Jimmy White assured of reaching the principle stage of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield after run to final 16 of WST Traditional; White, 60, beats Judd Trump throughout match in Leicester; six-time World Championship runner-up has not reached Crucible since 2006

Jimmy White says he’s ‘enjoying too nicely’ to not attain the primary spherical of the World Snooker Championship for the primary time since 2006

Jimmy White believes he’s “enjoying too nicely” to not qualify for the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield later this spring.

White, 60, has not reached the principle draw at The Crucible since 2006 however his 2022/2023 season has included quite a few promising outcomes, together with making the televised stage of the UK Championship in York.

The six-time Phrase Championship runner-up turned the primary participant aged 60 or over to achieve the final 16 of a rating occasion since Eddie Charlton in 1992 throughout his run on the German Masters final month.

White made the identical stage on the WST Traditional in Leicester this week, beating former world champion Judd Trump on Tuesday morning earlier than being knocked out by Pang Junxu within the afternoon.

The Londoner instructed wst.television: “I’m enjoying okay, I simply ran out of steam. I am going to take a few days off now and get again to observe on Friday. I will be attending to the Crucible, I’m enjoying too nicely.”

Talking after beating Trump, White mentioned: “I used to be actually nervous, but it surely’s okay to be nervous as a result of it means you are alive at my age.

“In case you’re not a fan of Judd Trump you are not a fan of snooker. The final 5 instances we have performed he is overwhelmed me, so this can be a massive win for me.”

The World Snooker Championship qualifiers begin on April 3 with the first-round correct beneath means on April 15.

O’Sullivan: Snooker ‘the worst it has ever been’

Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the WST Traditional as a result of an elbow harm

Ronnie O’Sullivan, who gained a record-equalling seventh world title in 2022, just lately instructed The Solar that snooker is in a “unhealthy place” and known as for the injection of better prize cash within the sport and a few recent concepts.

The 47-year-old, who withdrew from the WST Traditional forward of his second-round match as a result of an elbow harm, mentioned: “[Snooker] might be within the worst place it has ever been.

“The picture of the game, it is a bit like a pub sport now. It is in a nasty place. It is in hassle. I’ve carried the game just about for the final 20-30 years. It isn’t one participant. It is the game.”

World Snooker has responded to O’Sullivan’s feedback, insisting there’s a vivid future for the game.

A spokesperson mentioned: “Final week we held a constructive assembly with the gamers, sadly Ronnie selected to not attend, the place we set out our imaginative and prescient for the way forward for snooker and addressed points that are vital to the gamers.

Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan believes snooker is in a ‘unhealthy place’

“The outcomes had been optimistic, and gamers had been inspired by the progressive technique set out by WST [World Snooker Tour].

“WST is working diligently throughout lots of the areas Ronnie has raised and is attaining appreciable success because of this.

“We’re working with the main businesses in sports activities, whose purchasers embody the Premier League, FIFA, Ryder Cup and The Masters.

“Our long-term technique relies upon best-in-class evaluation and pushed by information. We might at all times welcome Ronnie to share his concepts and focus on our plans and technique straight with WST.”