The 2024 World Seniors Snooker Championship began on Wednesday with Jimmy White and Ken Doherty among the star names in the draw.
Kyren Wilson sealed a maiden world title on the main tour on Monday, but the action at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield isn’t over just yet.
The World Seniors Snooker Championship started with 16 contenders – each bidding for the top prize worth £20,000 – and eight remain in the hunt for glory in Sheffield.
Reigning champion Jimmy White is bidding for a record-extending fifth world seniors crown.
The Whirlwind most recently raised the trophy aloft in 2023 when he overcame Alfie Burden in the final and has been an ever-present in the final since 2019.
The pre-tournament favourite with the bookies, however, was Ireland’s Ken Doherty, who won the 900 Seniors tournament on home soil in March.
A straight knockout format has matches lasting five frames in the first two rounds, seven frames in the semi-finals, and then a best-of-nine final.
Former world seniors champions
1991: Cliff Wilson
2010: Jimmy White
2011: Darren Morgan
2012: Nigel Bond
2013: Steve Davis
2015: Mark Williams
2016: Mark Davis
2017: Peter Lines
2018: Aaron Canavan
2019: Jimmy White
2020: Jimmy White
2021: David Lilley
2022: Lee Walker
2023: Jimmy White
Who is in the quarter-finals?
Jimmy White and Ken Doherty both came from behind to win their opening fixtures in the 2024 World Seniors Snooker Championship draw.
Doherty lost the opening frame to qualifier Tyson Crinis but reeled off the following three to advance to the last eight.
The 1997 world champion meets Dechawat Poomjaeng in the quarter-finals after the eccentric potter from Thailand recorded a similar scoreline against former champion Darren Morgan.
Poomjaeng’s esteemed countryman James Wattana, a former world number three on the main tour, is also through in the bottom half of the draw.
Wattana held off a stern challenge from Rodney Goggins to prevail in a decider, which sets up a last-eight clash with Barry Pinches.
White, meanwhile, was made to work hard in his first-round tie as the 62 year-old battled back from 2-0 down to deny Andrew Norman.
The Whirlwind meets Brazil’s Igor Figueiredo next, the latter representing one of the dark horses this year to challenge for the crown.
Also in the top half is White’s old pal Tony Drago, who ousted Michael Judge to set up a meeting with Stuart Watson.
All four quarter-finals will take place on Friday, May 10th.
2024 World Seniors Snooker Championship
Round of 16 (bo5)
Jimmy White 3-2 Andrew Norman
Igor Figueiredo 3-1 Tessa Davidson
Tony Knowles 0-3 Stuart Watson
Tony Drago 3-1 Michael Judge
Joe Johnson 1-3 Barry Pinches
James Wattana 3-2 Rodney Goggins
Darren Morgan 1-3 Dechawat Poomjaeng
Ken Doherty 3-1 Tyson Crinis
Quarter-Finals (bo5)
Jimmy White 0-3 Igor Figueiredo
Stuart Watson 1-3 Tony Drago
Barry Pinches 3-1 James Wattana
Dechawat Poomjaeng 2-3 Ken Doherty
Semi-Finals (bo7)
Igor Figueiredo 4-1 Tony Drago
Barry Pinches 1-4 Ken Doherty
Final (bo9)
Igor Figueiredo 5-2 Ken Doherty
How to watch the World Seniors Snooker Championship
Live coverage will be available to UK and Irish viewers on Channel 5 for the afternoon sessions and 5 Action for the evening sessions.
Tickets for the event are on sale and can be purchased at www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.
Featured photo credit: WSS / Andy Chubb
This year’s event will be televised on Channel 5 in the UK rather than the BBC’s digital platforms. This could see a larger audience but I’ve not had it confirmed, when messaging Jason Francis, that all sessions will be live. Channel 5 may feel the evening action won’t pull in the necessary ratings to justify a primetime five nights in a row. A 30 second shot clock will be in operation to accommodate the needs of a commercial broadcaster that is not focused entirely on sport.
Fu was very impressive in the last four frames against Doherty. Up to 6-6, both men were chasing their past as a catalogue of unforced errors led to many close frames.
The final is on Sunday afternoon, so you could be right about Channel 5 and the evening sessions.
No great surprise as it could end up being Pinches v Judge. That’s not going to break the million mark. Channel 5 still have certain drama series averaging over 3 million in primetime. I’d have preferred it to stay on the BBC so we’d get comprehensive coverage and evening is a better vibe for the final.
It’s great news for me that it’s scheduled for the afternoon, tbf.
Ha, yes for those in Asia. I do wonder how popular the seniors would be outside the British Isles. The final will now be up against Premier League football with the title race likely to still be a live one that weekend.
Martin Gould has been given a one year extension to stay on tour due to medical reasons.
The fact Jimmy White is playing in the afternoon suggests evening sessions will not be broadcast on Channel 5 every night. They don’t possess a red button service but some of the sessions could be made available on Channel 5’s sister channel 5 Star or their streaming platform My5.
The three evening sessions will be broadcast on 5Action.
White should arguably be favourite given his record in this event.
Agree. He’s had a bad season but his record on the Seniors Tour speaks for itself. There are quite a few in the field who could win it though.
Hi I really think Jimmy White will win this year and I hope he wins next year as well so that he wins 6 world senior titles in return for loosing 6 World finals
He is amazing
Sad to see Jimmy White out fantastic player.
But Two others that have touched my heart and I have a lot of respect for Darren Morgan you need acupuncture it looks like a trapped nerve I hope you get well soon and I take my hat of to you for evertime you got to the table shame you did not win I was willing you too.
An Sir Tony Drago you deserve everyone to call you a sir because it takes a lot to be where you are and say what you did on television stay strong and keep that chin up many a wishing you best wishes as you deserve them you have courage Sir in abundance put take that to the table and WIN.
Its your turn to shine SIR you know who’s out 😉 Good luck 👌 God Bless 🙏