Christopher Melling (born 27 January 1979) is an English professional pool and snooker player from Keighley, Bradford, West Yorkshire. He is a former world number 1 at World Rules British Eight-Ball. He won the WEPF World Eightball Championship twice, in 2001 and 2003. He was ranked #1 in 2003 by the World Eightball Pool Federation. Melling has also twice won the International Pool Masters (2001 and 2002) and the European Professional title (2002). He was the first player to win two International Tour events back to back.
In 2001, Melling reached the last 16 of the 2001 WPA World Nine-ball Championship in Cardiff, defeating Steve Davis along the way.
In October 2010, Melling won his first European nine-ball event, the Portugal Open. On 12 June 2011, he was crowned China Open champion and received $40,000. This was his first major nine-ball tournament victory.
In December 2011, Melling participated in the 18th annual Mosconi Cup, winning four of his six matches. A year later he won the Most Valuable Player Award in the 2012 Mosconi Cup.
In January 2013, he reached the final of the Chinese 8-Ball Masters, losing to Gareth Potts. He also lost to Potts in the final of the 2005 World Rules 8-Ball Championship. Also in 2013, he reached the quarter-finals of the 2013 WPA World Nine-ball Championship, the World Masters, and the World Cup of Pool, and finished fifth in the US Open 9-Ball Championship.
In May 2014, Melling entered the snooker 2014 Q School in an attempt to regain his professional status and defeated the likes of former professionals Daniel Wells and Chen Zhe 4âÂÂ3 and 4âÂÂ1 respectively, before winning his quarter-final match against Duane Jones 4âÂÂ3 to earn a two-year tour card for the 2014âÂÂ15 and 2015âÂÂ16 seasons.
In his first match as a professional, he defeated 2003 UK Championship winner Matthew Stevens 5âÂÂ4 to qualify for the 2014 Wuxi Classic, but lost 5âÂÂ1 to Zhao Xintong in the first round. Melling also played in the first round of the International Championship by defeating Luca Brecel 6âÂÂ5 and was knocked out 6âÂÂ1 by Zhou Yuelong. His first victory at the venue stage of a ranking event came at the Welsh Open after edging out Nigel Bond 4âÂÂ3, before being whitewashed 4âÂÂ0 by home favourite Michael White in the second round.
The 2015âÂÂ16 season proved harder for Melling as he won only four matches during the season. He dropped off the tour at the end of the season and could not win enough matches at the 2016 Q School to regain his place.
In July 2024, Melling won the Ultimate Pool Masters.