Jimmy White’s World Championship hopes dashed by Liu Hongyu in qualifying defeat

Jimmy White’s hopes of reaching the World Championship have been dashed after a disappointing 10-3 defeat to Liu Hongyu in the second round of qualifying. The six-time finalist, who first qualified for the tournament in 1981, will not be competing at the Crucible this year as Liu advanced to a tantalising third-round qualifier against Jack Lisowski.

The match started off on a promising note for White as he leveled the score with an impressive clearance of 81 at 1-1. However, Liu quickly took control of the match, racing into a 5-1 lead and never looking back. Despite a valiant effort from White, including a second-highest break of 69, Liu’s dominance proved too much to overcome.

In other matches, David Grace is locked in a tight battle with Rory Thor at 8-8 after 16 frames, while Daniel Wells secured a 10-5 victory against Xing Zihao after a strong comeback following an early deficit.

Meanwhile, Ben Woollaston and Jenson Kendrick engaged in a closely fought match, with Kendrick ultimately emerging victorious with a 10-8 win. Jamie Clarke also secured a 10-7 victory over Andres Petrov, showcasing his skill with a break of 97 in the 10th frame.

Anthony Hamilton currently holds a 9-5 lead over Alexander Ursenbacher, despite Ursenbacher’s impressive 130 clearance in the seventh game.

The World Championship qualifying rounds continue to deliver thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes, with players giving their all to secure a coveted spot at the Crucible. Fans can catch all the action live on Eurosport, discovery+, the Eurosport app, and eurosport.com.