:03:05. > :03:28.An early tenants for Ricky. -- an early chance. Ricky is what we call
:03:29. > :03:33.a very easy player. He walks around the table, chalks his cue more than
:03:34. > :03:36.any other player. A couple of little mannerisms like that. Great to watch
:03:37. > :03:49.when he is in form. A little bit nervous. Dropped the
:03:50. > :03:55.chalk. One of the nicest lads you could meet. Back living in Chester,
:03:56. > :04:24.where he was born. Lots of players and the Bolivian
:04:25. > :04:42.World Championships were held near their thought many years. --
:04:43. > :04:53.remember the not the best angle on the black. He
:04:54. > :05:01.needed more angle to be able to go into the Ritz. Can't do that now.
:05:02. > :05:18.Must try to look this one. Good news if he could get on the blue. -- get
:05:19. > :05:30.this. Needed to have done a work on the ball. Lovely shop. Key shot.
:05:31. > :05:51.Full of that. Just coming around to make sure that no possible plants.
:05:52. > :05:59.-- there are no. Maybe he thought he could squeeze those rates and to,
:06:00. > :06:13.that is why he hit so hard. -- those reds into a plant. That is a funny
:06:14. > :06:21.shot. He tried to guard against eating it too hard.
:06:22. > :06:35.Ricky Walden, 38. Not a bad start. But he would have wanted more. To
:06:36. > :06:49.punish that mistake by Ronnie O'Sullivan.
:06:50. > :07:01.It is amazing that have only played each other twice. Yes, it is funny
:07:02. > :07:05.how that draw comes out sometimes. Sometimes I played the same player
:07:06. > :07:40.six times in one season. Good plot but not a favourable kiss
:07:41. > :07:50.on the brand. They have two played the two cushion escape here to close
:07:51. > :07:58.off the Ritz. -- reds. That is what he is looking at. -- may have two.
:07:59. > :08:26.-- have to. Not bad. Ronnie O'Sullivan has such a quick
:08:27. > :08:31.brain. He spotted that straightaway. That is why he did not play that two
:08:32. > :08:47.cushion and try to get back up the table. This looks good.
:08:48. > :09:34.This might clip in. Glenn McGrath ??BLUE APPLAUSE. APPLAUSE.
:09:35. > :09:56.Of wheat and what little will he is in -- now we find out what sort of
:09:57. > :10:18.form he is in Butt is in. -- form he is in. This is one of Glenn McGrath
:10:19. > :11:27.-- is a wonderful chance. If you just can set it on the --
:11:28. > :11:35.Came up short. Already, both players and very busy set up for a nice
:11:36. > :11:45.game. -- both players are looking very good. Look at that shock
:11:46. > :12:57.control. -- short. -- shot. Not the best time to get heavy
:12:58. > :12:59.contact. That was unlucky. You could see the green jump. He was quite
:13:00. > :13:36.close to the brand. Just under 12 minutes for this. Like
:13:37. > :13:41.to see more of this type of snake. Both players doing well. Ricky
:13:42. > :13:50.Walden made a break of 38. After that, he never got a shot. Ronnie
:13:51. > :14:00.O'Sullivan leads. Second frame, Ricky Walden to break. That is a bit
:14:01. > :14:08.thin. That is careless. OK, he got away with it.
:14:09. > :14:11.Had the whites stayed in the middle off the table he would have left to
:14:12. > :14:47.chance. -- white. Just a little bit of the red
:14:48. > :14:58.sticking out. Ricky could not bring the cue ball
:14:59. > :15:35.over to the left-hand side. -- shot. Does not look to be an
:15:36. > :15:45.escape route so he might have to come off the site cushion. -- side.
:15:46. > :16:16.Looks good. But the double kiss, but he is OK. -- got.
:16:17. > :16:23.Did pretty well. Just to get himself in the position. He was in trouble.
:16:24. > :16:55.All he could do. Of well negotiated. He has a good
:16:56. > :17:06.path of there to the right-hand side. -- well.
:17:07. > :17:12.This frame looks like being totally the opposite to the opening frame.
:17:13. > :17:41.Just two visits. That has freed the pink. Because
:17:42. > :18:00.that too thick. -- he courts that. -- court. -- caught.
:18:01. > :18:14.He is not happy with this. Should be able to punch through the gap and
:18:15. > :18:17.around. Usually the first shot you see when you come to the table is
:18:18. > :18:28.the crackshot. He is back at that shot again. APPLAUSE.
:18:29. > :19:23.The need that gap was not there. -- new. -- he knew that.
:19:24. > :19:54.Plenty of fascinated people in the audience. Jimmy White and Andy
:19:55. > :20:19.Goldstein there. Good players. Then Everton are doing
:20:20. > :20:25.very well at the moment. John is a big supporter.
:20:26. > :20:35.It looked very awkward, the table, but suddenly it has brightened.
:20:36. > :20:44.There is Damien Hirst. The artist is big friends with Ronnie. He loves
:20:45. > :21:01.his neck. -- snooker. Very much one artist to another.
:21:02. > :21:07.That is what this boy is on the table. He is the only player I would
:21:08. > :21:15.use the word genius about, that is for sure.
:21:16. > :21:24.What Ronnie did to come back after not playing for one year and then
:21:25. > :21:35.when the World Championship is out of this world.
:21:36. > :21:46.I never thought anybody would be better than the great Steve Davis.
:21:47. > :21:54.But we'll anybody ever do better than this man Kristin IT what, they
:21:55. > :22:19.would need to be good. -- we'll anybody. -- this man? IT what. -- I
:22:20. > :22:22.tell you what. We saw an unbelievable video of a
:22:23. > :22:31.three-year-old from China potting all the balls. He kept switching
:22:32. > :22:41.from left hand to right hand. I have never seen anything like it.
:22:42. > :22:51.Meanwhile, going about his business beautifully here. He scores so
:22:52. > :22:53.quickly. The cue ball seems to be on a string. The school board changes
:22:54. > :23:21.so quickly. -- scoreboard. The break did not look on at the
:23:22. > :23:32.start of this. His walls were very awkward. -- balls.
:23:33. > :23:51.I thought Ricky Walden needed a good start in this match. Recently Ronnie
:23:52. > :23:53.has not started like this, but he is right on it today. This is very
:23:54. > :24:25.impressive. It will be tough to make a century
:24:26. > :24:35.away the balls are sitting, but you would not put it past Ronnie.
:24:36. > :24:44.Nikon I don't think it will drop. But that is so impressive again. He
:24:45. > :24:47.and the needed one chance. The balls looked as if they were all safe, but
:24:48. > :25:36.he now leads 2-0. Needs quite a thin contact you. Not
:25:37. > :25:41.that scene. -- here. I don't think he has left anything. The last thing
:25:42. > :25:50.he wanted to do was catch the Reds seek. He should be able to make an
:25:51. > :25:54.adjustment. He must you for this red does not fit across towards the
:25:55. > :26:01.opposite corner pocket. -- must be careful.
:26:02. > :26:05.This has danger written all over it if you don't get it seemed. Cut
:26:06. > :26:20.shot. -- thin. This is a straightforward safety for
:26:21. > :26:54.Ronnie O'Sullivan. That is a bonus. Stephen mentioned before about
:26:55. > :26:57.Ronnie 's long game. His tactical game goes on top of that as well. He
:26:58. > :27:46.doesn't leave many chances. Fail. He has left the red. It was
:27:47. > :28:00.careless by Ricky Foster -- foul. -- careless by Ricky.
:28:01. > :28:15.Of the fifth of very awkward. The pink is tied up a black also. But we
:28:16. > :28:26.have seen in the previous round here dealt with awkward balls. That he.
:28:27. > :28:51.-- he. But little bit of twixt and between
:28:52. > :29:03.with his positional play there. Casey over screwed that? -- has he.
:29:04. > :29:17.Slightly, but he takes it on. Tricky.
:29:18. > :29:27.A bit tricky but he made it look easy. He knew he was canning those
:29:28. > :29:30.Reds but the fact he was heading up the table with the cue ball meant he
:29:31. > :29:41.always had a chance of knocking off one of those colours. -- cannoning.
:29:42. > :30:02.Amazing. Straightaway he has the balls and a good position. -- in our
:30:03. > :30:06.good. -- in a good. Strangely, both players took a five-minute break
:30:07. > :30:29.after that last round. Maybe Ricky wanted to settle himself down.
:30:30. > :30:37.There was a problem with one of the batches that Ronnie has. It had to
:30:38. > :30:49.be stitched. That is why we have a five-minute break. -- badges.
:30:50. > :31:02.He played that in a way that if he had over screwed for loop he knew he
:31:03. > :31:05.would be on both colours. -- for blue.
:31:06. > :31:30.I don't know how many he will not in here. Ricky can't do anything about
:31:31. > :31:32.this whatsoever. He must just sit there and admire what is happening
:31:33. > :31:50.out there. This is quite tight. Just enough
:31:51. > :32:10.room. He is like a virtuoso. He really is
:32:11. > :32:15.that good. His touch, his positioning. You can't hit any
:32:16. > :32:27.better than this. Absolutely wonderful to watch. Up in the burn
:32:28. > :32:43.in the 1960s when I moved there, playing like a symphony August. --
:32:44. > :32:49.up in Blackburn. -- symphony August. -- orchestra. He scores so quickly.
:32:50. > :33:16.So difficult to play against. We have only been going just over 30
:33:17. > :33:45.minutes. Note century break again, but it
:33:46. > :33:49.only needed one visit. Ronnie O'Sullivan gets a break of 72 and
:33:50. > :33:54.goes 3-0 into the lead in just over 30 minutes.
:33:55. > :34:08.Break for. Ricky Walden. -- four. Better break this time with regards
:34:09. > :34:41.to the face of the cue ball. I am not having that one. That was
:34:42. > :34:51.an amazing shot. Watch this. His he holds his hands up to apologise, I
:34:52. > :34:54.think. They say things happen for you when you are playing well. And
:34:55. > :35:07.boy is he playing well. No matter how could you are, you
:35:08. > :35:12.can't pull off a shop like that. He pulled it off but he had his hand up
:35:13. > :35:21.to acknowledge it was good luck. Already, for Reds available. -- four
:35:22. > :37:12.reds. Not the best of a bunch to go into.
:37:13. > :37:17.He will properly stun it rather than screw it. He did screw it this time.
:37:18. > :37:34.I don't think he is on a red. -- probably.
:37:35. > :37:52.Does this red go past the other into the middle? Surely not.
:37:53. > :38:03.Can he make the potting angle on the pink?
:38:04. > :38:09.Phenomenal. There really is no other word.
:38:10. > :38:20.Not only to pop the red, but to leave the pink. It was so tight to
:38:21. > :38:25.get on the pink. -- pot. Ricky can't believe what he is saying. Well, he
:38:26. > :38:40.can believe it. He is watching it. -- scene. -- seeing.
:38:41. > :38:58.You are watching the best player who has ever lived playing at his best.
:38:59. > :39:04.A bit of a distraction. This offered something on the cue ball. --
:39:05. > :39:22.spotted. It is hard refereeing when you have
:39:23. > :39:25.somebody as quick as refereeing. Paul is a top referee. He has to get
:39:26. > :39:32.out of the way as well. We have had everything. Only a
:39:33. > :39:57.century break. He is already the tournament
:39:58. > :40:06.favourite. But after this, who is going to beat him? He really is that
:40:07. > :40:18.good. The only one who can beat Ronnie O'Sullivan this week is
:40:19. > :40:23.Ronnie O'Sullivan. Yes, sometimes this game is not as good as it can
:40:24. > :40:32.be, but when it is like this is very special.
:40:33. > :40:40.This has been just wonderful. He has made 28 centuries this season so
:40:41. > :41:14.far. That is Ronnie O'Sullivan 724th
:41:15. > :41:16.century break. -- O'Sullivan's. He is now only 24 centuries behind the
:41:17. > :41:22.record of the great Stephen Hendry. You are getting value for money.
:41:23. > :41:45.This is very special. That was the 14th century at this
:41:46. > :41:57.year 's Masters. A little exhibition shop to finish it all. This looks
:41:58. > :42:04.perfect. -- it off. Absolutely perfect. You have just witnessed an
:42:05. > :42:14.unbelievable session of snooker. The crowd erupts here at the Alexandra
:42:15. > :42:31.Palace. Ronnie O'Sullivan leads for-0. How do you handle it? -- 4-0.
:42:32. > :42:41.It's now a good break shot. Even when he plays up or shut it goes
:42:42. > :43:00.straight for the bottom rail. He wanted behind the green cushion.
:43:01. > :43:09.Ricky Walden was in the practice arena, just now, practising away
:43:10. > :43:21.right up till he walked back into the arena. Doesn't want to slip past
:43:22. > :44:30.this. Not just a great buzz in the
:44:31. > :44:43.auditorium today, we were in the lounge and they were all coming in
:44:44. > :44:49.and amazed they are too. -- there too. Early chance wiki has is if the
:44:50. > :44:59.interval changes things around, and sometimes it does. There have been
:45:00. > :45:00.plenty of matches this week where players have been dominant before
:45:01. > :45:51.the interval... Not easy to get nicely onto a read.
:45:52. > :46:04.He can get through to the brown also.
:46:05. > :46:34.That was a lovely clean pot around the ankles. -- angles.
:46:35. > :46:38.He only missed the black in the first round. Everything else has
:46:39. > :47:03.been struck into a pocket. He has plotted 11 balls out of 11.
:47:04. > :47:22.-- potted. But he hasn't scored in the last three frames.
:47:23. > :47:43.This is looking serious. Black only available into one pocket at the
:47:44. > :47:51.moment and that of seem to be the perfect angle on the red. Let's have
:47:52. > :48:03.a look. He can mean you are the cueball somewhat -- manoeuvre. It is
:48:04. > :48:11.not straightforward. Getting that cueball out of the area... He's just
:48:12. > :48:27.decided to slip past them. If you can get on that red to the
:48:28. > :49:17.left of the black it will clear things.
:49:18. > :49:37.It's looking pretty ominous again here. Yes, this is the best
:49:38. > :49:48.performance I have seen for a very long time. It really is that good.
:49:49. > :49:53.The touch, the finesse, the positional play. You said we can't
:49:54. > :50:34.hit the ball better than this. -- simply can't.
:50:35. > :51:02.The frame is already over in a matter of five and a half minutes.
:51:03. > :51:15.He only needed one more chance and it's another frame on the board.
:51:16. > :51:47.That gives a 5-0 lead. Ricky Walden 's break.
:51:48. > :52:24.Ronnie Knox in a long read. -- red. Every player that has produced the
:52:25. > :52:28.goods has been getting a reception from this super crowd. Winnie crowd
:52:29. > :52:38.like this at a game. It's good to see. -- we need. Yes, this really is
:52:39. > :53:34.a snooker from the gods. No special prize for a maximum here.
:53:35. > :53:43.Just the high break prize, which carries ?10,000. The red, nicely on
:53:44. > :54:09.the black. He's got one loose credit that he is
:54:10. > :54:25.coming around to see. -- red. It is not possible, surely he couldn't
:54:26. > :54:28.finish with a maximum break. It's gone too far. He still might be able
:54:29. > :54:39.to clip it in and catch the edge of the bunch. It's a tricky shot, but
:54:40. > :54:43.if it goes in he will get a big chance because these rates will get
:54:44. > :54:51.spotted CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
:54:52. > :55:11.It was a great effort. He just ran slightly out of position there. He
:55:12. > :56:17.is not safe just yet. Come on, Ricky.
:56:18. > :56:23.Ricky Walden is a seriously good player. It's worth repeating. Not a
:56:24. > :56:31.lot he could do in most of the frames. It's been all over in one
:56:32. > :56:35.visit. That can happen in this game, it's not like golf. If someone makes
:56:36. > :56:39.a birdie, you can make a dirty with your ball. But the cueball is not in
:56:40. > :56:49.your hand, you are in trouble when playing someone as good as
:56:50. > :56:56.O'Sullivan. I don't think Ricky is going to be too disappointed. If he
:56:57. > :57:02.gets whitewashed 6-0 is still can't be disappointed because he's done
:57:03. > :58:01.nothing wrong. The pack didn't open nicely for him and that's it.
:58:02. > :58:06.Ronnie is being very disciplined there. He could have taken that
:58:07. > :58:25.red. But he has played the correct shot. Whichever party takes on, he
:58:26. > :58:33.has looked at both red s there. -- pot he. That's not a good one, that
:58:34. > :58:41.could be Ricky 's last shot in this year 's Masters. The only good news,
:58:42. > :59:04.I suppose, it is the red is next to the pink. That could be the end.
:59:05. > :00:14.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE .
:00:15. > :00:18.I have seen it Ronnie do unbelievable things on the table but
:00:19. > :00:20.this is up there with his best performance, you have to say. He
:00:21. > :00:28.just cannot play any better than this. No, it's been a virtuoso
:00:29. > :00:36.exhibition. That good. Ricky Walden can't be too disappointed, he just
:00:37. > :00:39.didn't get a shot. The only good thing from Ricky 's point of view is
:00:40. > :00:47.he has had the best seat in the house to watch this. He is one of
:00:48. > :01:30.the nicest lads are you ever wished to meet, Ricky Walden.
:01:31. > :01:42.That is one of the best set of snooker you could ever wish to
:01:43. > :01:47.watch. 6- zero Rocket. That's it from us for now, but we are back
:01:48. > :01:53.later today.