:00:31. > :00:39.Good evening. Two of the strong men of old feature in the players lounge
:00:40. > :00:45.area at Alexandra Palace in north London, Hercules and Sampson, not
:00:46. > :00:51.Dennis Taylor and John Virgo, by the way. Likewise, the act the Masters,
:00:52. > :00:55.three of the strongest contenders this week had by the start of the
:00:56. > :01:00.evening already booked their place in the semifinals of this great
:01:01. > :01:04.event. Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan could rain for a seventh
:01:05. > :01:11.time this year. He beat Neil Robertson 6-3 in an oddly fragmented
:01:12. > :01:16.match yesterday. Ronnie will now play Marco Fu tomorrow, a former
:01:17. > :01:21.runner-up in this event. Marco Fu's form is immaculate right now, as
:01:22. > :01:26.mark Allen found to his cost, losing 6-3. This afternoon, all eyes on
:01:27. > :01:31.Mark Selby, the world number one, who faced a tricky opponent in last
:01:32. > :01:36.year's runner-up, Barry Hawkins. The Hawk round his way into the lead
:01:37. > :01:42.during a tactical first frame. In the next, the Jester got in the
:01:43. > :01:49.scoring groove and levelled the match with 76. By frame three, it
:01:50. > :01:56.was starting to go wrong for cell be, the reigning world and UK
:01:57. > :01:59.champion. And, by the interval, Hawkins had stretched his lead to
:02:00. > :02:06.two frames, his long potting giving him the edge. After the break,
:02:07. > :02:12.Hawkins threw away a great opportunity when he couldn't split
:02:13. > :02:19.the reds and Mark Selby showed great resilience, snatching the frame with
:02:20. > :02:23.a gutsy 71. Hawkins took the next and then still be made the only
:02:24. > :02:31.century of the match to still remain in touch. -- Mark Selby made. Last
:02:32. > :02:36.year's masters runner-up, Hawkins, got on top in frame eight and
:02:37. > :02:41.eventually went 5-3 in front. Hawkins always had too much, through
:02:42. > :02:47.again to a second semifinal. Mark Selby's chance of a slam has gone. A
:02:48. > :02:52.great win for me, up there with my best, especially in a venue like
:02:53. > :02:58.this, with one-table set-up. It is up there with beating Ronnie last
:02:59. > :03:03.year, because Mark is the world number one, so any time you beat the
:03:04. > :03:07.world number one must be good. Disappointing to lose but I felt
:03:08. > :03:12.that at no stage did I stamp my authority on the match. Barry was
:03:13. > :03:18.getting in first on almost all the frames. All the frames I won, I was
:03:19. > :03:24.clearing up from 40 or 50 behind and you can't keep doing that. I seem to
:03:25. > :03:28.sometimes enjoy a big occasion. You get a massive buzz if you win a
:03:29. > :03:33.match like that. No better feeling. What benefit from Barry Hawkins,
:03:34. > :03:39.into a second semifinal. -- what an effort. For Mark Selby, the dream of
:03:40. > :03:44.a slam, in which he would hold the world, the UK and the Masters
:03:45. > :03:48.titles, is gone for another year. Barry Hawkins awaiting this
:03:49. > :03:54.evening's outcome of the last quarterfinal, and this one featured
:03:55. > :03:57.Ding Junhui, the winner of this title in 2011, and 42-year-old Joe
:03:58. > :04:03.Perry who, after 25 seasons in the game, at only won two games in the
:04:04. > :04:09.Masters before tonight. That included a of former world champion
:04:10. > :04:12.Stuart Bingham in the opening round, and Perry has made an healthy start,
:04:13. > :04:16.taking the opening frame, as we join Stephen Hendry and Dennis Taylor in
:04:17. > :04:36.the commentary box. We have had a couple of fairly
:04:37. > :04:42.tactical frames, the first frame lasting almost 25 minutes. This one
:04:43. > :04:44.has been going just over 21. He could take the red on this time and
:04:45. > :04:56.get back down the table. Terrific cueing. And now tucked up
:04:57. > :05:20.behind the brown. You can see from Joe's reaction that
:05:21. > :05:22.he hasn't covered. An easy out on the left-hand side of the table. A
:05:23. > :05:31.bit careless, that. Oh, but he might have left a pot.
:05:32. > :06:00.Chance in this second frame. Yeah, I think he can score enough
:06:01. > :06:35.without needing the red next to the pink. He's looking good here.
:06:36. > :07:05.REFEREE: Can you just wait there is second, please?
:07:06. > :07:12.As you see, 35 ahead, so just this red and Ding Junhui will need a
:07:13. > :07:27.snooker. If he pops the black and plays to
:07:28. > :07:35.move the red, he's got to eat it or he will snooker himself. -- he's got
:07:36. > :07:40.to hit it. He played the normal shot.
:07:41. > :07:53.Couldn't have played the cannon any better.
:07:54. > :08:47.He hasn't missed very much, that's for sure.
:08:48. > :09:16.Joe Perry looks very comfortable out there. With the aid of that 55
:09:17. > :09:20.break, he now leads Ding Junhui 2-0. STUDIO: Joe would take the next, so
:09:21. > :09:26.what is start from Terry, who only last week said he had played some of
:09:27. > :09:32.the worst snooker his career recently, but is easily parted ways
:09:33. > :09:36.is a wailed away from that. Can he capitalised even further against the
:09:37. > :09:47.former champion? Into frame three, Ding trailing.
:09:48. > :09:59.Never spotted that one. Is that going to be a mini turning point?
:10:00. > :10:09.Without the fluke, he could have left a locked on. -- a locked on.
:10:10. > :10:17.It's all happening at the Ally Pally for Ding Junhui.
:10:18. > :10:22.Suppose you could stand there and try and pot both balls from that
:10:23. > :10:30.position and you'd never pull it off. Is long potting has been
:10:31. > :10:31.excellent in the last two or three frames, but a bit of pressure on
:10:32. > :10:44.this one. If he'd missed it, he was living
:10:45. > :10:49.Ding Junhui a pot on that time. If he pops this link, it's going to go
:10:50. > :11:01.on the black spot, which be very helpful. Oh, dear.
:11:02. > :11:09.Yeah, I think that was helped, the fact that there was new cloth put on
:11:10. > :11:16.the cushions yesterday, it just slid in off the angle.
:11:17. > :11:19.A few of the players had mentioned that the tables seem to be playing a
:11:20. > :11:34.bit more generous. Maybe that's why we've had so many
:11:35. > :11:43.century breaks. The pace of the table is beautiful. I think, if you
:11:44. > :11:44.get a really nice bit of cloth, they definitely slide in a bit more
:11:45. > :12:01.easily. Level with the pink, just going into
:12:02. > :12:09.those three reds, then it's 4-0. Careless.
:12:10. > :12:15.He's got the cube power to screw off the cushion for the open red on the
:12:16. > :12:17.left-hand side of the table, but this isn't the way you'd want to
:12:18. > :12:48.play this link. -- pink. Red and pink would leave Joe 59 up
:12:49. > :12:52.with 59 on the table. So, again, leave an angle on ink to go into the
:12:53. > :13:05.three reds. Just show you the striking, right
:13:06. > :13:09.down at the bottom, leaving the chalk mark again, and that's what
:13:10. > :13:19.creates all the back spin. It all timing. And it's all Joe Perry at
:13:20. > :13:27.the moment in this quarterfinal. Same shot again.
:13:28. > :13:36.And Ding, well, he may head to the practice table. I think Joe will be
:13:37. > :13:40.quite happy in his dressing room, having a cup of tea or coffee,
:13:41. > :13:45.because he is no need to go to the practice table, the way he's
:13:46. > :13:51.playing, that's for sure. No really big breaks, 37 in the opening frame,
:13:52. > :13:53.37 and 55 in the second, 42 in the third, but it is very solid snooker
:13:54. > :14:00.he's playing. To finish off the frame, virtually,
:14:01. > :14:52.and it's 4-0 two Joe Perry. Not touching. Just a glimmer of hope
:14:53. > :15:00.forging generally -- for Ding Junhui here. Still a possible 59 on the
:15:01. > :15:06.table, so he'd need four reds, four blacks to face a re-spotted black.
:15:07. > :15:11.But the black is near the cushion, so the odds are heavily in favour of
:15:12. > :15:39.Joe Perry. Well, just east we'd -- just a
:15:40. > :16:05.straightforward role the red in. Doesn't really matter about the
:16:06. > :16:06.black. Things coming to the table, but you wouldn't give him much
:16:07. > :16:29.chance. Ding looks over at Joe Perry and
:16:30. > :16:35.says, that's enough. Going into the mid-session interval, Joe Perry
:16:36. > :17:39.going well so far, leading 4- L. Dish-mac needing 4-0.
:17:40. > :17:52.REFEREE: Thank you, frame five. Joe Perry to break.
:17:53. > :18:04.Ding was in the practice room with Terry Griffiths. He will be trying
:18:05. > :18:17.to work some of his magic. To get Ding back into this match.
:18:18. > :19:46.It's a good start. Kiss on the brown. That's not good.
:19:47. > :19:53.People always ask, what are you looking at? Just watch rig's I is
:19:54. > :20:07.going from the cue ball to the object and forwards. -- just watch
:20:08. > :20:14.Ding's eyes. Meanwhile, Joe Perry's escape didn't work out for him and
:20:15. > :20:22.eight chance for Ding Junhui. Joe's reaction was funny there. He hit the
:20:23. > :20:30.red he wanted to hit but was just pushed into an awkward position. If
:20:31. > :20:34.you were Ding Junhui, and I know he's 4-0 behind, looking at the
:20:35. > :20:41.breaks Joe Perry has made, the highest of 55, two 30s and a 40.
:20:42. > :20:48.He's not really outscoring him. Has just taken the chances to win each
:20:49. > :20:50.frame. It has to give Ding some confidence going into the second
:20:51. > :21:24.session, even at 4-0 down. That's OK, I think the red he'd just
:21:25. > :21:37.can and is still available into the same pocket as the black. -- just
:21:38. > :21:41.cannoned. And now he's going to have to go for the blue. Didn't quite get
:21:42. > :22:05.the white where he intended. His highest break in the four
:22:06. > :22:07.opening frames was 27. So it would be a nice time to knock a sizeable
:22:08. > :23:08.contribution in. He just couldn't get himself into a
:23:09. > :23:15.good position. He was always fighting the position there. They
:23:16. > :23:20.can be missed in the middle pocket. If this red passes the yellow, and
:23:21. > :23:36.it clearly does, as you can see, it's a bit of a chance, this.
:23:37. > :23:51.Would love to get on that pink full ball here. It's a risky shot. There
:23:52. > :23:59.are reds to play for. Mmm... Well, he's OK. Wasn't the most positive
:24:00. > :24:01.shot in the world. I think if you are going to go into the bunch
:24:02. > :24:25.there, you go in full pelt. The position the pink is in, makes
:24:26. > :24:40.going into the bunch a little bit trickier here. Didn't play to hit
:24:41. > :24:46.the reds. Although he's 4-0 up tonight, his positional play hasn't
:24:47. > :24:50.been pinpoint, Joe Perry. Dennis? Yeah, just held up his hand to
:24:51. > :24:55.apologise for the bit of good fortune there. Played a poor shot
:24:56. > :25:01.but it works out for him. The pink is available into the middle pocket,
:25:02. > :26:21.fully stretched. Have to make sure you keep your toes on the floor.
:26:22. > :26:36.How is the angle for top spin into the five reds? Just can't seem to
:26:37. > :26:46.buy a perfect positional shot at the moment. Just finishing a little bit
:26:47. > :26:54.awkward. This red does cut to the left corner. But I don't think he
:26:55. > :27:07.can avoid the cannon on the black. This red to the right corner,
:27:08. > :27:11.position not guaranteed. This pink is tough.
:27:12. > :27:24.It may look simple on the TV screen but it's a tough shot.
:27:25. > :27:30.Made a lot easier by the fact you are 4-0 ahead. 4-0 behind, Dennis,
:27:31. > :27:42.and it would be a lot tougher. He potted one into that same pocket,
:27:43. > :27:48.might have been the opening frame, from the jaws of the corner pocket,
:27:49. > :27:56.which was a fabulous shot. The fact that he's taking so long over it,
:27:57. > :28:02.you can tell he knows tough this is. But he won't be dropping it in.
:28:03. > :28:03.Maybe play with a bit of pace so the white doesn't roll off. Just below
:28:04. > :29:29.centre. APPLAUSE He's going to need that red. That
:29:30. > :29:40.he's leaning over at the moment. Shouldn't be a problem. Might choose
:29:41. > :29:43.to drop on it now. Could leave himself one red to the left middle
:29:44. > :29:51.and the choice of the one on the cushion. He's played for the exact,
:29:52. > :29:57.which is fine, but he has to make sure he has a great angle on the
:29:58. > :30:00.pink now. He might have chosen to play for the red on the right-hand
:30:01. > :30:18.side cushion after the pink. If he can screw over and leave it
:30:19. > :30:40.somewhere near that of the white I'd put in, that would be perfect.
:30:41. > :30:45.Well, Ding Junhui has played 13 times in the Masters. He is ever
:30:46. > :30:55.been whitewashed. I think his biggest defeat was 6-2
:30:56. > :31:01.to Ronnie O'Sullivan, way back in 2005.
:31:02. > :31:10.Doesn't matter too much about the yellow.
:31:11. > :31:20.Two snookers needed, so it looks like it's going to be 4-0. It might
:31:21. > :31:24.even be 5-0. STUDIO: It was indeed, and I know
:31:25. > :31:29.because it's something of a double-take moment. This isn't a
:31:30. > :31:33.scoreline that was in the script. Joe Perry is completely dominating
:31:34. > :31:39.his younger opponent, who is a 12 times ranking event winner. But Ding
:31:40. > :31:40.in frame six has finally got his act together and is making a
:31:41. > :31:54.contribution, on a run of 54 now. The previous shot, he's screwed back
:31:55. > :32:01.to close to the ocean and still didn't see that one coming. -- close
:32:02. > :32:09.to the question. OK, he had to force it a bit, but there was a shot
:32:10. > :32:13.before that left the cue ball there. Just when it looked like he was
:32:14. > :32:20.going to win the frame at one visit. He misses it. On a fairly
:32:21. > :32:26.straightforward red. But the blue has come to his rescue. Can't get
:32:27. > :33:49.through to the potting angle of that one at the other end of the table.
:33:50. > :34:07.Not a very good long pot. He's been missing quite a few of those. But
:34:08. > :34:13.all he needs is a colour. And one more red. And then it won't be a
:34:14. > :34:17.whitewash. That's fine, the red behind the pink
:34:18. > :35:27.goes. So no whitewash. Joe stays in his
:35:28. > :35:33.seat. And Jean John the -- Ding Junhui will be quite relieved. That
:35:34. > :35:36.earlier break of 54 paved the way to giving him his first frame, but it's
:35:37. > :35:43.still an awful long way back. 5-1 two Joe Perry.
:35:44. > :35:56.REFEREE: Oh, thank you. Frame seven, Joe Perry to break. You might think
:35:57. > :35:57.you're funny, but nobody else does. Pack it in, please.
:35:58. > :36:07.APPLAUSE Paul Callier telling one individual
:36:08. > :36:13.off. Good job he doesn't know where he is, or he might be out of the
:36:14. > :36:28.arena, because he did shout out just at the right time.
:36:29. > :36:34.Now let's see if Joe can not a long red in, because that little flick on
:36:35. > :36:52.the brown has left a half chance. Yeah, he's just got to look at a
:36:53. > :36:54.path for the cue ball. Played with lots of bottom and screw in behind
:36:55. > :37:03.round the back of the black. Well, that is the furthest he's been
:37:04. > :37:35.away from a long pot in a long time. I think he's got a little bit of
:37:36. > :37:38.angle with this red. Could get himself on black, or certainly pink
:37:39. > :37:59.is no problem. Normally he would knock that type of
:38:00. > :38:12.shot in at, as I say, being so far behind makes everything difficult.
:38:13. > :38:20.Not a good chance just yet. He can pot this, might need the spider, but
:38:21. > :38:23.he can go up between the bunch of reds and another red and leave
:38:24. > :38:32.himself a choice of reds. Shouldn't really be a problem. Yeah, he won't
:38:33. > :38:52.go that line, just to the right of the second line.
:38:53. > :39:04.Didn't expect Joe to miss that, even though he was using the spider.
:39:05. > :39:18.He can drop on the black. Natural angle. Oh, no. Oh, no!
:39:19. > :39:40.Second bite of the cherry, and... What can he make this time?
:39:41. > :39:58.Choice of colours. He could play for pink in the same pocket or onto the
:39:59. > :40:46.blue. A big result this, for Joe Perry, if
:40:47. > :40:47.he goes on to win this match. Never been to the semifinal of the Masters
:40:48. > :41:06.before. Looks like end of break. Or does
:41:07. > :41:15.this red just sneak into that middle right pocket? Great shot.
:41:16. > :41:21.Not out of the woods yet, though. Needs a good shot here to get back
:41:22. > :41:43.in position. Yeah, a couple of years ago, he lost
:41:44. > :41:48.in the quarterfinal to Mark Allen. But the seven other appearances, he
:41:49. > :41:54.went out in the opening round. But it has to be said, Joe Perry in the
:41:55. > :41:58.last couple of seasons is playing the best snooker of his professional
:41:59. > :42:11.career. And that's developed another red,
:42:12. > :42:24.and he's still on the one to the left middle, so already 40 in front.
:42:25. > :43:01.He's got an ace angle to go into the four reds here.
:43:02. > :43:08.That surprises me, because he does need to go into them. He's going to
:43:09. > :43:13.need more reds to win the frame at this visit. I don't think any of
:43:14. > :43:20.those reds pot, so I'm surprised he didn't take that opportunity. Are
:43:21. > :43:27.those two a plant, do you think? Because I, like you, thought he
:43:28. > :43:31.would go into them... They are not far off a plant. I thought he would
:43:32. > :43:35.go into them because he had a bit of insurance with the other red. It
:43:36. > :43:39.looked from this shot that the red wouldn't go, but clearly it does, so
:43:40. > :43:49.that was probably why he didn't play the cannon. These have worked out
:43:50. > :43:53.nicely, haven't they? Never really got going in this match, Ding
:43:54. > :44:02.Junhui. Never really buzzed up a head of steam.
:44:03. > :44:15.Well, that's what it means to dad. That was a nice shot, that,
:44:16. > :44:16.deceived. -- to see. It would be nice to finish with a century,
:44:17. > :44:27.wouldn't it? Yeah, how many matches did you win,
:44:28. > :44:32.Stephen, making a century in the last frame? Quite a few.
:44:33. > :44:41.He'll be feeling good, and he plays his good friend, Barry Hawkins,
:44:42. > :44:50.tomorrow night in the semifinal. I think some people think they are
:44:51. > :45:08.still at the darts, Dennis. They did try a tournament once where
:45:09. > :45:15.they let the crowd shout out during play, and it didn't work at all.
:45:16. > :45:17.Now, this tricky red down the cushion to give himself a chance to
:45:18. > :45:29.possibly finish with a century. To beat Stuart Bingham 6-1 and now
:45:30. > :45:50.to do the same to Ding Junhui, superb stuff.
:45:51. > :45:58.Going to need a little bit of help again. Extension on both the cue and
:45:59. > :46:27.the extended rest. Well done, Joe Perry! That's the
:46:28. > :46:46.19th century of this year 's's Masters. What a time to do it!
:46:47. > :47:17.And so he should be, the way his son is performing here.
:47:18. > :47:28.Well, what a way to finish the match! Ding Junhui just never got
:47:29. > :47:33.going this evening. But solid match snooker from Joe Perry. But didn't
:47:34. > :47:40.he finished the match in style, that break of 127 taking him into the
:47:41. > :47:45.semifinal a comfortable 6-1 winner. Most of my game was in good order. I
:47:46. > :47:49.didn't run the breaks in like I did against Stuart, but that is
:47:50. > :47:53.sometimes due to have the balls run, but everything else was good, my
:47:54. > :47:57.long potting was as good as it's ever been, safety was pretty strong,
:47:58. > :48:03.so a good solid match performance. It means everything. It is the blue
:48:04. > :48:06.ribbon event. The World Championship is what it is, but that's a major
:48:07. > :48:11.event, everybody is allowed to win that it every year. This is
:48:12. > :48:17.prestigious, only the top 16 players can enter, so to get to the semis of
:48:18. > :48:21.the Masters is up with my highlights. Congratulations, a
:48:22. > :48:25.fantastic win. Tomorrow afternoon, Ronnie O'Sullivan, still on track
:48:26. > :48:29.for an outright record of seven masters finals, taking on Marco Fu,
:48:30. > :48:39.in a repeat of the UK championship semifinal. Marco Fu is now in the
:48:40. > :48:41.form of his life. What a match! Tomorrow evening, the two
:48:42. > :48:46.Englishman, Barry Hawkins, attempting to reach his second
:48:47. > :48:49.consecutive masters final, against Joe Perry, who has at last made it
:48:50. > :48:56.through to the semifinal of this major event in his ninth appearance.
:48:57. > :49:01.Very many congratulations. Snooker Extra is next, with a rerun of this
:49:02. > :49:08.afternoon's match between Barry Hawkins and Marco Hawkins, -- Mark
:49:09. > :49:15.Selby, and then we will be back tomorrow. Not to be missed. Catch
:49:16. > :49:21.you then. To break someone physically... Agh!
:49:22. > :49:26...is not a problem.