Snooker
Jimmy White: The 'Whirlwind' Still Storming at 62 with No Plans to Hang Up His Cue
Snooker legend Jimmy White, at 62, continues to enjoy the sport with no plans of retiring. Fresh off a victory at the Northern Ireland Open, he aims to stay on the pro tour. His continued success has drawn attention in snooker betting, with fans excited to see how he’ll perform in the upcoming events.
Image Credits: Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images
Snooker great Jimmy White is savouring every moment in the sport – and at 62 he’s showing no signs of packing away his cue just yet.
A Shock Victory at the Northern Ireland Open
The decorated ‘Whirlwind’ sprang a major shock by beating world No 24 Hossein Vafaei at the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast this week.
And after a string of solid wins already this season, the six-time World Championship finalist is keen to cash in on his promising form and earn another two-year wildcard to stay on the professional tour.
White has nothing to prove in a sport he has helped grow significantly in over half a century on the professional stage.
His love for the game is infectious.
The Hunger for Competition Never Fades
White turned professional in 1980 and is enjoying his 54th year on the tour, and the ten-time ranking event winner revealed he still loves the sport which has practically been in his blood since birth.
“I enjoy practising, I enjoy exhibitions, and I enjoy entertaining. Now and again, I have a little buzz where I can beat anybody.”
“I enjoy competing. When you’re young the travelling around the world is great, but these days it doesn’t matter how comfort you go, it’s still a chore to get back in the time zone and all that.”
I won a tournament in the King’s Hall about 1000 years ago, when I was about 20.
Jimmy White
Half a Century of Snooker Greatness
“It’s about winning how you can now these days, but my games in good shape,” White told SportsBoom.com.
“For me it’s about cutting out these schoolboy errors and staying focused.”
“I’ve been coming to Belfast since I was a kid, we great support for snooker in Belfast.”
The Hunger for Competition Never Fades
White turned professional in 1980 and is enjoying his 54th year on the tour, and the ten-time ranking event winner revealed he still loves the sport which has practically been in his blood since birth.
“I enjoy practising, I enjoy exhibitions, and I enjoy entertaining. Now and again, I have a little buzz where I can beat anybody.”
“I enjoy competing. When you’re young the travelling around the world is great, but these days it doesn’t matter how comfort you go, it’s still a chore to get back in the time zone and all that.”
But once you’re there and you’re competing it’s all worth it.
Jimmy White
White and fellow green baize great Ken Doherty have both been enjoying competing on the professional tour long since fellow snooker legend Stephen Hendry retired.
Scottish great Hendry came out of retirement with little success, but White and Doherty still retain the hunger and enthusiasm for a game they have been involved with for most of their life.
“I got my merit the last couple of years, Barry Hearn did say to me that I’d get that for what I’ve done for the game,” added White.
“He told me that he would give me the wildcard if I kept playing in all of the events. But it would be nice to get it on merit.”
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Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.