World Snooker Championship qualifying draw pits Stephen Hendry against James Cahill in opening round
- Planet Sport writer
- 28 March 2023
Seven-time winner Stephen Hendry will face James Cahill in the opening qualifying round of the World Snooker Championship.
The 54-year-old, whose last title came in 1999, is now ranked 127th in the world. Cahill is ranked 96th.
Ken Doherty, the 1997 winner, will meet 12-time women's world champion Reanne Evans, while women's world number one Mink Nutcharut will face Thai compatriot Dechawat Poomjaeng.
Jimmy White, who has not reached the final stages of the tournament since 2006, heads into the qualifiers in good form after becoming the first player in his 60s to reach the last 16 of a ranking event since Eddie Charlton in 1992, doing it twice in the last few weeks.
White will face the winner of Marco Fu and Martin O'Donnell in the second qualifying round.
From Monday, the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield will host 128 players competing for 16 spots at the Crucible Theatre, which stages the World Championship from April 15 to May 1.
