Steve Davis has hailed the “ridiculous” longevity of Jimmy White as his 60-year-old pal returns to centre stage at the UK Championship.
The evergreen Whirlwind has won four matches to earn the right to walk out at York’s Barbican Centre tonight [Sat] against recent British Open winner Ryan Day.
Six-time world champion Davis, now 65, famously played on until his mid-50s – but even the Nugget can scarcely believe the enthusiasm White still shows 42 years after turning pro.
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Davis, who beat White in one of his six losing finals at the Crucible, reckons his contemporary is doing “a better job of turning back the tide than King Canute”.
And though White, who won the UK title 30 years ago, may not have quite as full a trophy cabinet as some, Davis puts him in the top three of all time on raw talent and ability.
He said: “It is an amazing feat, and the more you think about it, the more incredible it is.
“It is reward for how much hard work and effort Jimmy is still putting in. And it should be totally celebrated, he should get the biggest cheer on Saturday night.
“It is ridiculous, unbelievable that at the age of 60 he has as much or more enthusiasm than players even a third his age.
“Fred Davis was 60-something when he got to the semi-finals of the world championship but it is a different world now.
“To be 60 and out-performing players so much younger is astonishing and genuinely hard to put into words.
“Snooker is not physical but it takes its toll on your central nervous system, your body is not as good at handling nerves as you get older. You don’t settle down as fast.
“Jimmy has been saying for years ‘I am playing great in practice. We had started to think he couldn’t do it in actual matches any more – but he has proved everyone wrong.
“It is the best example of pushing back the tide we may have ever seen. He has done a better job of it than King Canute.
“When it comes to raw ability…the talented players do seem to outlast everyone in the end. The ones that had that special ability we say are Alex Higgins, Jimmy and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
“Alex’s talent saw him outlast some, Jimmy has done it better than anybody, and Ronnie is outlasting everyone. That is a special group.
“Tournament wins is one yardstick, but there are others. And Jimmy has outlasted everyone by miles. I stopped in my 50s. And we started about the same time.”
Jimmy White, take a bow! 👏
#CazooUKChampionship | @CazooUK | @jimmywhite147
Davis first came across White in their junior days – when the left-hander turned up for their match with a walking stick recovering from a broken leg and played a few practice shots with it.
And admitting White’s feat reminds him of his own Crucible run to the quarter-finals in 2010 at 52, Davis also attempted to explain the huge and enduring popularity of the ‘People’s Champion’.
He added: “It has brought back some good memories of beating John Higgins to get to the last eight in my 50s. That win was as sweet as any I had ever had in my career.
“So many things have gone into why Jimmy is so loved. He has always played the game in an attacking, even cavalier attitude. He has been brave, and is a great shot-maker.
“When he is interviewed people see how genuine he is. There is no b*llshit, people know what they are getting.
“And they like him. He has got a cheeky side to him but also loves the game and would never disrespect it. He has been a trooper for snooker, a real ambassador.
“He is not a bad boy at all, but over the years maybe one of our more colourful characters. But he has never left quite the same trail of destruction behind that Alex did.
“Jimmy still has the admiration of all players and ironically the professionalism and dedication he shows now seems to be far more than in his younger days!
“But it will be a fantastic moment to see him walk out for that match against Ryan – a special occasion at the TV stages of a major event.
“Who knows if everyone will stand up, you can’t tell people to do that but they may well do anyway.
“I hope that there is no anti-climax and reaction playing-wise, and that he keeps the enjoyment he has clearly had in the qualifiers, relaxes, and doesn’t try too hard.
“If he starts to enjoy himself, we could see something special but if crowd expectations go through the roof that it might unsettle him.
“But the main thing is that everyone should savour the moment.
“And all snooker fans who can if there are any tickets left should get up there and say ‘I saw him in the 80s, and I saw him play live at 60 in the final stages of the UK’.”
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