Jimmy White on his Crucible chances: "Make no mistake, I shall be qualifying for that one"

One of the sport’s all-time most popular and important figures, White last featured in the World Championship main draw in 2006 when he bowed out to David Gray 10-5 in round one.

Now aged 62-years-old, White has played at the iconic Crucible in Sheffield several times since then - winning the World Seniors Championship three times in 2019, 2020 and 2023 - however, ‘The Whirlwind’ would dearly love to perform there again in professional snooker’s blue riband event.

Whilst working as part of the Eurosport punditry team during the recent Welsh Open final between Mark Selby and Stephen Maguire, White was asked about the upcoming World Championship by presenter Rachel Casey in the studio, to which the former UK and Masters champion said: “Make no mistake, I shall be qualifying for that one.”

Famously, White was agonisingly denied snooker’s ultimate prize, losing in all six of his world final appearances. His first came in 1984 when he narrowly lost to Steve Davis, before suffering five consecutive final defeats between 1990 to 1994, with Stephen Hendry stopping him on four of those occasions. An inspired John Parrott did for White in 1991.

Since his last Crucible outing on the sport’s top tier, White has tried to qualify for the past 18 successive years. The last time he made the final qualifying round was in 2013 when he eliminated Tian Pengfei and Xiao Guodong before going out at the last hurdle to Robert Milkins, 10-5.

Ten-time ranking event winner White still plys his trade on the professional circuit, and is comfortably the oldest player on the World Snooker Tour.

Having received invitational cards in the past - preserving his professional status - White outright qualified for the tour two seasons ago when he finished inside the top four of the one-year list for those not in the world’s top 64. This was an avenue for the Englishman to earn a fresh two-year card, and not rely on a handout.

Last season was a struggle for White on the pro circuit, but the ongoing 2024/25 campaign has been much more positive for him. Highlights include winning two matches at the big-money Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, and three matches as he reached the last 32 of the Northern Ireland Open, a run that included wins over Jackson Page and Hossein Vafaei.

Despite the upturn in results, though, White is still a long way short of retaining his tour card. He is currently 91st in the world rankings and 19th on the one-year/seasonal list (for players outside the top 64). With no other events available to him before then, White would almost certainly need to qualify for the Crucible in order to get the job done himself. He will need to win either three or four matches to do this - it depends on his ranking position before the draw.

However, regardless of his fortunes in World Championship qualifying, White - who still has tremendous pull - is very likely to receive another invitational tour card from the sport’s authorities to keep him on the professional circuit.

White wasn’t in action in Llandudno for the Welsh Open having lost in the final qualifying round the week before, but he was still putting in the hours on the baize backstage at the Venue Cymru.

Speaking to Casey, White said: “I’ve been putting in plenty of practice. I’ve been practicing all week. Actually, I’ve been practicing with Stephen Maguire most mornings at 9 o’clock.”