Jimmy White makes huge announcement on future after golden 45-year snooker career – 'Love the pressure'
Updated 26/02/2025 at 06:04 GMT
Jimmy White has revealed plans to extend his golden playing career, after remarkably turning professional back in 1980. The former Masters champion plans on finishing as a professional at the age of 65 if he fails to win a title, but feels he is good enough to challenge at the summit. The six-time world finalist was granted a wildcard in 2016 to continue his career on the World Snooker Tour.
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Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White has revealed he plans to play for three more years on the main professional circuit – and feels he can win a tournament before he retires.
The six-time world finalist was granted an invitational tour card in 2016 putting him back among the elite after losing his tour card of 37 years, but the iconic Londoner has continued to enjoy some excellent performances in recent years.
As well as winning four world seniors titles, White qualified for the 2022 UK Championship in York, becoming the oldest man to achieve the feat since 63-year-old Eddie Charlton in 1993.
The former UK and Masters champion White also enjoyed a 4-2 win over world No. 1 Judd Trump in the last 32 of the WST Classic in 2023.
White, who turned professional in 1980, revealed he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) two years ago.
"For me to still be able to play and compete now is like a godsend," he told Stephen Hendry, the man who defeated him in four world finals, on the seven-time world champion's YouTube channel.
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"I'm going to play for another three years and if I don't win a tournament, I'm going to stop.
"I'm nearly 40," he joked. "I'm 62. People think 'why are you doing it? You're nuts'.
"I'm trying to work on the mental side. I get myself so at it because you play so well practising, but all of a sudden you cannot pot a ball. You love the pressure because that's half the buzz.
"Not so much now because of this ADHD situation, but I could be playing, and a voice will say to me: 'Did you water the plants before you left home?'
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"I'm playing one of the hardest games in the world, a geezer is trying to beat me and I've got this voice.
"For me, it is concentration. It is more difficult as you get older. If you can close that in, practice and enjoy competing.
"I love the punditry. Sometimes you are sitting in the studio and you want to be out there."
The Eurosport analyst has joined Masters champion Shaun Murphy in working with 2002 world champion Peter Ebdon to improve mental focus in competition.
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"I got diagnosed with ADHD about two years ago, 18 months, two years ago," White told Hendry. "I've had to work. With ADHD you think about 15 things at once.
"I have to be medicated and all that, and it's completely changed my life.
"I have always had great respect for him [Peter] as a player. He's a winner and what he got out of his ability was amazing.
"I'm working on purely the mental side, the focus and breathing. It's good stuff."
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