'The Godfather of snooker' – Kyren Wilson honoured to centre stage with 'amazing' Jimmy White in York

ByEurosport

Updated 13/11/2022 at 12:47 GMT

Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White's return to the snooker limelight at the age of 60 ended in a 6-2 defeat to Ryan Day in the last 32 of the UK Championship, but the six-time world finalist earned plenty of plaudits from his rivals after a memorable Saturday evening at the York Barbican. Stream the 2022 UK Championship and more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+.

Jimmy White lost 6-2 to Ryan Day in the last 32 of the UK Championship in York, but his return to snooker's main stage on Saturday earned plenty of plaudits.

2020 world finalist Kyren Wilson was on the other main table at the Barbican in a 6-3 win over Matthew Selt and said it was a night to remember for players and fans alike.

At the age of 60, White became the oldest man to compete in the traditional televised stage of the UK Championship since 58-year-old Cliff Wilson defeated 16-year-old Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-8 in the last 32 in 1992, the year the Whirlwind won the title with a 16-9 victory over John Parrott in Preston.

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62-year-old Australian icon 'Steady' Eddie Charlton lost 9-3 to Alan McManus in the last-32 qualifying round 30 years ago and 9-2 to Martin Clark in the last 64 a year later.

“I knew it would be a special atmosphere tonight, being in the same arena as Jimmy. He deserved every moment of that," Wilson told reporters after securing a meeting with Mark Allen in the last 16, a repeat of the 2018 Masters final which Allen won 10-7.

"Jimmy is the Godfather of snooker, he has had an amazing career.”

British Open holder Day was born in 1980, the same year White turned professional.

‘One from the glory years’ – White knocks in brilliant long red

“Jimmy was my favourite player when I was growing up, my hero. To share that occasion with him was a privilege," said Day, who made breaks of 127, 105 and 65 to secure a last-16 meeting with Sam Craigie, conqueror of defending champion Zhao Xintong earlier on Saturday.

"When he walked into the arena the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. I was full of adrenaline and nerves for the first few frames but after that I managed to calm myself down and play well.”

• 'It was just magical' - White says UK Championship reception is 'what I live for'
• 'He is playing as good as ever' - White wowed by O’Sullivan's start to new season

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Stream the 2022 UK Championship and more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+. You can also watch Seventh Heaven, a two-part show about Ronnie O’Sullivan’s historic World Championship win last season, on demand now.

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