World Seniors Snooker 2025: Jimmy White begins record title bid as defending champion Igor Figueiredo crashes out, Joe Perry and Dominic Dale win
Published 08/05/2025 at 08:41 GMT+1
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Jimmy White will chase a fifth World Seniors Championship when he faces fellow Londoner Alfie Burden in the first round in Sheffield on Thursday afternoon. White claimed his first seniors crown with a 4-1 win over Steve Davis in 2010 before completing final victories over Darren Morgan (5-3) in 2019, Ken Doherty (5-4) in 2020 and Burden (5-3) in 2023. But defending champion Igor Figueiredo is out.
White 'delighted' to be handed Tour card for next two years
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Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White will begin his quest for a record fifth World Seniors title when he faces Alfie Burden in his tournament opener at the Crucible Theatre on Thursday afternoon.
The six-time world finalist defeated Burden 5-3 in the final to claim the title for a fourth time in 2023 following victories in 2010, 2019 and 2020.
World No. 79 Burden qualified for the event by winning four matches in Reading last month, culminating in a 4-3 win over Matthew Ford to set up his rematch with White.
White lost 3-0 to Igor Figueiredo in the quarter-finals last year, but the powerful Brazilian potter - who defeated Ken Doherty 5-2 in the 2024 final - won't be claiming the title this year after losing 4-2 to England's Wayne Townsend in the first round on Wednesday evening.
"I can’t believe it, I didn’t even feel I played that great," said Townsend. "It’s just amazing.
"I just wanted to put a good performance in.
"It was a strange match, he seemed to do all the work and I mopped up."
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Watch: Top 10 shots of 2025 World Snooker Championship
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Dominic Dale and Joe Perry announced their retirement from the main tour after the World Championship qualifiers, but both men looked in decent touch in setting up a quarter-final clash in Sheffied.
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Two-time ranking event winner Dale produced a 107 break in a 4-2 win over Craig Steadman while Perry hit 76, 76, 94 and 59 in defeating Fabio Anderson Luersen by the same scoreline.
White faces Burden at 12pm before Doherty takes to the table to take on South Africa's Charl Jonck after 2pm.
Tony Drago meets Gerard Green at 7pm on Thursday, with former Crucible semi-finalist Tony Knowles facing Hassan Kerde.
World Seniors results/draw
First round draw
- Joe Perry 4-2 Fabio Anderson Luersen
- Dominic Dale 4-2 Craig Steadman
- Igor Figueiredo 2-4 Wayne Townsend
- Aaron Canavan 4-1 Andrew Norman
- Jimmy White v Alfie Burden
- Ken Doherty v Charl Jonck
- Tony Drago v Gerard Greene
- Tony Knowles v Hassan Kerde
- - -
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