sportskeeda
JIMMY WHITE’s dreams of competing at the Crucible are still very much alive after his win in the opening qualifying match at 1:22 AM on Wednesday morning.
Known as the Whirlwind, this cherished personality in the sport is striving to reach the main draw of the World Snooker Championship for the first time since 2006.
2
2
The first session of the 62-year-old’s qualifier against Ukrainian Anton Kazakov began at 10 AM on Tuesday at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
After an exhausting nine-hour battle at the table, White emerged victorious with a score of 10-9 in the second session, potting the final yellow, green, brown, and blue to secure a hard-fought win.
Only a handful of spectators were left in the arena when the match came to an end, signaling the conclusion of the second day of the qualifying rounds.
A six-time world championship finalist and a ten-time ranking event winner, White held a narrow 3-2 advantage before Kazakov, an unranked player, seized five consecutive frames to lead 7-3.
The South London cueist, who is also competing while working for TNT Sports, made an impressive comeback, winning six frames straight to take a 9-7 lead and achieving a remarkable 126 break in frame 12.
However, Kazakov, the 20-year-old amateur, extended the match to a 19th frame as the clock approached midnight.
You might assume that White, being 42 years Kazakov’s senior, would struggle as the match neared its conclusion.
Nevertheless, the Tooting player, who spent many evenings dancing and socializing in the Steel City during the 1980s and 1990s, managed to win by 69 points to 43.
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS
Kazakov, down by 26 points with only the pink and black remaining, chose to concede the match and shook White’s hand.
It would certainly be a remarkable tale if White, a professional since 1980, could win the next three qualifiers to return to the Crucible, particularly with concerns surrounding its long-term future in South Yorkshire.
SunSport’s Rob Maul reports that Ronnie O’Sullivan is uncertain about his participation in the Snooker World Championship and currently lacks a cue, according to an exclusive interview
Now, the focus shifts to recovery as he prepares to meet Ashley Carty, the world No. 71, on Friday morning in a best-of-19 frames match.
White remains committed, having made 18 unsuccessful attempts to qualify for this prestigious event before facing elimination.
Kyren Wilson will kick off his title defense on Easter Saturday, while seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is yet to announce his participation.
