World Seniors Snooker Championship: Jimmy White sizzles to set up Tony Drago semi-final clash, Stephen Hendry loses

Jimmy ‘Whirlwind’ White treated the Crucible Theatre to some vintage play in the World Seniors Championship quarter-finals with a 4-0 whitewash of Adrian Ridley on Saturday night.

The three-time seniors winner looks in good shape for a fourth title in Sheffield on Sunday evening after running in breaks of 76, 102, 80 and 84 in a dominant display that saw him clock an average shot time of only 21.65 seconds.

He will meet fellow speed merchant Tony Drago on Sunday (12pm) after ‘The Tornado’ ended Mark Davis’ hopes with a 4-3 victory earlier in the day.

Playing with an AST of 14.98 seconds, Drago enjoyed breaks of 50 and 59 before watching Davis restore parity at 3-3 with 137, the highest break of the 16-man event so far, 63 and 98.

Drago was not to be denied as he edged a close decider to set up a meeting with old mate White, who he last faced in a major match in a 6-4 defeat in the 2004 European Open semi-finals.

They first met in the last 32 of the 1987 Grand Prix with the Maltese man emerging with a 5-3 triumph.

White has won the seniors title in 2010, 2019 and 2020 while losing the 2021 and 2022 finals, including a 5-4 loss to Lee Walker last year.

Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry saw his hopes ended by Alfie Burden in the final quarter-final on Saturday as he went down 4-1.

Despite running in 62 to level at 1-1 after Burden opened with a 64, the Londoner claimed the final three frames, finishing with a knock of 85 to secure a meeting with Ben Hancorn in the second semi-final on Sunday (2:30pm).

Hancorn enjoyed contributions of 98 and 116 in 4-3 win over Gerard Greene, who responded with a couple of 73s of his own.

The best-of-nine-frame final will begin at 7pm on Sunday evening.

World Seniors semi-finals (best of seven frames)

• Jimmy White v Tony Drago
• Alfie Burden v Ben Hancorn

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