DIGEST: Jimmy White's 10-5 first-round defeat by David Gray in the snooker world championship had all the hallmarks of an end of an era, reports Clive Everton. White, 44 next month, has not won a match since October and by dropping out of the top 32 in the end-of-season rankings will have to survive two rounds of qualifying to return to the game's most famous stage.
It may seem harsh - he won 10 world ranking titles, a Masters and three Irish Masters - to define his career in terms of failure but he will be best remembered for losing his six Crucible finals.
"I still love this game. I'll go to Prestatyn (for the qualifiers) and give it my all," he said with admirable spirit. But the form he still displays in exhibition engagements and on the practice table has this season borne scant resemblance to what he has produced in the match arena.
"I missed a lot of easy balls. I never got going," he said before joining the chorus of complaint at conditions in the Crucible: "The table was abysmal. It was running off all over the shop."
Guardian Service
Ireland's World number six Madeline Perry has had to withdraw from next week's European Team Squash Championships in Vienna.
The team far exceeded expectations last year in Amsterdam, coming third, and were looking for at least a repeat performance this year.
Perry has been advised to take two months out for rehab on niggling knee injuries.
IRISH TEAM: Men: Liam Kenny, Derek Ryan, John Rooney, Angus Kirkland, Arthur Gaskin; Women: Aisling Blake, Laura Mylotte, Eleanor Lapthorne. Sub: Tanya Owens.
