Day 4 Masters Snooker Highlights

Temperatures are rising here. The last of the quarterfinal places will

be claim this evening and we will get to that with Robertson and Fu

shortly. Before that, John Higgins taking on Liang Wenbo. The extrovert

Chinese player who entertained everybody on that run to the UK

championship final last month in December. It is the one that got him

here and secured his invitation to the Masters and what a fight he put

up. Higgins won all seven of his previous matches against Wenbo. A

magnificent 119 secured the opening frame for the two times Masters

champion. But an 88 break from Wenbo quickly levelled proceedings.

Higgins had 13 reds before falling down on the plant at red. Got a

kick. Unlucky. Great try. Wenbo, a final at last month UK Championships

levelled the match 3-3, however he could do nothing to slow the fine

Scotsman. Absolutely brilliant, John Higgins. A sublime 133. A break of

85 gave Higgins a 5-4 lead before the turning point of the match. A

crucial missed green from Liang Dave John a chance to close it out. He

needed no second invitation to seal this thriller. He will now face

Stuart Bingham on Friday. Really happy to win. Thought it was a good

standard jeering the game. I was thinking back to my game last year.

A pretty similar standard, but I lost 6-4. Speaker is tough nowadays.

You can be at the top of your game and still lose. I think Liang played

well. Even this maybe a couple of cushion balls. It was a good game.

Three centuries, and 85 and 73. John had to be his best to beat the

left-hander. To the last of our remaining first-round matches and

the question was what could Fu do to hold the runaway snooker chain

lee-macro train that is Neil Robertson. The Australian had to be

back-to-back wins. -- snooker train that is Neil Robertson. It is formed

that has had his fellow professionals purring. Neil

Robertson 2010 by champion has been a dominant force in the game. He

walks around the table like he owns it. He is like a male peacock,

strutting his dark. It must be top of his opponents. I like his mental

strength and his desire. He just wants to win as many trophies as

possible. His biggest strength is his temperament. You would watch a

game with him and you would not know if he were winning or losing. He

walks around as if he owns the place. He has worked snooker out. He

knows how to play the game. The way he plays is the way a sports

psychologist would try to teach someone to come, but you don't get

the feeling he is in the dressing room talking about the shots he has

played badly. He looks at the peak always wants the next shot to be a

positive one. Have you always done it like that? I remember playing him

early in our careers and without wanting to sound horrible, I did not

think he was that good, but it shows you what a good judge I am. He is

one of the best players we have seen in the game. He used to be a mad

Potter, but he hit a bit of a brick wall. But he worked out a way around

it. He has worked out how to be a better player. He did drop of the

tour as well a couple of times. It shows you his mental character and

strength. He is now an astute all-round player. He stands out in

all areas. He annoys me he is so good. Has it got any weak points? He

is not good at catching flights. He is ahead of the rest of the tour.

They have been times on behalf of that in the studio and said he is

getting himself bogged down. He is taking too long over an obvious

shock. He tried to be too exact and constantly walking around the table

too much and I think sometimes he slows down that little bit instead

of taking those few seconds of your shot time. Sometimes he is being too

careful, too exact. Having said that, when it works, it is

effective. When he beats me in the Masters final a few years ago, he

had me in some unworkable positions. He played shots I have not seen. I

can't see the table and I may as well have had my hands tied behind

my back. When it works, he is very, very good. Given all the eulogies,

it might surprise you to know that his opponent Fu is marginally ahead

if you include lesser league matches. Add to that, you have a

competitive match. Dennis Taylor and John Virgo are in the box.

Just looking to see if he left the white tight on the table. I think

Marco is just a reluctant to roll into the reds. There is not a lot he

can do. He picked up a fantastic double. And

now a great chance. He played a tremendous shot there on the pink.

People accuse him of not having the cube power of a lot of modern-day

players but he has certainly showed cube power of a lot of modern-day

his cue power there. He just rolled into the red. He could have played

away from it. We have said on many occasions you cannot drop your guard

for a moment. These players, you cannot separate

them in regards to the head to heads. They have only played once in

the Masters and that was in 2008. Marco won that in the deciding

frame, 6-5. He is not frightened of the Australian. And should not be

because he is such a terrific player. That maximum break he made

last year, only the third ever in the history of the match.

I don't know whether he will try and bring the red a bit further away

from the cushion. Yes, he did. He played it nicely. The awkward red

close to the left-hand cushion he has two content with. Very important

now he gets a good angle on the colour off of this red to be able to

get on the awkward last red. He is not absolutely inch perfect here. He

could be running into the blue. Just flicked past it. He has got an angle

to come off the top cushion. Now he has a choice. He can drop behind the

red or try to disturb it. He has decided to play the brown. Can he

get close to the red dirt off of the brown? Well, don't miss the brown.

He played the cannon in the end. He got the cannon, missed the brown.

Pity. Yes, he put a locked into the cannon and took his eye off the

brown slightly. You played for the blue, went a little bit too far, but

what a great shot if he had not knocked the brown in. And those are

the sort of frames that you love to punish your opponent. Neil was in

and just tapped into the reds. He found the double and it would have

hurt Neil had Marco pinched this opening frame.

He only needs the brown, so who does not have too worry about forcing it

up for the blue. It will leave Marco needing snookers.

Just looking at the scoreboard, making sure the brown is down. 23

points in front with just 18 remaining. No heroics. Well, he had

plenty of angle anyway. He got a little bit closer to the blue, but

it was a pretty straightforward brown to clinch the first frame.

Well, it is the first frame that could go to either player. Marco had

his chance. He missed the brown and Neil cleared up. Mr brown did set

the tone because no Robinson more than happy to accept stealing that

one from the man from happy Valley who is not so happy tonight. He has

been struggling with a bit of a cold.

Gets the keys off of the second red well. Think it is. Not just thinking

about it, just getting down and playing it. It is a tough shot.

Needs a little bit more care and attention to me. He is played as if

he is not feeling that well. He is playing a lot quicker than he

normally does. He is not even thinking about the shot. 18 seconds

for the average shot time. Maybe he is feeling a bit rough still and

just wants to get on with it. It will be interesting. If he keeps

leaving this man in, it could be an early night.

If you are going to get the full benefit out of that can, you have

two hit the red fall in the face. The cue all will stay in the middle

of the table. I think he has got a red to the far right corner. -- the

cue ball. Clean as a whistle. You come to expect that from Neil. You

have to be so accurate at that pace, and he was. Yes, one of the best

part is the game has ever seen, along with another left hander. The

Welsh wizard Mark Williams who had a great match with Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Mark is one of the best putters in the game as well. It's amazing how

left-handers seem to be the best. Judd Trump. It is amazing how good

they are. On the side bar. Extreme nine. If he

gets to 69 points, Marco will need a snooker. -- a 69.

This is the sort of form that he showed in the UK championship. He

really was sensational bear. -- sensational bear. He beat Mark Selby

in the semifinal 6-0. What a performance. He beat Stephen

Maguire. He started with a century break and Harvey got another shot.

It is worthwhile here think the cannon. I know there are a fuel use

reds, but if he plays the cannon, he will be lucky to be on anything. He

has decided to just roll it in. He will will be wishing he had played

the cannon now. I was surprised as well, John. I

know he only needs a few more, but look at the angle. Anywhere in

there, he is opening them up. I know he only needs a couple more reds. A

bit unlucky to land on top of the red.

That is a very good shots under the circumstances. -- terry-macro.

That is a very good shots under the made sure he hit the white right in

58 points the lead. A quick glance at the scoreboard. Red cover red is

what is required. at the scoreboard. Red cover red is

the angle on the blue. It was

not really get into the cue ball as he would have liked. This red should

have been easier. A good solid parts, as we have come

to expect from meal. The black to follow. No way back to the table for

Marco now. We have had ten centuries so far in

this year 's Masters. 137 and still the highest. That was made by Mark

Allen, but you are looking at a cutting machine here. 439 centuries

Neil has made. Everyone finding the middle of the

pocket. He has got his eye in. Well played. He was gifted the

opportunity, but he's still had to pozz the balls. -- pot the balls.

Just a bit of pace. Marco Fu, I was not too pleased with his body

language there. Neil Roberts and wet mind. And he took a 3-0 lead. The

Aussie impressively into his stride now as we head into the last before

the interval. Just never got through. Sometimes if

you are not feeling well bend the cue does not feel the same. Just

watch his head here. You don't usually see that from Marco. Not on

a break of shots. One of his great strength is his temperament, but it

is not happening tonight. On top of that, his opponent is playing very

well. He has not knocked a long one in

yet. He has had a go at four and missed them all. Just a couple more

loose reds. He has got to get into the bunch, but they are not a good

group to get into. It is not straightforward, this.

But he has got so much cue power. He can go into it, although there are

too loose reds. You can see he is striking down on the cue ball.

Watch the white. It stopped there and keeps spinning and freeze the

red. That is all done with timing and back spin.

We have a little moth. It has been hiding here at the Ali Pali, but it

is back. For friends -- possibility of a full

frame advantage. -- delicately placing job for the link.

It won't affect Neal at all. He has got a couple of loose reds to play

for. Maybe the top rate of that cluster will go to the left.

Certainly the other one will go to the right. You might even decide to

play a cannon. That red does go, but he has got too much of an angle on

the blue here to have complete control of the cue ball, so maybe

the cannon is the option. A round of applause for our referee. He managed

to get the moth. Already 51 ahead so not that many

pots needed to take this frame before the mid-session interval and

lead 4-0. A lot for Marco to think about mid-session interval. -- at

the mid-session interval. And that's usually the way, John.

When you are playing really well, like that last red, and you're

struggling, it's not fair. At the moment it is so much plain

sailing, it is just like a walk in the park. Marco Fu made a 45 break

in the first frame. Since then, he's only scored two points.

As I say, take away his 45 break in the first frame and two points is

all he's scored. It doesn't look as though he's going to get an

opportunity to score at this rate. And that's the ball that means Marco

went get back to the table because this is an easy read to continue. --

won't get back. I was going to say a good chance to make another century,

but just misjudged that slightly. He's not good on this black.

No. As I continue. -- I don't expect he can

No. As I continue. Marco is

No. As I the arena. He doesn't look like he

No. As I has a lot of fight to him at the

moment. has a lot of fight to him at the

well and he went been pleased with the scoreline at the mid-session

interval. Neil Robertson leads four frames to nil.

COMMENTATOR: so, he's trusting the revival? Let's find out.

COMMENTATOR: so, he's trusting the table. It's not let him down. I

think we will give ten out of ten for the table fitted because the

table seemed to be drifting a little bit on the opening day. He made a

slight adjustment but that ran beautifully and all the players are

complement in the way that this table is playing.

Well, I'd assume with Neal playing that red the way it did that that

one wouldn't pass the pink. A good pot from Marco, but I'm surprised he

left any kind of pot on. He is close to filing that. He did

file it. The ending was right up there having a close look.

Didn't see it move, but of course it doesn't have to move. He can just be

lying on top of it. It was right down, so close to it.

He was in the perfect spot with the referee, there. Tough to see there

because of the colour of his waistcoat, that he must just be

leaning on it. Having a very close look, and in the

end just as he was pushing the cue through, he must have just dropped

his body slightly and that is why he touched the black. And that pink,

that was Neil Robertson just one point behind. It's not going to be

an easy frame to win because the reds aren't ideally situated and the

black is out of commission. But while you are at the table, there is

a laser chance. -- there is always a chance.

Has he gone far enough to leave himself a slight angle? That's where

he could pot that left red of the three. Looks as if he could pot this

pink and on the black. Yvette on. -- leave that one.

That cleared the path for the other red behind the black spot. But

looking at the angle here, John, I did know whether he can get onto

that for the left-hand pocket. He might have too played for the one

closest to the cushion. This pink will put in 20 points in

front. He will still need red pink and the last remaining red.

These are tricky if you are playing with any kind of pace.

So, the pink and this last remaining red to get to the snooker required

stage. People put in 27 points in front and that's rebel putting 28

points in front with 27 remaining. -- that red will put him 28 points

in front. Couldn't have played much better. A quick glance at the

scoreboard to tell him what he needs.

They are still quite tight, these pockets. Along the cushion behind

the black they have been going in even occasionally when they touch

the cushion, which is quite unusual. He is coming up a little bit short,

but, of course, it doesn't really matter. The frame is already safe.

Just round the houses to get onto the ground. -- brown.

Oh, that's not going in the other corner pocket. Marco in even more

trouble now. The Australian marches on. Frame six, Marco Fu to break.

So, Marco Fu breaks off in the sixth frame. It was helpful to nudge the

brown but you shouldn't have been anywhere near the brown. He's just

playing for pride now. Can't see him clawing his way back into this much.

Oh! That's the delight of Neil Robertson. Just watch the cue. It

did go slightly off-line, but that was the power he was coming in.

Normally he is usually done by Wall Street. If you could screw back he

would be a great player. -- usually he is gun barrel

straight. 5-0, you would expect him to take it

all, and he is. And it's there. It was not only in, it went right in

the middle of the pocket. It never touched the sides.

That one went in-off the left side of the pocket. It's when you pot

them right in the centre of the pocket, you know you're really

playing well. But the green just went right in the centre of the

pocket. If that's ready next to the black also pots, this is a terrific

chance. -- if that red next to the black. If not, he will have a little

bit of work to do. It looks quite close to the black but I think it's

-- miss the cannon. you just got to miss Buchanan.

69 is the target to get to the snooker required, as you see on the

side bar. And if he was to just concentrate on the blacks, a

possible 141 on, which would be a leading contender for the highest

break held by Mark Allen at the moment, 137.

These players first played each other back in 2008 and they spent

four wins each. There has Neil feels as if it took a bit of a

a whitewash in their previous Neil feels as if it took a bit of a

pace out of the cue. Let's have a look. It just jumped slightly. This

is a test of your cueing. One good pot here and if you can get nicely

on a red, he could be all over. -- it could be all over.

It was a tough pot, so, just stroked it in. He knew he would have this

read to the left middle. ... This red to the left middle. Nicely

played. That little roll off the pink slip the cube also

played. That little roll off the nice angle on the blue. This could

be frame and much at this visit now. -- the cue all.

He didn't hit the red he intended to there and it's made it slightly more

He didn't hit the red he intended to difficult. He wanted to hit in

between those reds. This is a delicate little one into

the right middle pocket here. That is an indication of how tight

even these middle pocket. It looked as if it was going in and then all

of a sudden it just caught the jaw, and a chance for Marco.

As I said, it is all he can play for now is his pride.

It's a shame, because every player looks forward to The Masters and he

has obviously come in not in the best of health. It's certainly

affected him. It was showing early on, he was getting downplaying the

shots very quickly. Not feeling his best. I don't think he will be

getting back to the table now. He would not normally miss a ball like

that. It's been an easy evening for Neil Robertson, it has to be said.

He's had no real opposition. But opinion of how he's played? He looks

to be cueing beautifully. It's understandable, this, when your

opponent is not up to it, you can lose a little bit of focus which has

maybe caused Neil to miss if you reds. 94% pot success. -- miss a few

reds. Look at the long pot success for Marco, zero.

Marco was runner up here in 2011. He's been in one semifinal way back

in 2008. It is a tough tournament this for the top 16. I couldn't

believe John Higgins went 11 years without winning a match here.

That can happen. There will be a handshake now. You have to feel for

Marco Fu. A nice easy evening for Neil Robertson. I don't think you

will find it that easy on Friday afternoon when he faces up to Judd

Trump, but he will be pleased to have got through without any

pressure whatsoever. He runs at a comfortable winner, six frames to

kneel and he is into the quarterfinals.

When the draw came out, you are never disappointed with you are

playing. When I knew I was playing Marco Fu has such a great record,

getting up to the big matches, I thought I've got my work cut out

here and I will have to play really well to win. Then, during the first

couple of frames, I knew something wasn't quite right. I didn't know if

he was tinkering with his game a little. I didn't know what you make

of it. I just had to try the best I could to play as well as I can. I

heard he wasn't quite well so I had to just finish the match as quickly

as possible. Obviously, a real shame for him that for such a big event he

was unwell. A double whammy for Marco Fu

tonight, illness and an inform Australian inflicting multiple

blows. A demolition job by Robertson, whose name we can etch

into the quarterfinal line-up which looks like this.

The only players left, Mark Allen takes a Londoner Barry Hawkins. A

rerun of both fantastic semifinal years ago. A bristling rivalry. And

current world champion Stuart Bingham taking on the great John

Higgins. Boy, will we enjoy the next four days here at Alexandra Palace.

It all gets underway with the tie of the round, O Sullivan against Selby.

I don't know how you will swing it, but you got to see this somehow. We

will be with you from 1pm here on BBC Two. Until then for all of us

here in north London, it is good night.