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Jimmy White, 62, reacts to ‘strange’ win at Northern Ireland Open

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Jimmy White, 62, reacts to ‘strange’ win at Northern Ireland Open

Northern Ireland Open 2024 - Day 2

Jimmy White is still winning big games at sixty (Image: Getty Images)

Jimmy White scored a big win at the The Northern Ireland Open on Monday, when the 62-year-old beat Hossein Vafaei 4-2 in one of the craziest matches you’ll see all season.

It was a huge upset for the veteran to beat the world number 24 and the Whirlwind admitted it was a very unusual contest with a number of situations that are hardly ever seen on a pool table.

“It was really tough, I’m desperate to try and get a win, to start,” White told Eurosport. “A couple of times I’m 40, I go to the pack, nowhere.

“My safety was good, but there were a lot of mistakes, a lot of mistakes. It was a weird game.

He added when speaking on the World Snooker Tour: “It was strange, it was very strange.”

Vafaei set the tone early when in the first frame he tried to wrap up the brown, only to see the ball skip the jaws of the green pocket, roll over the rail and into the yellow bag.

Neal Foulds on Eurosport commentary said: “That’s about once every five years, extraordinary. It’s a legal shot, in case you’re wondering. I’ve seen it, probably in all the years, seven or eight times.

It was a strange moment, but it had nothing on the controversy of the last leg of the game when Kevin Dabrowski called a very rare foul on Vafaei.

White had gone on-off, so the Iranian placed the ball on the D to play his next shot, or so he thought.

Vafaei put in a long red but the referee immediately called a foul and said the white ball was outside the D when the shot was played.

There was much confusion when Vafaei questioned the decision and asked for a replay, but Dabrowksi stood by his call and White returned to the table.

It was very close but the referee was adamant, with former Masters champion Alan McManus agreeing with him on Eurosport after analyzing the footage.

There were plenty of other incidents too, with both players fouling out while playing the rest and White giving away an incredible 36 points while trying to get out of a snooker and then winning the frame!

The Whirlwind also progressed without a half-century as Vafaei’s 55 was the highest break of the match.

The six-time World Championship finalist now faces Martin O’Donnell in the last 32 in Belfast on Wednesday and is feeling great after beating the Prince of Persia.

“I’ve been playing really good stuff, but when you don’t have confidence … listen, it’s a big win for me,” he said.

Northern Ireland Open 2024 - Day 2

White turned pro 44 years ago (Image: Getty Images)

‘I like to practice, enjoy doing exhibitions, having fun. I’m still 147 and every once in a while I get a little hustle where I can beat anyone. It’s not as consistent as it was, but I think that will come with a few wins and it was a decent win for me today.”

White has played on the World Snooker Tour on an invitational tour card, but earned his current one through the rankings after some impressive results a couple of seasons ago.

“I got mine on merit the last two years,” he said of his spot on the tour. “Barry Hearn told me what I’ve done for the game, as long as I keep playing in all the events I’ll still get the wild card, but it’s good to have it on merit.”

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