:00:32. > :00:39.Good evening. It is pretty lively and pretty busy and the players
:00:40. > :00:43.lounge and before the start of the evening session some 14 centuries
:00:44. > :00:49.had been carefully crafted and lapped up by record crowd here at
:00:50. > :00:53.Alexandra Palace in the Dafabet masters. All ten players to have
:00:54. > :00:58.starred so far in this tournament had made at least one century, so
:00:59. > :01:05.great quality in great quantities, more centuries than in European
:01:06. > :01:13.history. Five of those have come in a breathtaking match this afternoon.
:01:14. > :01:19.Marco Fu, the Boston form player in the game against Judd Trump, this
:01:20. > :01:27.one promised great things. And how else would possibly start, a century
:01:28. > :01:34.of course, 1- to Judd Trump. He took the next as well and when Marco
:01:35. > :01:41.missed this red, Judd got a 67 clearance, 3-0. Marco Fu stopped the
:01:42. > :01:50.rot by becoming the tenth player at the Masters to record a century this
:01:51. > :01:54.year. The next two frames were shared and then Marco stole the
:01:55. > :02:01.seventh on the black adding a century to level at four frames
:02:02. > :02:12.each. Judd powered Trump back in the lead with his second term, now 5-4
:02:13. > :02:19.ahead. He missed a crucial black when looking good in the tenth
:02:20. > :02:32.frame. He survived this click to level the scores again. And then the
:02:33. > :02:43.decider, luck was smiling on Marco with this outrageous fluke. And he
:02:44. > :02:54.went on to knock in a third century and claim a famous victory. Much of
:02:55. > :03:01.the season. I have done at the tough way. First session was hard to take.
:03:02. > :03:06.After that, I bounced back well and I just needed to be patient, have a
:03:07. > :03:15.chance to do some scoring and some damage. I felt like I made a lot of
:03:16. > :03:22.mistakes. I think my safety was very bad. In the end, I didn't play a
:03:23. > :03:30.great break of and missed the red by so far and Buddha was a great
:03:31. > :03:37.chance. To see that ball going, -- missed a great chance. Marco view is
:03:38. > :03:42.still motoring in the form he found just before Christmas. He went all
:03:43. > :03:47.the way to the semi final there and he kept on driving through, putting
:03:48. > :03:50.some new changes to his cue action and his site realignment in a
:03:51. > :03:58.wonderful run that give him the Scottish title. That was just before
:03:59. > :04:02.Christmas. He lost none of that poise and scoring power over the
:04:03. > :04:08.Christmas break. He is through to the quarterfinal, what a match. What
:04:09. > :04:12.next from hour to competence this evening? With the Australian Triple
:04:13. > :04:16.Crown winner, Neil Robertson and Ali Carter in action, we were always
:04:17. > :04:22.guaranteed some pretty high-quality stuff this evening. It is a great
:04:23. > :04:27.tournament. Just like all the BBC events are, I have not had a lot of
:04:28. > :04:31.success here, but hopefully I am looking to change that this year.
:04:32. > :04:37.Missing out last year was a bitter pill to swallow and to be back here
:04:38. > :04:42.at this year is extra special. On paper, probably the hardest draw we
:04:43. > :04:48.could have got. We could have got good draws in the Masters,
:04:49. > :04:53.approaching the first-round, it is different, your planar top 16 player
:04:54. > :04:58.in the first round. A different feeling, you are there straightaway.
:04:59. > :05:06.I was looking for a draw and I thought who would I want to play if
:05:07. > :05:11.I could hand-pick my own draw? I was struggling to find anyone. I know
:05:12. > :05:14.what I will get with Neal and I have to concentrate and know what I am
:05:15. > :05:17.good and I know what he is good at and you have to play well to beat
:05:18. > :05:25.him but you never know with this game, sometimes you do not play well
:05:26. > :05:32.and managed to win. I always enjoy playing Ali Carter. There are no
:05:33. > :05:42.real weaknesses in his game, you feel comfortable playing him. Really
:05:43. > :05:50.looking forward to it. It is like a final from the off. It is one table
:05:51. > :05:56.and write new from the first day. This tends to bring the best out of
:05:57. > :06:04.me. I glance at their previous matches tells us that Neil Robertson
:06:05. > :06:08.has the best strike rate. Ali Carter was unceremoniously dumped here 6-1
:06:09. > :06:14.a couple of years ago but since then he is back to full health, and won
:06:15. > :06:18.his first major title this season in China for three years. Many expected
:06:19. > :06:23.this to be far closer tonight. Robertson took the first frame with
:06:24. > :06:30.an 85 break. Carter levelled it up and now we join them in frame three.
:06:31. > :06:35.Stephen Hendry and John Bercow have teamed up for this one. -- John
:06:36. > :06:55.Virgo. When you see this safety exchange
:06:56. > :07:01.when the cue ball is coming back to the top cushion. The first
:07:02. > :07:04.opportunity is a very good one. Everything is in the open. Where is
:07:05. > :07:12.this thread going? No need to tell you, he did not play
:07:13. > :07:38.that. This needs a good touch. Easy enough to hit the red here for
:07:39. > :07:47.Ali Carter, he will need to be careful. He needs to nestle into
:07:48. > :07:51.that bunch. And I mean Nassau, because if he comes away slowly, he
:07:52. > :07:56.could leave that red to the far right corner. I wouldn't
:07:57. > :08:10.overcomplicate the issue. I think it is dangerous to try and
:08:11. > :08:12.hit a single red here, you need to go into the bunch and hope to get a
:08:13. > :08:23.touch. That is the way I would player but
:08:24. > :08:30.he is playing for the red above the black and that could go wrong. He
:08:31. > :09:07.has left a red to the middle, wrong choice for me, that.
:09:08. > :09:17.Points now are all square and Neil will look to score one. If he gets
:09:18. > :09:25.most of these reds with colours, he will be able to win the frame. There
:09:26. > :09:31.are a few obstacles but not that many, once he gets back down at this
:09:32. > :11:50.business end of the table. Black is available into both corners.
:11:51. > :12:01.He has played it nicely, in an ideal world, the light would be on the red
:12:02. > :12:06.and in playing it, he would've not those red cent. The three reds, if
:12:07. > :12:10.one of them is pottable into the left middle and the reason he is
:12:11. > :12:18.looking for that, that would mean he does not have to any cannons. He is
:12:19. > :12:25.playing this red and will look for a nice angle on the black.
:12:26. > :12:34.Which he has got. This time he will try and leave himself low on the
:12:35. > :12:42.middle and imparting that red he can bring those three reds into play. --
:12:43. > :12:52.in parting. That is a little bit careless. He is OK. He has the
:12:53. > :13:00.perfect angle and those three reds are open. -- potting. Even loosening
:13:01. > :13:10.that little bit means that red staff. The available. As it turns
:13:11. > :13:16.out, the right corner. 42 points the lead, 75 remaining so three of these
:13:17. > :13:24.remaining reds would put him into the required state.
:13:25. > :13:36.Quite a brisk pace, Neil Robertson. The reds have been in a decent
:13:37. > :13:38.position. Eight seconds they shot quicker than Ali Carter and that is
:13:39. > :14:01.quite a lot. This red will now put Neil 57 ahead
:14:02. > :14:09.with 59 remaining and with every red you part, eight points off the
:14:10. > :14:13.table. No problem. You talk about the pace of the way he has played
:14:14. > :14:18.and he seems to be a better player when he is playing quick. He seems
:14:19. > :14:25.to think too much about the game rather than let his natural ability
:14:26. > :14:26.come to the fore. He is a much better player when he is being
:14:27. > :14:41.aggressive. Sometimes when he plays, he changes
:14:42. > :14:51.how he plays depending on who his opponent is. He should stick to his
:14:52. > :14:54.own strengths. He is not touching the ball that he is trying to pot.
:14:55. > :15:09.He has played it nicely. We were saying at the start that the
:15:10. > :15:21.quality is so far from all the matches has been superb. So far,
:15:22. > :15:33.this is the third frame and nothing has changed. He has just missed the
:15:34. > :15:36.cannon which might stop us seeing the fifth 18th century of this
:15:37. > :15:54.year's Dafabet masters. We will not be seeing the 15th. Good
:15:55. > :16:02.standard, Neil Robertson. A break of 78 and now leads by 2-1. The former
:16:03. > :16:07.Masters champion pushed on and won the frames either side of the
:16:08. > :16:11.interval as well to move into a commanding lead but Carter summoned
:16:12. > :16:17.some resistance in the sixth frame and we appear to have a match on as
:16:18. > :16:32.we head into the seventh frame, Robertson to play, no score yet.
:16:33. > :16:42.He missed the red and I would not have pushed the cue ball that far
:16:43. > :16:49.up. The black is available here. He should have held the cue ball level
:16:50. > :17:00.but the black. He just came off making a break of 73, Ali Carter, he
:17:01. > :17:06.gets first chance here for me. Again, no hundred percent guarantee
:17:07. > :17:13.where the cue ball will end up. He made sure he got the cue ball out.
:17:14. > :17:25.If the yellow does not pass the red, he could be on nothing here. Surely
:17:26. > :17:40.he is an yellow or green? When the cue ball was travelling, it appears
:17:41. > :17:48.that the yellow does go. He could have expected to be on something
:17:49. > :17:57.easier. Only the yellow. Got to get this. Good shot, right in the heart
:17:58. > :18:27.of the pocket. He has got a good chance now.
:18:28. > :18:37.Neil Robertson must be fuming in his chair. It was pretty simple to leave
:18:38. > :18:41.the cue ball safe. Very careless. There has been a few tonight. He has
:18:42. > :18:57.had a few careless ones. He has got to leave the cue ball,
:18:58. > :19:01.stop now, that little chalk mark to the left of the black, let that cue
:19:02. > :19:18.ball run a foot too far. There are a couple of cannons that
:19:19. > :19:23.Ali Carter has played and he seems to be getting into the cue ball a
:19:24. > :19:31.bit too much. He would be nicely onto the red at the right corner
:19:32. > :19:38.pocket. If he can just drop it in and get position on the black, OK,
:19:39. > :19:46.but you get the feeling that he may be running close to the back. --
:19:47. > :19:51.black. Never easy using the spider, you always have to put that little
:19:52. > :19:56.bit of extra concentration into the pot and give it a little extra bit
:19:57. > :20:01.of elevation. He is trying to stun it in and come around the back of
:20:02. > :20:06.the black, the black into the same pocket. Played it well. Played it
:20:07. > :20:19.very well. 18. Still on track to win the frame at
:20:20. > :22:07.this visit. Little shake of the head, a little
:22:08. > :22:18.bit straighter than he would like. He has a few loose reds to play for.
:22:19. > :22:31.He may have to be using the rest. I don't think he is too bad with the
:22:32. > :22:38.rest. Maybe he feels he can reach this with the extension but I think
:22:39. > :22:45.he will be at full stretch. I was just thinking earlier on, levy that
:22:46. > :22:59.is why he's getting the extension, stretching out for this one. -- may
:23:00. > :23:07.be that is why. He could not have played a much better than that. He
:23:08. > :23:25.has got the one loose red. The pink is in a pottable position.
:23:26. > :23:31.Looking at it now I think he played for the red closest to the pink but
:23:32. > :23:36.he didn't go far enough up the table. He's got this as an
:23:37. > :23:37.alternative. There's the red next to the pink but he needed the cue ball
:23:38. > :24:02.to be higher. Nicely played. His potted some good
:24:03. > :24:16.balls this evening. And the fact that he has three red
:24:17. > :24:22.in the ball end, it wasn't imperative that he got the right
:24:23. > :24:27.side of the blue. Always got to be a little bit careful with these type
:24:28. > :24:30.of blues though, digging down. Don't want to decelerate when you push the
:24:31. > :25:20.cue through. It's OK. As I say, because that red just
:25:21. > :25:26.below the pink goes, with a nice angle on the blue, well, he will
:25:27. > :25:31.have another red just out of the cluster of four so doesn't have to
:25:32. > :25:38.play any cannons. And this is just what he needed. And he's done it in
:25:39. > :25:51.the last frame and looks like doing it in this one. One chance and he
:25:52. > :26:04.will win the frame. And the pot success 95%, that's already very
:26:05. > :26:10.high. 92% is not bad. So just this red needed to go 66 points ahead
:26:11. > :26:13.with 59 remaining. In it goes, frame over. Good responses from Ali
:26:14. > :26:33.Carter. A couple of careless shots, and that
:26:34. > :26:42.loose shot for nothing in this frame. That's the standard we have
:26:43. > :26:52.got this week. Some of the best players in the world. You cannot
:26:53. > :26:57.relax or take anything for granted. It's been a good performance from
:26:58. > :27:21.Ali Carter the last two frames. Showed good character.
:27:22. > :27:27.The last red is going to be difficult if he's going to want to
:27:28. > :27:36.make the century. Cannot move it from this short so he will have to
:27:37. > :27:47.play it along the baulk cushion. He needs that Kewell 's travel. -- that
:27:48. > :27:52.cue ball to travel. Yes, he could have done with it a little bit
:27:53. > :27:57.straighter. The thing is, he has a good angle for position but
:27:58. > :28:01.unfortunately the rest didn't go in but I don't suppose this time he
:28:02. > :28:06.will be too bothered. This reduces arrears now to just one. Neil
:28:07. > :29:11.Robertson is now only one ahead, 4-3.
:29:12. > :29:21.Thank you, frame eight, Ali Carter to break. Ali Carter was practically
:29:22. > :29:26.down the break before Neil Robertson had picked his cue off the table, so
:29:27. > :29:38.got a rush of blood to get this match going. But that's a poor break
:29:39. > :29:46.off. Yes, let's see how Neil Robertson... You normally expect him
:29:47. > :29:51.to knock this type of red in, and he does. As you say, it was poor break
:29:52. > :29:56.off shot and he needs the cue ball to stop short of the baulk line, and
:29:57. > :30:29.it does so he's on the brown. He will be sitting in his chair
:30:30. > :30:50.kicking himself. As you say, he had a bit of a rush to the table and he
:30:51. > :31:19.should have given it a bit more care and attention. As we said in the
:31:20. > :31:22.last frame, you cannot drop your guard for a second, not with the
:31:23. > :31:25.standard being so high. I think the plan for meal was to get onto the
:31:26. > :31:29.red in such a way that he could potted it and then cannon onto the
:31:30. > :31:30.black. Has he got the angle to do that? He did just about make it.
:31:31. > :31:49.Good shot, black now in the open. I would suggest an angle on the
:31:50. > :31:51.black to go into the bunch. With the red closest to the pocket, that's
:31:52. > :32:11.good insurance to be on. He would prefer to be going into the
:32:12. > :32:18.reds playing the black into the same pocket as this red. That's what he's
:32:19. > :32:30.doing. He may have just gone to straight on the black.
:32:31. > :32:37.As Stephen said, I think you would like to have played the black into
:32:38. > :32:42.the opposite corner, the right corner, but I think he was feeling
:32:43. > :32:47.he may be hampered by the red but he's just overdone it. I'm not
:32:48. > :32:51.certain about the availability of the red just below the cluster.
:32:52. > :32:58.Obviously it's easy enough to play for this one. He's trying to run
:32:59. > :33:10.into them, and he's missed it. He's just about OK. Very aggressive shot,
:33:11. > :33:15.just got some right-hand side on the cue ball. It was a good attempt. On
:33:16. > :33:44.a bad day you're going off. Not easy to generate the pace on the
:33:45. > :33:55.cue ball to go into the bunch because the red that's between the
:33:56. > :34:11.bunch and black is -- makes it difficult to open them up.
:34:12. > :34:20.They are going to be dislodging some rents, potting this. It's
:34:21. > :34:27.interesting to see how aggressive he is with this, whether he plays it
:34:28. > :34:28.back for power on the blue. Yes, back for the blue, he will open the
:34:29. > :34:49.bunch here. That was a good shot. Turned into a good opportunity now
:34:50. > :35:01.to win this frame. All from that poor break off.
:35:02. > :35:15.Here we see, he was so quick to get to the table. That's just poor
:35:16. > :35:22.concentration. I think the adrenaline was pumping after winning
:35:23. > :35:26.two frames in one visit. Yes, keen to get on with it. That's what we
:35:27. > :35:30.are saying, you cannot drop your guard for a second because these
:35:31. > :35:38.players are more than capable of delivering a knockout blow. Break at
:35:39. > :35:43.50, just another 19 points to get to the snooker is required stage. He
:35:44. > :35:45.has just moved another red into play. I wouldn't bet against him
:35:46. > :36:32.winning the frame at this visit now. 75 remaining. This red, 67 had with
:36:33. > :37:06.67 remaining so just the red and the colour required. Looks a formality.
:37:07. > :37:14.He has come on a little bit to straight, needs a good red to get
:37:15. > :37:19.the cue ball out for the black. In the end decided not to bother. He
:37:20. > :37:24.knew that if he rolled the red in there's no way Ali would come back
:37:25. > :37:26.to the table, which I'm sure would be the case but it just means we
:37:27. > :37:43.won't get to see a century. And that's it, Ali Carter broke off.
:37:44. > :37:47.It was a loose one and that was the only shot he had and now Neil
:37:48. > :37:52.Robertson is only one frame away from a place in the quarterfinal. He
:37:53. > :37:57.leading 5-3. Ronnie O'Sullivan awaits the winner
:37:58. > :38:00.of this match in the quarterfinal on Thursday evening and it's looking
:38:01. > :38:05.odds-on to be Neil Robertson unless Ali Carter can change the momentum
:38:06. > :38:10.once again and quickly in frame nine. Neil at the table here.
:38:11. > :38:12.COMMENTATOR: Neil Robertson with the first chance in the frame he needs
:38:13. > :38:35.for the quarterfinal. Yes, played the more difficult
:38:36. > :38:37.safety shot. He could have just played a shot to leave the cue ball
:38:38. > :39:02.on the cushion. If you go by the form of the
:39:03. > :39:21.previous frame, he has a good chance to win the match, Neil Robertson.
:39:22. > :39:27.Yes, three reds, three blacks but I don't think the maximum will be
:39:28. > :39:53.entering his head just yet. This is a chance, as you say, Stephen, to
:39:54. > :40:03.win the match. It's usually when you get to about 64/72 that you start
:40:04. > :40:05.concentrating on the maximum but there's a few balls to be potted
:40:06. > :40:07.before we get there. I don't think he's come out perfect on this black.
:40:08. > :40:07.Now he won't be playing for the lack, he will be playing for the
:40:08. > :40:24.blue baulk. It wasn't a helpful kiss on the blue
:40:25. > :40:30.in actual fact. He had rather it had run past the blue and being on
:40:31. > :40:36.yellow or brown. He's just got to do a little bit with the cue ball now,
:40:37. > :40:46.taking it out of baulk. And there's only one loose red to play
:40:47. > :40:48.four-point Maybe he's thinking just stun it in and leave himself the
:40:49. > :41:07.mid-distance red. He's doing a lot of pointing, I'm
:41:08. > :41:21.not certain what he's looking at here. You either try to get it in
:41:22. > :41:27.and out of baulk or you don't. The way he pots, I think that would be
:41:28. > :41:32.my choice, just to stun it in and leave the cue ball in the middle of
:41:33. > :41:37.the table. Yes, if the red was on the left-hand side, he would go in
:41:38. > :41:47.and out of baulk, but where that red is, that's the right shot. It's just
:41:48. > :42:02.a funny little angle he has on this red. He will have to stun off the
:42:03. > :42:08.cushion behind the black. Because he was going to be quite close to the
:42:09. > :42:13.black, this was going to be a problem getting the angle. Yes, and
:42:14. > :42:17.it didn't help that the red didn't go in the middle of the pocket so he
:42:18. > :42:22.cannot do much with this so we obviously thinks there is a red
:42:23. > :42:32.available to the far left corner to keep this break going. It's a second
:42:33. > :42:35.one in. But who knows if he cannot knock the Swan Inn, this could be
:42:36. > :42:54.frame and matchwinner. Sweet as a nut, and a nice angle on
:42:55. > :42:58.the black to stun into the reds. Still needs to open a few more red
:42:59. > :43:10.if he's going to get over the finishing line here. Well, he feels
:43:11. > :43:16.as though this bottom one will go to the middle. In potting this, he will
:43:17. > :43:25.release the red to the left of it for the right corner. Obviously you
:43:26. > :43:32.see it a lot better when you are down at the table, but just looking
:43:33. > :43:40.at this black, he will still need a red, colour, and one more red. When
:43:41. > :43:46.he's in the balls, his playing at a very fast pace. Virtually taking one
:43:47. > :43:51.or two waggles with the cue and then he's on it, it's a sign of
:43:52. > :43:56.confidence I think. We commented earlier, 20 seconds per shot is the
:43:57. > :44:02.average time. You look at Ronnie O'Sullivan, he would be at 17, but
:44:03. > :44:12.that is quick. And as you say, a sign of confidence. That puts him 70
:44:13. > :44:21.points in the lead but they're still 75 remaining. He needs one more red.
:44:22. > :44:27.Is he on it? It looks tight, he's going to have to play with side.
:44:28. > :44:33.Only the red required to go 71 points in front with just 67
:44:34. > :44:41.remaining. He's having a play on the left-hand side to turn the red over.
:44:42. > :44:51.But he's there, it is there, and there's no way back now you feel for
:44:52. > :44:59.Ali Carter. It's incredible, it has all come from that poor break off.
:45:00. > :45:05.Yes, Ali I'm sure then thought he had the momentum on his side, but it
:45:06. > :45:14.is just one loose shot and how quickly it can turn. How quickly it
:45:15. > :45:23.can turn. They wrote a book and they are entitled it, "It's a cruel
:45:24. > :45:28.game". It certainly can be. And a possibility now that we will see our
:45:29. > :45:37.first century break of the match. Just asking what the highest break
:45:38. > :45:47.is, it is 132, made by Stuart Bingham last night. There's a
:45:48. > :45:56.possible 145 on. He's going to play for the black.
:45:57. > :46:10.On for the 145 if he gets blacks off the remaining reds, and that could
:46:11. > :46:16.take some beating. It has been a pretty impressive display tonight
:46:17. > :46:29.from Neil Robertson. We wait for the century here.
:46:30. > :47:05.Now it's a possible 144, still a good target for the high break
:47:06. > :47:26.prize. He's struck at himself! Would you believe it? -- he has snooker
:47:27. > :47:30.snookered himself. Give it a whack! What a shame, but what a great match
:47:31. > :47:36.and what a great performance. Ali Carter said well played. Neil
:47:37. > :47:42.Robertson is absolutely delighted, but his fist in the air to the
:47:43. > :47:49.crowd. He led 4-1, Ali Carter pulled him back but he responded like a
:47:50. > :47:52.true champion and books date in the quarterfinal against the Rockets,
:47:53. > :47:57.Ronnie O'Sullivan. That is a match up to look forward to. Thursday
:47:58. > :48:06.afternoon is the date but for the time being Neil Robertson beats Ali
:48:07. > :48:14.Carter 6-3 in fine style. At 4-3 he hasn't done the best of
:48:15. > :48:19.break office and left me a long red, but it was still a fantastic pot and
:48:20. > :48:23.to go on to win the frame with 70 odd, then yes, it's the sort of
:48:24. > :48:29.performance I was hoping for. With the amount of hard work I've put in
:48:30. > :48:47.since the UK Championship, so very pleased with myself. I just said to
:48:48. > :48:48.myself before the match, win or lose, winning is great but you have
:48:49. > :48:50.put the work in so whatever happens you can be proud with how you went.
:48:51. > :48:50.And so here is the shape of the quarterfinal draw.
:48:51. > :48:54.pleased with myself. I just said to myself before the match, win
:48:55. > :49:02.And so here is the shape of the quarterfinal draw. The master 's
:49:03. > :49:11.runner-up Marco Fu plays on Thursday night.
:49:12. > :49:18.Snooker Extra will be reliving that fantastic match this afternoon
:49:19. > :49:22.between Marco Fu and Judd Trump, well worth staying up for, but one
:49:23. > :49:27.o'clock this afternoon is when we will be seeing the world number one
:49:28. > :49:31.Mark Selby as he sets out in his quest for a fourth Masters title
:49:32. > :49:36.against the laid-back Welshman Mark Williams, the last man to hold all
:49:37. > :49:40.three triple crown titles simultaneously, something Selby
:49:41. > :49:45.could also achieve here this week. If the last three afternoons are
:49:46. > :49:50.anything to go by, is sure to be a final frame decider. We will catch
:49:51. > :50:04.you at one o'clock in the afternoon. Good night!
:50:05. > :50:08.Before I met you, I was a civilised woman. Civilised.
:50:09. > :50:10.Now I don't even know what that means.
:50:11. > :50:13.CAR TYRES SCREECH, SHE GASPS