Jimmy White as soon as once more put his legion of supporters by way of the wringer as he survived an epic encounter on the World Snooker Championship qualifiers.
With the clock reaching 1:23am on the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, opponent Anton Kazakov lastly supplied his hand in defeat.
It had been a gruelling fixture proper from the off as six-time World Championship runner-up White started his newest quest to return to the Crucible Theatre.
Not since 2006 has the Whirlwind graced the game’s most iconic stage, however his victory within the early hours of Wednesday morning takes him one step nearer this 12 months.
The 62 year-old edged a detailed opening body on the black, an early sign to what was to transpire throughout the day’s dramatic play.
White, who misplaced the third body after succumbing to the three-miss rule, appeared visibly pissed off together with his stage as he proceeded to lose the opening session – at one level thumping the desk together with his fist in anger.
When Ukraine’s Kazakov, solely in a position to compete this 12 months as a top-up newbie from Q-College, duly made it 7-3 within the night session, a sorry climax for White and his followers appeared in retailer.
However the latter dug deep and found unlikely kind, compiling breaks of 126, 71, and 56 to revive parity earlier than shifting to throughout the brink of glory at 9-7.
In fact, it may by no means be simple.
After Kazakov took a protracted seventeenth body, the 20 year-old fought again from 51 factors right down to pinch the penultimate body on the black.
An hour-long decider ensued, and regardless of error-strewn play on each side, White finally potted inexperienced to blue to seal his spot within the second spherical.
Subsequent up for the ten-time rating occasion winner is Ashley Carty, with three extra wins required if he’s to safe his Crucible comeback.
Elsewhere, there was a robust efficiency from Zhao Xintong because the younger Chinese language star pummelled Cheung Ka Wai 10-3.
Zhao could also be competing as an newbie as he continues his profession revival following a ban, however he’s really thought-about among the many betting favourites to seize this 12 months’s World Championship crown.
The 28 year-old produced title-winning kind in his first outing of the competitors – contributing breaks of 141, 132, 128, 122, 98, 90, 84, and 77 in a dominant show.
Rising teenage prodigy Michal Szubarczyk was unable to increase his keep within the occasion, nonetheless.
The 14 year-old, who has the chance to hitch the World Snooker Tour as knowledgeable subsequent season after his look within the European Beginner Championship ultimate, misplaced 10-8 to Dean Younger.
A lot of the higher-ranked gamers have safely superior thus far, however Steven Hallworth, Iulian Boiko, Dylan Emery, and Mateusz Baranowski had been among the many newbie winners in spherical one thus far.
2025 World Snooker Championship Qualifiers
– draw and schedule –
Qualifier 1
Spherical 1
Hammad Miah 10-0 Jonas Luz
Huang Jiahao 10-4 Amaan Iqbal
Spherical 2
Rory Thor vs Hammad Miah
(Apr 9: 2:30pm and Apr 10: 2:30pm)
Daniel Wells vs Huang Jiahao
(Apr 9: 2:30pm and Apr 10: 2:30pm)
Spherical 3
Gary Wilson vs Thor/Miah
(Apr 12: 10am and 7pm)
Dominic Dale vs Wells/Huang
(Apr 12: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Wilson/Thor/Miahvs Dale/Wells/Huang
(Apr 15: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 2
Spherical 1
Amir Sarkhosh 2-10 Mateusz Baranowski
Artemijs Zizins 4-10 Dylan Emery
Spherical 2
Ishpreet Singh Chadha vs Mateusz Baranowski
(Apr 9: 2:30pm and Apr 10: 2:30pm)
Joe Perry vs Dylan Emery
(Apr 9: 2:30pm and Apr 10: 2:30pm)
Spherical 3
Zhou Yuelong vs Chadha/Baranowski
(Apr 12: 10am and 7pm)
Yuan Sijun vs Perry/Emery
(Apr 12: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Zhou/Chadha/Baranowski vs Yuan/Perry/Emery
(Apr 15: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 3
Spherical 1
Chris Totten 7-10 Mitchell Mann
Antoni Kowalski 10-4 Reanne Evans
Spherical 2
Liu Hongyu vs Mitchell Mann
(Apr 9: 2:30pm and Apr 10: 2:30pm)
Zak Surety vs Antoni Kowalski
(Apr 9: 2:30pm and Apr 10: 2:30pm)
Spherical 3
Ricky Walden vs Liu/Mann
(Apr 12: 10am and 7pm)
Jack Lisowski vs Surety/Kowalski
(Apr 12: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Walden/Liu/Mann vs Lisowski/Surety/Kowalski
(Apr 15: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 4
Spherical 1
Wang Yuchen vs Brian Cini
(Apr 9: 10am and 7pm)
Duane Jones vs Florian Nuessle
(Apr 9: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 2
Graeme Dott vs Wang/Cini
(Apr 11: 2:30pm and Apr 12: 2:30pm)
Ma Hailong vs Jones/Nuessle
(Apr 11: 2:30pm and Apr 12: 2:30pm)
Spherical 3
Robert Milkins vs Dott/Wang/Cini
(Apr 14: 10am and 7pm)
Hossein Vafaei vs Ma/Jones/Nuessle
(Apr 14: 10am and 7pm)v
Spherical 4
Milkins/Dott/Wang/Cini vs Vafaei/Ma/Jones/Nuessle
(Apr 16: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 5
Spherical 1
Liam Graham 10-9 Fergal Quinn
Robbie McGuigan 10-6 Hatem Yassen
Spherical 2
Ross Muir vs Liam Graham
(Apr 10: 10am and 7pm)
Mark Davis vs Robbie McGuigan
(Apr 10: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 3
Tom Ford vs Muir/Graham
(Apr 13: 10am and 7pm)
Ben Woollaston vs Davis/McGuigan
(Apr 13: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Ford/Muir/Graham vs Woollaston/Davis/McGuigan
(Apr 15: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 6
Spherical 1
Ben Mertens 10-5 Daniel Womersley
Cheung Ka Wai 3-10 Zhao Xintong
Spherical 2
Marco Fu vs Ben Mertens
(Apr 10: 10am and 7pm)
Lengthy Zehuang vs Zhao Xintong
(Apr 10: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 3
Elliot Slessor vs Fu/Mertens
(Apr 13: 10am and 7pm)
Lyu Haotian vs Lengthy/Zhao
(Apr 13: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Slessor/Fu/Mertens vs Lyu/Lengthy/Zhao
(Apr 15: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 7
Spherical 1
Liam Davies 10-2 Ahmed Aly Elsayed
Sunny Akani 10-3 Kreish Gurbaxani
Spherical 2
Sanderson Lam vs Liam Davies
(Apr 10: 10am and 7pm)
David Grace vs Sunny Akani
(Apr 10: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 3
Ryan Day vs Lam/Davies
(Apr 13: 10am and 7pm)
Noppon Saengkham vs Grace/Akani
(Apr 13: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Day/Lam/Davies vs Saengkham/Grace/Akani
(Apr 15: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 8
Spherical 1
Farakh Ajaib 10-2 Baipat Siripaporn
Alexander Ursenbacher 10-6 Paul Deaville
Spherical 2
Jordan Brown vs Farakh Ajaib
(Apr 10: 10am and 7pm)
Xing Zihao vs Alexander Ursenbacher
(Apr 10: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 3
Martin O’Donnell vs Brown/Ajaib
(Apr 13: 10am and 7pm)
Chris Wakelin vs Xing/Ursenbacher
(Apr 13: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
O’Donnell/Brown/Ajaib vs Wakelin/Xing/Ursenbacher
(Apr 15: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 9
Spherical 1
Oliver Traces 10-8 Mohammed Shehab
Manasawin Phetmalaikul 10-3 Leone Crowley
Spherical 2
Michael Holt vs Oliver Traces
(Apr 11: 10am and 7pm)
Robbie Williams vs Manasawin Phetmalaikul
(Apr 11: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 3
Stuart Bingham vs Holt/Traces
(Apr 13: 2:30pm and Apr 14: 2:30pm)
Fan Zhengyi vs Williams/Phetmalaikul
(Apr 13: 2:30pm and Apr 14: 2:30pm)
Spherical 4
Bingham/Holt/Linesvs Fan/Williams/Phetmalaikul
(Apr 16: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 10
Spherical 1
Andrew Pagett 2-10 Iulian Boiko
Allan Taylor 10-7 Joshua Thomond
Spherical 2
Louis Heathcote vs Iulian Boiko
(Apr 11: 10am and 7pm)
Jamie Clarke vs Allan Taylor
(Apr 11: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 3
Joe O’Connor vs Heathcote/Boiko
(Apr 13: 2:30pm and Apr 14: 2:30pm)
Jackson Web page vs Clarke/Taylor
(Apr 13: 2:30pm and Apr 14: 2:30pm)
Spherical 4
O’Connor/Heathcote/Boiko vs Web page/Clarke/Taylor
(Apr 16: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 11
Spherical 1
Julien Leclercq 10-7 Zhou Jinhao
Jimmy White 10-9 Anton Kazakov
Spherical 2
Jamie Jones vs Julien Leclercq
(Apr 11: 10am and 7pm)
Ashley Carty vs Jimmy White
(Apr 11: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 3
Xu Si vs Jones/Leclercq
(Apr 13: 2:30pm and Apr 14: 2:30pm)
Pang Junxu vs Carty/White
(Apr 13: 2:30pm and Apr 14: 2:30pm)
Spherical 4
Xu/Jones/Leclercq vs Pang/Carty/White
(Apr 16: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 12
Spherical 1
Mostafa Dorgam vs Simon Blackwell
(Apr 9: 10am and 7pm)
Andrew Higginson vs Ryan Thomerson
(Apr 9: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 2
Matthew Stevens vs Dorgham/Blackwell
(Apr 11: 2:30pm and Apr 12: 2:30pm)
Jiang Jun vs Higginson/Thomerson
(Apr 11: 2:30pm and Apr 12: 2:30pm)
Spherical 3
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Stevens/Dorgham/Blackwell
(Apr 14: 10am and 7pm)
Wu Yize vs Jiang/Higginson/Thomerson
(Apr 14: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Un-Nooh/Stevens/Dorgham/Blackwell vs Wu/Jiang/Higginson/Thomerson
(Apr 16: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 13
Spherical 1
Gong Chenzhi 10-7 Kaylan Patel
Haris Tahir 10-6 Joshua Cooper
Spherical 2
Stuart Carrington vs Gong Chenzhi
(Apr 9: 2:30pm and Apr 10: 2:30pm)
Aaron Hill vs Haris Tahir
(Apr 9: 2:30pm and Apr 10: 2:30pm)
Spherical 3
David Gilbert vs Carrington/Gong
(Apr 12: 10am and 7pm)
Anthony McGill vs Hill/Tahir
(Apr 12: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Gilbert/Carrington/Gong vs McGill/Hill/Tahir
(Apr 15: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 14
Spherical 1
Liam Pullen vs Gao Yang
(Apr 9: 10am and 7pm)
Haydon Pinhey vs Ken Doherty
(Apr 9: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 2
Tian Pengfei vs Pullen/Gao
(Apr 11: 2:30pm and Apr 12: 2:30pm)
David Lilley vs Pinhey/Doherty
(Apr 11: 2:30pm and Apr 12: 2:30pm)
Spherical 3
Stephen Maguire vs Tian/Pullen/Gao
(Apr 14: 10am and 7pm)
Lei Peifan vs Lilley/Pinhey/Doherty
(Apr 14: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Maguire/Tian/Pullen/Gao vs Lei/Lilley/Pinhey/Doherty
(Apr 16: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 15
Spherical 1
Bulcsu Revesz 2-10 Steven Hallworth
Dean Younger 10-8 Michal Szubarczyk
Spherical 2
Anthony Hamilton vs Steven Hallworth
(Apr 11: 10am and 7pm)
Stan Moody vs Dean Younger
(Apr 11: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 3
Matthew Selt vs Hamilton/Hallworth
(Apr 13: 2:30pm and April 14: 2:30pm)
Jimmy Robertson vs Moody/Younger
(Apr 13: 2:30pm and April 14: 2:30pm)
Spherical 4
Selt/Hamilton/Hallworth vs Robertson/Moody/Younger
(Apr 16: 11am and 5pm)
Qualifier 16
Spherical 1
Bai Yulu vs Liam Highfield
(Apr 9: 10am and 7pm)
Ian Burns vs Mink Nutcharut
(Apr 9: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 2
He Guoqiang vs Bai/Highfield
(Apr 11: 2:30pm and Apr 12: 2:30pm)
Alfie Burden vs Burns/Nutcharut
(Apr 11: 2:30pm and Apr 12: 2:30pm)
Spherical 3
Scott Donaldson vs He/Bai/Highfield
(Apr 14: 10am and 7pm)
Ali Carter vs Burden/Burns/Nutcharut
(Apr 14: 10am and 7pm)
Spherical 4
Donaldson/He/Bai/Highfield vs Carter/Burden/Burns/Nutcharut
(Apr 16: 11am and 5pm)
Featured picture credit score: WST
