Jimmy White Rolls Back the Years as China Open Qualifiers Get Underway

Snooker

12 June 2026

The opening day of qualifying for the 2026 China Open delivered plenty of drama, impressive performances and a reminder that some sporting legends simply refuse to fade away.

Leading the headlines was snooker’s evergreen entertainer Jimmy White, who began his remarkable 47th season as a professional with an impressive victory at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.

White Begins Season 47 in Style

At 64 years of age, White continues to defy expectations. The six-time World Championship finalist produced a polished display to defeat Sean O’Sullivan 6-2 and secure his place in the second qualifying round.

The Whirlwind showed flashes of the break-building brilliance that has made him one of the most popular figures in snooker history. A superb century break of 112 helped White seal the victory and ensured his latest campaign got off to the perfect start.

As he embarks on an astonishing 47th season on the professional circuit, White’s passion and competitive spirit remain as strong as ever.

Evans Continues Historic Career

Twelve-time Women’s World Champion Reanne Evans added another notable result to her illustrious career, defeating Alfie Davies 6-4 to advance.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in women’s snooker history, Evans produced a composed and disciplined performance to overcome Davies and move into the next stage of qualifying.

Nasa Produces Stunning Fightback

One of the stories of the day came from Thailand’s Chatchapong Nasa, who completed a remarkable comeback from 4-0 down to defeat Liam Davies 6-5.

Davies appeared to be cruising towards victory after compiling breaks of 114, 73, 61 and 58 to establish his commanding lead. However, Nasa responded superbly with runs of 65, 63, 61 and 54 before completing a dramatic turnaround in the deciding frame.

Mann Survives Decider

Another closely fought contest saw Mitchell Mann edge past Scotland’s Liam Graham 6-5.

Mann was helped by breaks of 80, 59, 53 and 51 as he held his nerve in the deciding frame to progress.

Other Notable Results

Elsewhere, Robert Milkins defeated Luo Zetao 6-4, while Ross Muir overcame Cheung Ka Wai 6-3.

Ashley Carty and Alfie Burden recorded the most emphatic victories of the day, both completing 6-0 whitewash wins over Stuart Carrington and Patrick Whelan respectively.

With four more days of qualifying still to come, Day 1 provided an entertaining start to the race for places at one of snooker’s most prestigious ranking events.

Day 1 Results

Mitchell Mann 6-5 Liam Graham

Chen Ruifu 6-4 Panchaya Channoi

Reanne Evans 6-4 Alfie Davies

Ryan Thomerson 6-4 Ng On Yee

Zhang Yang 6-3 Fergal Quinn

Antoni Kowalski 6-4 Paul Norris

Gong Chenzhi 6-5 Artemijs Zizins

Robert Milkins 6-4 Luo Zetao

Craig Steadman 6-3 George Pragnell

Alfie Burden 6-0 Patrick Whelan

Chatchapong Nasa 6-5 Liam Davies