Jimmy White gets round of applause from TNT Sports colleague after major announcement
Jimmy White was applauded live on air following a major announcement at the 2025 World Snooker Championship, where the 62-year-old has been working as a pundit
Fans of snooker legend Jimmy White can rejoice after it was confirmed the iconic talent has been granted another two-year pro card on the World Snooker Tour. The exciting news broke live on air during the 2025 World Snooker Championship just moments after White himself found out.
Radzi Chinyanganya shared the announcement on TNT Sports as White, 62, sat alongside fellow snooker greats Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry. Marco Fu was also awarded an invitational tour card along with White, a move that received a round of applause from the production crew on set.
Forty-five years since turning professional, White's continued accreditation ensures he can compete in WST events until the conclusion of the 2026/27 season. And the ex-world No 2 expressed just how happy he was to remain a part of snooker's exclusive club.
"I am delighted with that. I spoke to Barry [Hearn] and Jason Ferguson at World Snooker," he said during an appearance on TNT Sports (via the Daily Express). "They had a meeting yesterday, and I've got my Tour card, so we go again for another couple of years."
Concerns over White's career surfaced following his failure to qualify for this year's World Championship. He lost 10-5 to Ashleigh Carty in qualifying, the 19th consecutive year in which he has fallen out just before reaching the main draw.
That defeat saw him drop outside the world's top 64 players and led to concerns his time at the top was finally over. But snooker's authorities had other plans.
'The Whirlwind' first blew outside the top 64 back in 2017, leading to the loss of his tour card for the first time in 37 years. Fortunately, he received a lifeline then as well, with a two-year invitational pass ensuring his continued participation.
White has experienced a remarkable comeback in recent years and displayed a voracious hunger for competition on the grandest snooker stages. In 2022, he became the oldest player to reach the last 32 of the UK Championship in nearly three decades.
He then went on to secure an unprecedented fourth World Seniors Championship title. However, he stubbornly refuses to give up ground to those closer to their primes.
White - a six-time finalist at the Crucible - also made history as the first player over 60 to advance to the last 16 of a ranking event at the 2023 German Masters. And many will agree there are few more deserving of that rare honour.
His journey to the last 32 of the Northern Ireland Open in October 2024 has reinforced the notion that he's still cut out for this level. And it's clear those in charge of making the decisions at the elite level couldn't agree more.
"Jimmy and Marco have both been incredible ambassadors for snooker and they both continue to bring so much to our sport," said WST chair Steve Dawson and WPBSA chair Ferguson. "We are delighted to award them invitational Tour cards for the next two seasons.
"They both remain very competitive as players, in fact Marco only just missed out on a top 64 ranking this season, and Jimmy enjoyed some fine wins, notably beating Jackson Page and Hossein Vafaei at the Northern Ireland Open. They both have a huge passion for snooker and many millions of fans worldwide."
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