White stages comeback to keep World Seniors title defence on track

Defending champion Jimmy White was pushed all the way in the opening match of his World Seniors Championship title defence before securing a 3-2 win over Andrew Norman at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

The six-time world finalist lost the first two frames to fellow Englishman Norman, who made a break of 65 in the second frame and missed an easy black among the balls in the third frame. White produced a battling 54 to win his first frame of the day before dominating the fourth frame to force a decider.

Despite former English amateur finalist Norman producing a run of 52 in the final frame, it was White who advanced to the quarter-finals after a Norman safety error saw the 1992 UK Championship winner keep his cool to sink brown, blue and pink to scrape home.

“I didn’t sleep very well last night,” said White. “I was lucky to win, but hopefully I can play better in my next match.”

Maltese speed merchant Tony Drago completed a 3-1 win over Michael Judge earlier in the afternoon to set up a meeting with Stuart Watson, who defeated Tony Knowles 3-0 in their first-round encounter.

White’s fellow Eurosport pundit and 1986 world champion Joe Johnson faces Barry Pinches on Thursday night, with 2011 World Seniors champion Darren Morgan up against crowd favourite Dechawat Poomjaeng.