Stephen Hendry to face Jimmy White in first qualifying round of the World Snooker Championship
The draw for the first qualifying round of the World Snooker Championship pitched players ranked 81-112 at random against the 32 players either ranked lower or among the amateur invites. The qualifying rounds will run from April 5 to 14 at the English Institute of Sport - Sheffield
Last Updated: 24/03/21 3:53pm
Stephen Hendry will face old adversary Jimmy White in the first qualifying round of the World Championship, a repeat of the four Crucible finals they played in the 1990s.
Hendry, age 52, retired from the pro tour in 2012 but has returned this season with an invitational tour card and will compete in snooker's biggest tournament for the first time in nine years. White, age 58, also has an invitational card and is currently ranked 83rd in the world.
The Scot beat White in the World Championship final in 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1994, giving him the first four of his seven titles. White has made the final six times in all but is yet to lift the trophy.
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Hendry v White: Crucible clashes
1988 second round: White 13-12 Hendry
1990 final: Hendry 18-12 White
1992 final: Hendry 18-14 White
1993 final: Hendry 18-5 White
1994 final: Hendry 18-17 White
1995 semi-final: Hendry 16-12 White
1998 first round: White 10-4 Hendry
Hendry was asked about the draw on ITV4 at the start of today's Cazoo Tour Championship programme and said: "I can't believe it. All those finals and now we will play each other in the very first round, it's incredible. We have been practising together but that will end now!"
The pair's last meeting in the professional ranks went in Hendry's favour as he won 9-8 in the last-32 of the 2010 UK Championship, but White defeated his old nemesis 4-2 en route to going all the way in the World Senior Championship last August.
Women's world champion Reanne Evans will start her bid to make it to the Crucible against Andy Hicks - the same opponent she faced last year when she lost 6-3. Rebecca Kenna will make her debut in the event against Brandon Sargeant.
Ken Doherty, the 1997 world champion, will face Lee Walker. Belgium's Ben Mertens, who last year became the youngest player to win a match in the tournament, will be up against Lei Peifan.
The 16 players who make it through the qualifying rounds will go through to the Crucible, joining the top 16 seeds, for the final stages which run from April 17 to May 3.
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