Malta’s Tony Drago missed the chance to face his idol Jimmy White in the third round of the Shanghai Masters qualifiers today when yesterday he lost 5-4 to the young and promising Michael White.

Drago who had beaten Jamie O’Neill 5-4 in the first round, had a shaky start as he lost the first frame. But then he levelled at one-all by winning the second frame on the black.

White then went on to win two consecutive frames to take a 3-1 lead even thanks to some lucky shots. But the Malta cueist fought back to win two successive frames and level it again at 3-3.

White won the seventh to go into pole position (4-3) and needing just one of the last two frames, but Drago compiled an excellent clearance break in the eighth frame to take the game into the decisive ninth frame.

Drago had a good chance to take a commanding lead but after a third red, he failed to pot the black and White built a good lead following which the Malta boy was not able to recover again.