World Seniors Snooker Championship final 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Alfie Burden thrashes Aaron Canavan in epic showpiece match
ALFIE BURDEN has been crowned king of the World Seniors Snooker Championship for 2025 after humiliating Aaron Canavan in a thrilling Crucible final!
The English icon beat Canavan 8-4 but it could have been worse had he not let his foot off the gas.
This also marks Burden's first-ever Seniors title, snatching the crown off Igor Figueiredo.
Much-loved snooker heroes Jimmy White and Ken Doherty suffered shock exits in the first round.
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Dominic Dale 5-2 Aaron Canavan (0-34)
Good opening contribution from Canavan as he puts 34 points on the board in this must-win frame.
Slightly off with his positioning which forces the break to break down but it's better from him and he plays safe too, preventing an immediate Dale counter.
Dominic Dale 5-2 Aaron Canavan (0-0)
Dale can afford to laugh given his position at the minute.
But he scatters the reds all over the table when attempting the plant and leaves one red over the right corner pocket!
He heads back to his seat and jumps, kidding on he's trying to make that red drop.
Dominic Dale 5-2 Aaron Canavan
The trick shot on the black DOES fall this time!
Dale with a final clearance of 63 when Canavan missed that simple, simple black.
Really punished for it and Dale is one from victory and racing to the finish line!
Dominic Dale 4-2 Aaron Canavan (23-39)
Would you believe it!? A shot on the black, straight as you like, and Canavan has missed it.
He's got his head in his hands back in his chair at that missed opportunity.
Only in this arena can a miss like that happen. Dale chance to respond again.
Dominic Dale 4-2 Aaron Canavan (23-0)
That lead extends to 23 but Dale comes up short when the blue is put back on the table to snooker him!
He's forced into a safety shot and Canavan must be eyeing a counter here.
Dominic Dale 4-2 Aaron Canavan (13-0)
This almost looked a carbon copy of the previous frame and Canavan must've sat in his chair fearing the worst.
But the Dale break ends with a miss on the red having used the rest and that'll be a relief to Canavan who gets to return.
Dominant Dominic!
Dominic Dale 4-2 Aaron Canavan
Another superb CENTURY from Dominic Dale - his second successive ton - and he's opened up a lead.
This one a phenomenal 131 clearance right from that early red in the frame and he looks so composed bouncing round the table.
Canavan now knows any mistakes he makes will be punished and that's a tough place to be in, watching from your chair.
For Dale, he needs two more to reach tomorrow's final!
Credit: @WorldSeniors Dominic Dale 3-2 Aaron Canavan (54-0)
That Dale break has reached 54 already as he eyes another one-visit frame victory here.
The reds are decently spaced out in the pack and he's really firing them in now and gliding round the table!
Dominic Dale 3-2 Aaron Canavan (1-0)
He's rolling along now, Dale!
A superb, long red to open the frame and he's back on the table and in the balls early on in this sixth frame.
Dominic Dale 3-2 Aaron Canavan
Superb CENTURY from Dominic Dale!
It looked a promising position and he's emphatically cleared the table down to the black.
A little trick-shot on the black to finish but it comes up short.
But a stunning 109 break before it sees him reach the halfway stage!
Dominic Dale 2-2 Aaron Canavan (4-8)
It's Dominic Dale coming back to the table with an 8-4 deficit in the early stages of frame five.
The pack has been opened again which is kind for Dale coming back here.
Dominic Dale 2-2 Aaron Canavan
The final break of 26 in the frame goes for CANAVAN and he's back level in the match!
That had the feel of a must-win frame there for him, certainly the way it played out, and he does just that.
Great contest so far.
Dominic Dale 2-1 Aaron Canavan (37-38)
Superb final black from Dale as he does come charging back in the frame.
This frame has been tense for the majority and Dale plays for safety on the final red, getting a flukey snooker, when sitting a point behind in the scoring.
Dominic Dale 2-1 Aaron Canavan (14-38)
Audible gasps around the Crucible as Canavan's break comes crashing to an end at just 24.
That's his current lead in the frame too as Dale returns looking to close that gap.
Dominic Dale 2-1 Aaron Canavan (14-15)
Feels like a really important point in this match here as neither man can get into any sort of flow.
The safety shots haven't been brilliant but neither player can capitalise at the minute as we await that first big mistake.
Though when writing this, Canavan does sink a red into the right corner pocket from another poor Dale safety.
Dominic Dale 2-1 Aaron Canavan (14-13)
Maybe not! Canavan looks to be into these reds but can only score nine points from it.
The yellow, green and brown and well-grouped near the brown spot and they're exchanging safety shots on that, once Dale counters with a further 13 points of his own.
Dominic Dale 2-1 Aaron Canavan (1-4)
Early pots apiece for the two men, with Canavan nipping four in front before a good red from Dale before he plays the cue ball to baulk.
Seven or eight reds have become loose though - including three near the left corner pocket - so there's a chance in here for someone....
Dominic Dale 2-1 Aaron Canavan
Dale gets the next red too and that's enough for Canavan who stays in his seat this time.
More good break-building there as Dale took the frame away from Canavan in that one visit and break of 51.
He's two-up in this race to six.
Dominic Dale 1-1 Aaron Canavan (67-9)
Great visit from Dale who is scoring really well when he gets the opportunity.
That was a kind opportunity he was left when Canavan lost out on the safety battle.
Good break of 51 and Canavan now needs a couple of snookers with just 51 remaining and he's 58 behind.
Dominic Dale 1-1 Aaron Canavan (17-9)
Dale ends that safety battle as the one coming out with a potted red.
The remaining 10 reds are relatively open too so good chance to post a score.
The blue ball has just been returned to its spot, with the pink not far away. He could open up a few more reds playing into the pack too.
Dominic Dale 1-1 Aaron Canavan (16-9)
Just 16 in that visit from Dale who'll see that as a missed opportunity before playing the cue ball safe to baulk.
Safety exchange ensuing.
Dominic Dale 1-1 Aaron Canavan (1-9)
Canavan finds himself with the cue ball in the pack, leaving himself not on a red this time.
He knocks the cue ball to the top cushion but leaves a red on for Dale to take and it's a chance for a good counter attack.
Dominic Dale 1-1 Aaron Canavan
Great visit from Canavan who does capitalise on that Dale miss and punishes him with a visit of 48.
The break ends on the final red with a clever double attempt which just hits the knuckle of the centre pocket and bounces up the table.
Good response from Canavan and we're level again!
Dominic Dale 1-0 Aaron Canavan (16-28)
Huge chance for Dale and the look on his face trudging back to his chair shows he knows it.
A missed red into the left corner pocket when leaving himself perfectly on the black.
Worse yet, the miss has left the cue ball in the scoring zone for Canavan to counter.
Dominic Dale 1-0 Aaron Canavan (8-8)
Foul from Dale when playing the cue ball from baulk, playing into the pink at the top of the pack first.
Six points to Canavan and the reds have split - and there's laughter when Canavan makes him put the cue ball - and the other balls - back.
After a few minutes, Dale takes that shot on again and finds a red this time.