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Snooker icon Jimmy White has claimed his fierce rivalry on the baize with Steve Davis was stoked by the media. White, 63, insists the pair have the utmost respect for one another and neither has had a problem with the other.

Davis and White locked horns many a time while at the peak of their respective powers in the 1980s and have resumed their rivalry in the years since. Davis beat White in the world final in 1984, one of six times White finished as the losing finalist at the Crucible.

There were several more Davis wins in finals before the end of the 80s, though White beat his rival to glory in the 1988 Canadian Masters. Throughout the rivalry, though, White insists there was mutual respect.

“Steve Davis and I always respected each other. It was only the red tops that made us rivals," White said after his exhibition match vs Ken Doherty the Midnite Lounge, a luxury area open to all fans attending the Masters. "We do exhibitions together, we travel in the same car. We’ve never had a problem with each other.”

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White's comments come after Davis hailed his old foe back in December 2024, telling Mirror Sport about the esteem in which he holds The Whirlwind. "For Jimmy to be competing and beating some of the top players in the world on a weekly basis is just fantastic. Long may it continue," he said, describing White's ability to give an account for himself in his 60s as "amazing".

"He knows full well he can have a really good match and then the next time it might not quite work, and that’s the frustration. You know you can produce it every now and again, but consistency is the problem as you get older. When he manages to put it together, it’s fantastic to watch."

While White limited his Masters involvement to the exhibition against Doherty, some of the world's elite strutted their stuff at Alexandra Palace. Reigning champion Shaun Murphy suffered an early exit, though, losing 6-2 to Wu Yize in the opening round.

Wu takes on last year's losing finalist Kyren Wilson in Saturday's semi-final. The winner of that encounter will go up against either Judd Trump or John Higgins in the final on Sunday.

Midnite, sponsors of the 2026 Masters, will be unveiling the Midnite Shuttle on Sunday ahead of the final, transporting fans from Alexandra Palace Station to the main entrance, saving them the arduous walk up the hill. Driven by Ken Doherty, fans can gain access by showing the Midnite app on their mobile devices.