White takes lead into the final session

Jimmy White faces his most important session of snooker this season when he returns to the Crucible Theatre tonight for the concluding…

Jimmy White faces his most important session of snooker this season when he returns to the Crucible Theatre tonight for the concluding nine frames of his Embassy World Championship second-round match with Stephen Lee.

White resumes this evening with a 9-7 lead over the world number seven from Trowbridge after protecting his overnight two-frame advantage.

It was not the most sparkling of sessions and both players are clearly feeling the pressure.

That pressure has been intensified by the first-round defeat of Ronnie O'Sullivan. The winner of tonight's game would have expected to play the Rocket for a place in the semi-finals.

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Instead, the first to 13 will line up against world number 15 Alan McManus or Hong Kong qualifier Marco Fu.

When the game resumes White needs four further frames to take his place in the quarter-finals for a 16th time in 23 Crucible appearances.