Even Stephen Hendry, a fierce competitor and hard in the extreme, could not disguise a degree of sympathy for Jimmy White after beating the perennial Crucible nearly man 18-17 in the final of the 1994 World Championship.

Leading 37-24 in the decider, and with sufficient open balls on the table to finally be crowned champion after so many near misses, White jawed a routine black off its spot.

It was a blunder that White will remember until the day he dies and one for which he will be remembered long after that.

Even in the pressroom, supposedly a haven of impartiality, a collective groan went up. They sensed White had blown his chance and so it proved. It was to be his last shot of the match.

White’s expression on returning to his chair suggested he feared the worst and those fears were confirmed when Hendry coolly produced a 58 clearance to successfully defend the title.

Hendry’s fourth World Championship win and third in succession was followed by three more in 1995, 1996 and 1999.

White reached the semi-finals the following year, lost 16-12 to Hendry but never again seriously contended.

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