Third Round: Part 1 UK Snooker Championship Highlights

the Dave's play at the snooker championship.

Hello, good evening. Welcome, three former UK champion in play. We shall

see Ronnie O'Sullivan and now Salvi. -- Mike Salvi. John Higgins, 13 of

his first titles in 2010. It eat Mike Williams. He is up against

world 27 Ben Wheeler send, the man from lesson, not out by Shaun Murphy

last year. It is Wilson to play. It takes a special performance

against John Higgins to knock him out. Even if he is not in top form.

It makes it difficult for his opponents.

You can see, it wobbled quite a bit. Very rarely do you find the centre

of the pocket immediately. He just needs a few shots to keep going. The

surprise about how consistently John is playing in the twilight of his

career? -- are you surprised? In some ways, yes, it seemed early on

in the season, that things were going wrong, and perhaps it will get

more difficult to him to get into the line, a few losses, a few less

lights beating in, but he has struck back very well. He had a marvellous

October and November. What was the most tournament on the

trot to win can you remember? Two or three is almost impossible. They got

the latter stages. I don't remember. I do not remember the amount of

matches without a loss, how long he went in the zone. It takes the like

of Mike Williams to halt Higgins. A lot of matches won on the trot. A

new record. But winning a couple of events on the main tour, at the

moment, the circumstances with find ourselves in, it must be a great

confidence this, especially coming into the UK championship, you can

get your teeth into a best of 11. Just the one remaining loose, once

he pops the loose rate, it can get the black into the same pocket and

open the other red. Higgins is different to the modern players.

Murphy, O'Sullivan, they can to go into the pack early. John Higgins is

aggressive, but sometimes he will wait for the shot, most players

would go into the pack to get the red. It will be interesting to see

how plays. If you can push through the pack and get to the bottom of

the pack, it is well played. Very quickly into his rhythm. He was

always waxing lyrical about John, being the best player in the world.

What about Steve Henry and Steve Davis? They just love talking about

John Higgins. This will not do him any favours, the way he has started.

So far, apart from the second red, everything has gone right into the

middle of the pocket. Make no mistake, he is a great way. --

player. That little cannon, as you can see,

opens at things up. The centre of the first frame. You have to make

sure that he got the joint of the two reds, which he did. He has

already made 26 centuries this season, amazingly 648 centuries in

total. 86. There is nothing this young man has not won.

What a shame, Ben Willis has decided to give up. John Higgins is in great

form. He leads 1-0. Higgins went on to win the next two frames to race

into a three nil lead, but Mark Williams pulled either side of the

interval, reeks of 64, and it is Higgins to play Brexit. -- break

six. Wonder if bending get through to the

red nearest to the cue ball. -- Ben can. Very good indeed. A good pot.

Just enough room to get past that, there could be a few there. Oh, no.

Just when he got into the position where he could have levelled the

match. It is getting to the stage in professional snooker, it cannot

afford to miss the black off the spot. It is just the level of

punishment that your opponents delivered to you, means it is

normally the end of the frame. This rare with the standard these days,

with this many loose breads, you cannot get at East 60. It puts

players normally the on the winning post in a particular frame. Once the

black goes back, I will be amazed if he does not make at the 60. Seven.

It is purely concentration. He got down and did not even am. I do not

think it was settled on a shot. Did not have the balance right. It was a

bit of a stretch over the top. It seems to have parted on the left.

Yes. I do not think he had comfortable cueing. I think you

presume that it was a pride of the Ford cue, that he could get it

right. -- forward. Quite a long way out, really. Ben Woollaston choosing

this shocked with a rest. -- shot. He played it very well as well. I

think I would be saying more than yuck if the cue ball finished there.

Nicely played. Not again. If he can just get to this outside red... To

be honest, Ben Woollaston has played a great shot to pot the rest of the

red, he had a great shot on the yellow, look at all the breads that

are available, it finished awkward. Yes, he missed the red, but there

has to be easier red than that. And he just gets away with the mess on

the black. After what has happened in this

frame, neither player can complain about losing it.

A bit risky to take it on, but he has what away with it.

This just wobbled a bit. He is not cueing as well as he was earlier on.

It goes past the red on the corner pocket. Quickly getting rid of the

red that is causing the problem with the Luck, once he gets on spot, he

could win the frame. What did he played there? It would appear, he

would have massively overplayed that shot, did he mean it to stay in the

corner quest --? What control that was, regardless of the last effort,

that was wonderfully judge. He just overheat that by 6-7 inches. Once

again, he has got the same situation, with the blue. The way he

has been playing, I am not too sure this is a certainty. Goodness me,

how did that go in? He has suddenly lost his corrections. Choosing the

more difficult red ball, for positional reasons. He could have

played either red ball he. He has to try and screw it in. It

looks like normal service has been resumed, are there any more hiccups?

A tremendous amount of right-hand spin on that shot, sending the cue

ball towards the red. Two more reds over the line. 33.

Interesting to see the way that John played that previous black, a choice

of two pockets, he has slightly overhit, so it is playing into the

corner. This has been workmanlike, this break, but he has placed him 51

point ahead, 50 on. He would be feeling relieved, all of

a sudden, he was letting Ben Woollaston get back into the match.

Ben Woollaston knows they should get 3-3 at the moment. Very shaky in the

previous frame, John, and quite shaky in this frame until the break.

John Higgins has taken a 4-2 lead. And the world number four made it

4-2, and won the next two frames, with breaks at 52 and 89. Ben

Woollaston lost by the same scoreline as last year at the same

stage. John Higgins marches on and take up Mark Allen or Ryan Day. Ben

is underrated. And when three in front, it should not have been three

on front. He came back and played well. They made some good chances to

make it 3-3. He was looking stronger. I was looking weaker. He

missed a couple that he will be disappointed with. I managed to take

the frame and go up. Well done to John Higgins. Meanwhile, Marco few

has never landed the UK title, but came close, beaten by Shaun Murphy.

And of Acres coming into European Masters, he raced to a 3-0 lead. He

had a break of 128. He won for the next six. We join him in the next

frame, and he is leading the match. He has played for the pink. He needs

the pink and he will need the yellow. The pink will put him 26

points in front, 27 remaining. He will have to force this in. The one

thing to avoid, do not miss the pot. Well, it is not dead, 26 points

ahead. Still 27 on the table. So, Marco Fu and still has a charm. --

still has a charm. He will not be taking this yellow on. Not worth

potting. So, trying to play a good safety shot. At the moment, he is

feeling the most pressure of the two players. It is unusual to see,

because of his vast experience, as opposed to his opponent will stop

Mei Xiwen would not have this much experience at this level. At such a

major championship. He was in Shanghai, in a major tournament,

early in the season. Just making certain that he got that hit, but

that will not be of much of advantage to him. Near the green

pocket. He has a big cover between Green, brown, blue. As long does not

go the gap, it should be OK. Pretty good. That is a bit unfortunate,

that is a gap to get to the top cushion, to keep the yellow at the

back of the table. So, does Marco Fu take this on? If

he pot sit on the green, it will be a match winner. What we have seen so

far, he can. And not have any money on him getting at. It is a natural

part, for the cue ball to go a round of the green. Oh, that was close.

Look where the cue ball was going. Near perfect. He has gotten away

with it. That was not far away, look at it

again. Yes, you do not get paid for faraway, I have let that. Mei Xiwen

could use the brown and green again. You could put the pupil anywhere. He

has hit that too hard. I was going to say, anywhere near the middle

pocket. He missed a trick. At this stage of the frame, one good snooker

could make the difference between winning and losing.

It is snooker, but once again, there is a gap, which will unable to want

to get to see the cushion. There is always a gap. -- which will enable

Mei Xiwen to get to the cushion. Not bad, it is not easy.

Did not want that kiss on the black with the yellow, because he could be

in a lot of trouble here. Behind the black, he has always got the green

and brown as a blocker. Towards blue and pink. He has played that well,

has he got the gap, though? There is a gap. He may be on this for a pot.

I do not think he will take it on. I think the last time that Mei Xiwen

was at the table, he should have tried to get the cue ball in behind

the black. I did not think he can do it, tight to the cushion. He can

still send the yellow up and down the table. He has still got the

brown, the green. To get behind. He has played that completely to a

different side that I would play. Why would you play that way? Marco

Fu, unique is its remaining colours. To win the frame and the match, on

the black. It would be relieved. Don't call me he is not on the

green! Do not tell me he is not on the green! He is not on the green. I

have told myself! Marco Fu, two. A lot of twists and

turns in this match, particularly in this frame.

He has had a look at the angle to try and pot the green, and it is

dangerous, time to send it around the ankles, he is worried that

perhaps the black will be in the way. -- the angles.

Not a bad shot. Can he get the cue ball behind the black? Pretty good.

Just a slight little edge on the ground. I think he is still good

but... He may be able to swerve it, would it be worth living, John,

possibly try to cut the green into right centre? I would just be happy

to hit it, to be honest with it Day year, but the only problem is when

you play this shot you take a lot of pace out of the cue ball and

suddenly the green is up and down the table, he is not guaranteed,

because the cue ball may be going with the green together. He did

catch it in, and now Marco Fu will get another chance to clinch frame

and match. How many times have we said that? A little unlucky there, I

have to say. Just to get the green that in and knocked it safe. It

looks very good. This looks very good indeed, just short of pace,

good positional shot that was. Need another one here. Needs before

remaining colours. -- lbw remaining colours, now three. --4 remaining

colours. Just off the black. Anywhere but straight on the pink.

He's OK, he can hot the pink and get the cue ball close to the black. --

pot the pink. What he frame. -- what a frame. Well, Marco Fu will be very

relieved. I do not want to count my chickens because he has missed

several opportunities the win the match, he just needs the black. And

in it goes, and he would be mightily relieved, I am not saying he

deserved that. Mei Xiwen, well, he will be looking back at the

opportunities that he missed. A match of mistakes, and the last

mistake was made by Mei Xiwen and that is why Marco Fu is through to

the next round, a winner by 6-4. I played OK in the beginning, played

well in patches, but a few frames, I was just, yes, missing a feud long

hops Day pots, and Mei Xiwen is such a good pot are, and he took

advantage and either way, a couple of frames, just managed to get

through. None of that for Marco Fu, and a couple more results for this

evening,: these players are very young, a couple just 18 years old

and 16. Turning our attention to this afternoon 's matches at the

York Barbican, and 5-time UK champion Ronnie O'Sullivan looking

to book his place in the last 16, taking on Michael Georgiou, and

Georgiou, surprisingly, won it opener, and it is the first frame

that Ronnie O'Sullivan has dropped. He is looking the right corner, to

the left middle, and now he is going back to the long red. If you can get

back on to the black on the angle... He may be able to stop this into the

right middle pocket, but this is an opportunity for Michael. That was

more committal from Ronnie O'Sullivan. The red into the left

middle, perhaps, would have been a shot to nothing. This is dead

straight, not too difficult. He would be disappointed with that

effort! Effectively, that was miles out.

He hasn't screwed the ball back far enough to say this. -- phase Day say

that this -- to savour this. He should discredit back another few

inches and the red would not have been available for Ronnie.

A fantastic shot from Ronnie O'Sullivan, just off straight, and

he was able to actually pot the black into the right half of the

pocket and generate more of an ankle, that was superbly played. So

easy to miss those. A bit further away from the black than he would

like on this one. He was almost straight on the black, he had to

force the angle. He is cueing beautifully, that type of shot, he

had made that look ridiculously easy. 16. 17.

24. 25. When you see Ronnie O'Sullivan playing like this, it is

no surprise that the general sycophant considers him by far the

best player in the world, regardless of the ranking positions. When he

plays at this standard, if he keeps it up for the whole tournament, he

has the ability to make the rest of the field look pedestrian. It is

getting harder for him to do that because of the standard of the top

players is ever-increasing, but it's just great to watch. That was a

lovely little piece at the top of the show with you and the others,

drilling you about all of your wins and breaks, fascinating piece. I

think this man has made 846 centuries. An opportunity he could

reach 1000 before he decides to call it a day. There is no reason why

Ronnie O'Sullivan cannot carry on for another five years or so, he is

very fit, keeps himself to it, does a lot of running. It is tough to

know whether he can make 1000 for the season if he is not playing in

every tournament. And how long his motivation will carry on for. He

will not make a thousand in a season, I can tell you that, Steve!

In his career. The record for that is 100 in a season. Should get this.

55. Not to sure how many century breaks he made last season, it will

take a few years, to get to the thousands. He made 30 last season,

and he has already made 22 this season. In a few more seasons. He

has gone a bit too far there, but had he finished straight, it would

have opened up the other tee from the shot. -- the other tee the other

two. 98%, he has missed one ball. He wobbled the red into the green

pocket early. What a shame. Once again, the 18

needed one chance and that break before has quickly taken Ronnie

O'Sullivan into the elite, 2-1. And many rattled the next three to go

into a 5-1 leader and let's see what happens in frame seven, Georgiou at

the table. All about the pace. And making sure you do not collide with

the wrong colour, but that sort of help, he did have a quick look at

it. He must have played it, but it was in a certainty, otherwise it

will not have played not to get on a colour. Now we have one of those

delicate little ones, he looks to roll up tight behind the colour but

on the fast clock it is difficult to judge. -- cloth. He certainly did

not leave it short, he has left the red to the left corner. He can

quickly get the pot on. He was a little bit scared and overheated --

overhit it. In the party has said his long game is not up to scratch,

but it doesn't look as though there is much wrong it today. Regardless

of the fact he had intimated he hasn't really been practising a

great deal this season, using some of the matches as a way of

practising. Cue action looks superb. Seven. This visit, what do you

think? A great Tansey, isn't it? -- great opportunity, isn't it? Just

talking about practising, when you go the play with some former world

champions, they say they haven't played in a long time, and then they

rake in a century. Not that Ronnie O'Sullivan is doing that many

matches these days, but he is still match sharp. Yes, I think you are

not far wrong, Steve, in saying that 6-1 is the target, 67.

Going just over one minute and 23 seconds, --1 hour and 23 seconds.

You say there hasn't been much tactical play, and it shows you the

average frame time is under 15 minutes. Ronnie O'Sullivan doesn't

seem to get down in tactical matches. Perhaps it is a mixture of

the fact that he plays good safety himself and forces the issue, and

also he is such a good scorer, it may be the case that perhaps his

opponents have a slightly different mindset against him, and they feel

like they need to be a bit more aggressive than they would normally

be. Absolutely sure of the equation, I am not, but I know that some of

them and the frame time, regardless of how fast the plays, his match

times almost seemed to be finished by the time the others have

finished. And in very little time, indeed. The frame is more or less

over. When these red goes in. I must admit, I enjoyed the little of what

we have seen of Michael Georgiou. He studied so well, I like his cue

action, he keeps his head still and I think this will give him some

confidence. OK, he will lose, 6-1, but he will lose here. -- he has

done well here. Flying all over the table now. His highest break has

been 84 in frame three. He has been very fluid, consistent, and just

trying a little exhibition shot, but Michael Georgiou comes forward with

a big smile on his face and congratulates Ronnie O'Sullivan. He

got to a great start but after that, it was all be rocket, Annie won six

in a row to take himself through to the next round with a very

comfortable win by a 6-1 frames. Always nice to get the first round

because when you lose, you think that you have to win the next one,

is at the end of the world, plus I've never played in before, so, it

was new territory for me. Selling a little bit nervous but I just had to

be professional and not get to the Macquarrie. -- too worried. Mark

Selby is through to the next round after thumping Robert Milkins, and

Mark Selby still on course for a quarter-final showdown with John

Higgins. When he is on his game, he can easily blow me away, he is a

kind of player, so to play the way that I do, I feel like a plate 78%

of my game, did not miss many shots and sort of controlled the match.

Mark Selby on the Powell, and Allister Carter is gone, and other

big-name, after defeating David Gilbert and Peter Lines was beaten

by Liam Highfield by the son, Oliver, is still very much in the

tournament, taking on Jimmy Robertson in the third round match

on Tuesday afternoon. That is it from us, but stick to extract is up

next with extended highlights of Mark Selby versus Robert Milkins,

and you can also see more matches on the other channels. Good night.

Wanting something to be true doesn't make it true.