Jimmy White endured more disappointment at a World Snooker Championship after bowing out in the first qualifying round to Gao Yang on Monday.
The preliminary phase of the 2026 edition in Sheffield got under way with six-time finalist White headlining the show at the English Institute of Sport.
A big crowd was in to watch the legend, who turns 64 next month, begin his attempt to return to the Crucible Theatre for the first time in 20 years.
It was looking very promising when the Whirlwind established an early 5-1 advantage over the 21 year-old from China.
But Gao won the last three frames of the opening session and the first three of the second session to regain control.
White managed to fight back and restore parity on three occasions, the last of which forcing a deciding frame in which both players had opportunities to advance.
But it was Gao, who triumphed at the WSF Championship last year, who ultimately just about held his nerve the best at the end.
Gao still needs to win three matches in the qualifying competition if he’s to secure a spot in next week’s main draw, with Mark Davis his next opponent in the second round.
Elsewhere on day one, reigning women’s world champion Bai Yulu fought back from an early deficit to beat Daniel Womersley with a 10-7 scoreline.
Bai trailed 3-1 at the first mid-session interval but won six out of the next seven frames to move 7-4 in front, and she was able to maintain that buffer until the finish.
Ng On Yee, who beat Bai to win the recent British Women’s Open, crashed out after a 10-7 reverse against Michal Szubarczyk, however.
That success for Szubarczyk means that the 15 year-old becomes the youngest-ever winner of a World Snooker Championship match.
Among the others to make it through to the next round were Irish duo Leone Crowley and Robbie McGuigan.
Cork’s Crowley secured a rare win in an otherwise forgettable debut campaign on the main tour with a 10-5 victory over Huang Jiahao, while Antrim’s McGuigan edged Hammad Miah 10-8.
Among the others to qualify for the next round were Peter Lines, Yao Pengcheng, and Wang Xinbo – the latter’s 10-4 win over Mitchell Mann consigning the former Crucible qualifier to tour relegation.
Several other fixtures reached their halfway stages, with 1997 world champion Ken Doherty currently 5-4 down on Patrick Whelan.
Reanne Evans also has work to do after ending her first session 5-3 down on Vladislav Gradinari, but Shoot Out champion Alfie Burden leads Liam Pullen 5-4.
There are leads elsewhere for Ashley Carty, Ross Muir, Haris Tahir, Dylan Emery, and Mateusz Baranowski.
Those matches conclude on Tuesday while the pick of the new matches taking place is arguably the bout between veteran Marco Fu and former women’s world number one Mink Nutcharut.
More information on the draw, including the schedule and results, is available by clicking here.
Monday’s Results
Wang Xinbo 10–4 Mitchell Mann
Peter Lines 10–2 Jonas Luz
Michal Szubarczyk 10–7 Ng On Yee
Gao Yang 10–9 Jimmy White
Yao Pengcheng 10–9 Ryan Davies
Leone Crowley 10–5 Huang Jiahao
Bai Yulu 10–7 Daniel Womersley
Robbie McGuigan 10–8 Hammad Miah
Other Scores
Cheung Ka Wai 4–5 Ashley Carty
Ross Muir 6–2 Mykhailo Larkov
Haris Tahir 5–4 Connor Benzey
Reanne Evans 3–5 Vladislav Gradinari
Ken Doherty 4–5 Patrick Whelan
Dylan Emery 5–4 Anton Kazakov
Mateusz Baranowski 6–3 Florian Nüßle
Liam Pullen 4–5 Alfie Burden
Featured photo credit: WST
Sad to see the whirlwind lose from holding a strong position in the first round. He’s got at least one more try at it if I remember an interview of his from last year correctly, but the standard of the main tour full pros now means that he might only win a match if he plays an overawed young amateur “top up” opponent over the 19 frames of World Championship qualifiers. As for getting to the Crucible again, I know his fans would hope for it but it doesn’t even seem imaginable to me anymore.
In a sort of related subject, does anyone know what ‘crafty’ Ken Doherty’s plans are after this season?
Rather impressive for a 15 y/o to master what must have been a daunting occasion to defeat an experienced player like Ng On Yee, and coming from behind to do it.
Nice to see Bai Yulu make it through — to me she is the best break-builder among the women, and has the best chance to advance.
I always root for Mink, but she is a bit too weak as a player.
A shame about Jimmy White, not just for him personally, but also because he generates a lot of fan interest.
The crowd in the afternoon was large for the White-Gao match, but was much smaller in the evening. Gao struggled to pull away, which happened to several players yesterday, and it got tense.
Bai Yulu was disadvantaged by a referee error, who awarded a foul to her opponent. She probably wpuld have won the match quite comfortably, but it stopped her in her tracks.
The young players Szubarczyk and Wang were very impressive.
The first day here is often quite a tough watch, with the lowest-ranked players feeling nerves of the opening matches of the biggest event. But actually yesterday was very interesting, with plenty of drama already.
White would’ve fancied his chances against Mark Davis. He’s a player White has been favourite against for much of his career, and Davis is dealing with the added pressure of tour survival.