World Seniors Snooker Championship: Jimmy White claims record title with final win over Alfie Burden – 'I love the game'

ByEurosport

Updated 07/05/2023 at 22:12 GMT

Jimmy White defeated fellow Londoner Alfie Burden 5-3 to complete a record fourth triumph at the World Seniors Championship in Sheffield. The on-song Whirlwind had earlier produced breaks of 64, 74, 56 and 68 in a 4-1 semi-final win over Tony Drago to stay on course for glory at the Crucible Theatre. 61-year-old White has also won the elite trophy three times in 2010, 2019 and 2020.

Jimmy White completed a 5-3 win over fellow Londoner Alfie Burden to wrap up a record fourth World Seniors snooker title at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

The six-time world finalist produced breaks of 62, 63 and 55 to lead 4-1 on Sunday night before Burden, who lost the opening frame despite compiling a break of 53, rallied by winning the next two frames to trail 4-3.

With the tension mounting, White regrouped to finish with a closing run of 84 in reclaiming a trophy he last won three years ago.

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"I just love the game," said White. "It is fascinating. Obviously, I love to win. Me and Alfie go back a long way. I love him also and thanks everyone for coming.

"We both struggled with the table being a bit heavy tonight.

"Sometimes I can beat anybody, but sometimes I just fall over the line. I'm starting to get that motivation like [Mark] Selby does and just win when you are playing bad."

Burden felt his debut performance at the tournament will provide him with good memories.

"Jimmy was the better man tonight and if I'm going to lose to anyone it is him because I love the bones of the geezer.

"I've enjoyed playing at the Crucible again."

White had earlier stayed on course for victory with an inspired 4-1 victory over Tony Drago in the semi-finals on Sunday afternoon.

'The Whirlwind' produced breaks of 76, 102, 80 and 84 in a 4-0 quarter-final whitewash of Adrian Ridley on Saturday night and picked up from where he left off in Sheffield against Maltese favourite Drago, a figure he first met on the professional tour at the 1987 Grand Prix.

Knocks of 64, 74, 56 and 68 continued his heavy scoring streak to reach the title match.

Drago produced a fine break of 72 in the third frame, but White dominated the closing two frames to reach his sixth World Seniors final, and fifth in succession, against Burden, who coasted to a 4-1 win over Bristol's Ben Hancorn in the second semi-final.

World No. 75 White also won the seniors title in 2010, 2019 and 2020 while losing the 2021 and 2022 finals, including a narrow 5-4 loss to Lee Walker last year.

Burden enjoyed runs of 86, 72, 56 and 101 in his last-four encounter with Hancorn producing 85 in the fourth frame to stave off the whitewash.

By winning the event, White has secured a place at the Champion of Champions in November.

'I get such a buzz!' - White explains what he feels watching THAT legendary Higgins break

World Seniors semi-finals (best of seven frames)

• Jimmy White 4-1 Tony Drago
• Alfie Burden 4-1 Ben Hancorn

World Seniors final (best of nine frames)

• Jimmy White 5-3 Alfie Burden

• World Seniors Snooker Championship 2023: Latest scores and results, schedule, order of play

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