World Champion (2001, 2003) |
| Debut year | 2001 |
| Net Worth | $1 Million – $5 Million |
| Social Media | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube |
| Merch | Cue Stick for Pool Table |
| Last Update | March, 2024 |
Chris Melling | Early Life
Christopher Melling was born on 27 January 1979 in Keighley, London, UK. Besides this, the information regarding his parents and siblings is still under review.
But, it is believed that he has a loving family as his parents supported him to come this far and be an avid pool player.
Furthermore, Chris’ education details are also missing on the internet.
As sources say, he might have only graduated from high school and decided to pursue Pool and Snooker as his career.
Chris Melling | Professional Career
How did he start playing Pool?
Chris Melling started playing pool at a young age. While his mom would go shopping, Chris’s father would take him to a local pub where he used to play the pool for hours.
Seeing Chris’s passion for the pool, his parents bought him the table when he was 9. Since then, he started to practice every day after school.
One day he was playing the pool in the club and then, his neighbor offered him to play in the local snooker club.
The child prodigy played there with the professionals and brushed off his inborn talent a bit more. Also, he learned the techniques and skills from them.
Later, he signed up for the local pool team, and he was already known as a good pool player in his locality.
Chris realized that he was good at it and wanted to be a professional, just like Jimmy White and Steve Davis.
Later, he got a sponsor for Junior English Pool Tour, where he won the English Junior Championship, and World Junior Championships but lost in the European junior finals.
It was already a considerable achievement for the guy who was just 14-15 years old. After this, he pursued a professional career and started making a living.
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Winning the First World Championship
In 2001, Melling made it to the WEPF (World Eightball Pool Championship Finale) in Cardiff, Wales. His rival in the finale was Rob Mckenna from Wales.
It was a tough competition between them, and Chris finally won the match with a score of 11:10. He was twenty-two years when he won his first senior world championship.
Melling had won the WEPF World Eightball Pool Championship Junior in 1997.
The Best and Worst year
In 2010, Melling’s mother was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer. Chris was very close to his mother, and for obvious reasons, deep down, he was really disturbed.
He competed in the China Open Champion the same year. Despite the anxiety and stress, the British player managed to win the tournament and held $40,000 in his hands.
In fact, this was his first significant 9-Ball Pool tournament win.
A couple of weeks later, Chris’s mother lost her life. Losing his mom was the most disheartening thing that happened to him.
He was at the peak of his career, surrounded by name, fame, and luxury. The only thing that pricked him every time was the loss of his mother.
He qualified for the Mosconi Cup the same year but struggled mentally due to his loss. It was one of the critical times for his career, but he couldn’t concentrate.
When Series of Misfortune Strike
To add salt to his wound, tragedy struck Chris four months following his mother’s death, when he lost his best friend, manager, and dog.
Melling lost his best buddy in a car crash, his dog died unexpectedly, and his manager, his sponsor, died in front of him due to a heart attack.
World’s elite Chris had lost all of his precious people the same year, and he felt like he was all alone. Definitely, his world was falling apart.
He played in the Mosconi Cup but could not give his hundred percent. The mastermind was physically present but mentally absent.
Fighting Back Strong
However, everyone’s favorite, Chris, mentioned that he felt warmth from his teammates who stood by him during his hard times. He recalled his teammates crying for him, and that’s when he got his true spirit back.
The same year, he won the prestigious Mosconi Cup, and though life pulled him down to rock bottom, he was slowly climbing the ladders of success.
(Note, Mosconi Cup is an annual nine-ball tournament named after the billiard legend Willie Mosconi famously known as Mr. Pocket Billiards.)
Climbing the Ladders of Success
In December 2011, Melling competed in the 18th annual Mosconi Cup and won four of his six matches.
Chris received the Most Valuable Player Award in the 2012 Mosconi Cup a year later. He made it to the final of the Chinese 8-Ball Masters in January 2013 but lost to Gareth Potts.
In addition, he also advanced to the 2013 WPA World Nine-Ball Championship quarterfinals, the World Masters, and the World Championship.
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The Golden Year
In 2014, Melling entered snooker Q School to reclaim his professional status. The same year, he had a fantastic career as he defeated some former professionals such as Daniel Wells, Chen Zhe, and Duane Jones.
He became the first individual to be a professional at 8-Ball Pool, 9-Ball Pool, and Snooker all at the same time.
In addition, he qualified for the 2014 Wuxi Classic by defeating 2003 UK Championship winner Matthew Stevens with a score of 5–4 in his first match. But, he lost badly to Zhao Xintong in the first round and was out of the game.
Melling also competed in the International Championship, where he defeated Luca Brecel before losing to Zhou Yuelong. At the Welsh Open, he won at the venue stage of a ranking event for the first time.
While 2014 was a golden season for Melling, the following season proved hard for him as he could only win four matches the whole season, leading him to drop out of the tour.
Chris Melling | Coaching
Chris Melling is a coach and helps aspiring pool players reach their goals. He teaches them the 9-ball and 10- ball pool with the trick shots and snooker foundations.
Chris appreciates teaching others and offers 4-hour coaching sessions in the morning, afternoon, or evening at the learner’s venue. Group Coaching is what he prefers, and a full day is booked for the decided squad.
He also runs his website and has mentioned his email [email protected] to reach out to young aspirants.
Chris Melling | Wife & Children
Melling is married to his long-time girlfriend, Melisa Moehlman.
The couple had started dating in late 2009 after being introduced by a group of mutual friends. Their friends believed that they were destined to be together.
However, the couple was reluctant about the relationship and went on several dates before being in the relationship. But, as it turned out, their friends were good matchmakers.
Chris proposed to Melisa marriage in 2011. He proposed to Melisa with a handmade scrapbook with reasons why he loved her.
On top of that, he also had a diamond ring hidden within one of the pages.
The couple had wished to get married in a different country. So, Chris and Melisa booked Villa del Balbianello, a historic Italian location for their marriage.
Finally, the couple tied the knot in September 2011 in a lovely ivy-covered loggia with a view of Lake Como.
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Chris Melling | Achievements & Titles
- International Pool Masters (2001 and 2002) and the European Professional title (2002) Winner.
- Number one pool player in 2003 ranked by the World Eightball Pool Federation
- PDF World Rules World Championship Winner (2001 and 2003)
- World 8 ball champion twice
- China Open and the Euro Tour Championship Winner
- Mosconi Cup Winner (2010 and 2012)
- Merited as the Most Valuable Player in the 2012 Mosconi Cup.
- GB 9 Ball Tour, the BCA 9 Ball, and Grand Master Championships Winner
Chris Melling | Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Chris Melling is estimated to be anywhere between $1 million – $8 million. He has earned his net worth from his professional career as a pool player.
Chris has earned handsome money by winning tournaments. The two-time world champion has made thousands of dollars from the game’s prize money.
He received $40,000 after winning the China Open championship in 2011 and about $30,000 for each win in Mosconi Cup in 2010 and 2013.
Chris Melling | Social Media Presence
Chris Melling has an active social media presence. He also initiated his own Youtube channel on Dec 9, 2014, where he posts about his favorite shots and shot tricks.
So, if you want to connect with Chris Melling, you can follow him on the following accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chris Melling’s run out?
In World Pool Series Tournament in 2017 between Melling and Mika Immonen, Melling had a superb eight-ball runout.
This includes three of the most impossible and astounding shots in one game, which surprised everyone. The shot is then known as Chris Melling’s 8-ball runout.
What kind of cue does Chris Melling use?
Chris Melling is using a Predator Blak 4-4. In addition, he is using a custom 12.4 Revo shaft to play.
