World Seniors Snooker Championship final 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Alfie Burden thrashes Aaron Canavan in epic showpiece match

Tony Drago 1-0 Gerard Greene (41-14)

Even his safety shots are quick!

Drago scooting ahead in the frame with a break of 41. His last red was a good pot but he tried opening the remaining pack of reds but didn't quite manage it.

So they stay bunched and he's forced to play safe to the baulk cushion.

Tony Drago 1-0 Gerard Greene (0-14)

The first chance was Gerard Greene's there but he loses the cue ball and the break at just 14.

Tony Drago 1-0 Gerard Greene

I'm not even kidding here. That break was an absolute joke.

How on earth is Tony Drago QUICKER than he was previously!?

Maybe not. But that was still a ridiculous clearance of 79 in rapid fashion to wrap up this opening frame. Genuinely terrific to watch.

Tony Drago 0-0 Gerard Greene (9-28)

The break of Greene's falls at 22 as he opens up a 20-point lead.

His miss leaves Drago on a red and there are a group of five or six reachable reds in the bunch for him to go after.

Tony Drago 0-0 Gerard Greene (8-7)

Drago misses a long red into the green pocket which bounces away to safety so an immediate chance for Greene to put a score on the board.

Tony Drago 0-0 Gerard Greene (8-6)

Just as we expected, there's absolutely no messing about with these two rapid players.

Drago registers eight points before his break comes to a close.

Greene pots red-brown-red to almost level it up but the jaws of the right corner pocket catch the black ball and prevent it dropping to keep a promising break going.

Here they come

A great ovation for both men as Tony Drago follows Gerard Greene into this Crucible arena.

Drago getting a real welcome from this crowd with his walk-in song 'Bat Out Of Hell' a real treat.

Gerard Greene will break first - and it's first to four remember!

Tight match expected

In fact, it quite literally couldn't be any tighter.

The bookmakers can't split them!

• Tony Drago 5/6
• Gerard Greene 5/6

Next up - Tony Drago vs Gerard Greene

Northern Irishman Gerard Greene will hope to topple cult hero Tony Drago.

Malta's ex-world no. 10 Drago, 59, won two titles on the main tour - the 1993 Strachan Challenge Event 3 and the 1996 Guangzhou Masters. 

Greene's career peaked when the now 51-year-old was ranked 26th on the planet back in 2004-05.

But the one time he reached a rankings finale was in 2014 - 2014 Players Championship Grand Final.

Beaten White puts title Burden on Alfie

Jimmy White wants his conqueror Alfie Burden to go on and win the World Seniors  Championship.

The Whirlwind, 63, was blown away by his 48-year-old English rival 4-1 at The Crucible.

White missed a black that could have levelled the match up at 2-2.

But the fans' favourite reckoned he was out of sorts.

White told Channel 5: “I wasn’t in the game. I just struggled all day, which is disappointing because I’m playing well.

"But that’s snooker, I’m afraid."

He added: “Alfie played well. I hope he goes and wins it.

"I think I was a bit jabby. He punished me when I made mistakes. The victory belongs to Alfie, so well done."

Coming up - legends Drago & Knowles in action

Malta's former World No. 10 Tony Drago opens tonight's action against Northern Irish ace Gerard Greene.

Drago, 59, is nicknamed The Tornado - for the speed of his game.

At his peak he reached two major finals - losing to Jimmy White in the 1991 World masters and against Stephen Hendry in the 1997 International Open.

And he also had great success when switching to pool - lifting the 2003 World Pool Masters Crown.

Now the 59-year-old, is targeting snooker glory once more as a regular on the seniors circuit

After that we'll see Bolton hero Tony Knowles, 69, who was World No. 2 back in 1984/85.

Knowles will meet Australian Hassan Kerde - a 'spring chicken' at the age of just 41.

7pm:
Tony Drago vs Gerard Greene

9pm:
Tony Knowles vs Hassan Kerde

RESULT: Ken Doherty 2-4 Charl Jonck

Jonck sealed victory with a dominant sixth frame - albeit having to settle for 95-0 when he was eyeing a huge break.

Doherty admitted: "He played well, he deserved it."

It means South African Jonck has reached the last eight.

Doherty 2 Jonck 3

Doherty is on the ropes. A break of 63 sees him go ahead.

Doherty 2 Jonck 2

What a comeback from the South African. Some brilliant long range pots, including one on the green, and we are all square.

Doherty 2 Jonck 0

Last year's finalist is proving why he is one of the favourites to win this time around.

Doherty 1 Jonck 0 (10-5)

Well, well, well.

Doherty sees red, quite literally, and goes on a potting frenzy to take the first frame.

It's all set up for a tasty second innings now.

Doherty 0 Jonck 0 (13-35)

Flying start here by Jonck.

He's played some clever shots to keep Doherty at bay.

And Jonck looks to be heading towards the first frame here.

Up next

We don't have long to wait for the next match, with Ken Doherty up against South Africa's Charl Jonck.

That one is due to start just after 2pm.

'It's an honour'

Victorious Alfie Burden was magnanimous in his victory over Jimmy White, who is a great mate of his."

"That's the way I play, I wear my heart on my sleeve," said Burden.

"It's an honour to play Jimmy at the Crucible.

"He's a dear friend of mine and I don't enjoy beating him but I tried hard to win today.

"Best of seven is a short set so you want a quick start and I did that today.

"Jimmy missed a couple early, I gave him a couple of half-chances.

"But I felt strong and I thought if I got the chances I'd take them."

Jimmy White's thoughts

Asked by Rob Walker about the defeat, White says: "I struggled today. Alfie played well.

"The first frame I got in but I didn't score, but he played really well and I hope he goes and wins it."

On the respotted black: "I wasn't in the game, I wasn't even sure of the score.

"I didn't hit the black good, I just sort of struggled all day, but that's snooker I'm afraid."

"I was playing well [before], I think I was a bit jabby.

"He punished me when I made mistakes, the victory belongs to Alfie so well done."

White 1 Burden 4

Well, we said earlier that Jimmy White made be made to regret a tough draw against Alfie Burden, who is ranked 13 places above him on the pro tour.

In what was one of the hardest draws of the competition, White was made to pay for a couple of poor shots that went punished.

Other players would not have been able to take advantage of those chances.

White had the chance to make it 2-2 but that missed black when he could've sealed that frame will come back to haunt him.

All credit to Burden though, he was excellent in this match.

He will face the winner of Tony Drago and Gerard Greene, which takes place later tonight.

White 1 Burden 3 (0-53)

Burden breaks off and another loose shot from White puts his opponent quickly back onto the balls.

There are a lot of reds open and we could be seeing the end of Jimmy White in the seniors this year very shortly.

Burden is potting with confidence and has got over the lack of rhythm in his shots at the start of the match.

White, sitting with his hand planted on his hip, needs Burden to make a mistake.