Day 1

:00:39. > :00:42.This is London Calling. It was from the top of Alexandra Park in north

:00:42. > :00:49.London the first regular television programmes were urged 77 years ago

:00:49. > :00:59.on the BBC. -- were aired. They are calling the top snooker players to

:00:59. > :01:09.

:01:09. > :01:14.assemble here for the bet their Masters. -- or the Masters.

:01:14. > :01:24.extraordinary young player. 24- year-old Steve Davis. He has the

:01:24. > :01:53.

:01:53. > :01:59.one he wanted. Just look at that ball. Words escape me. Stephen

:01:59. > :02:09.Hendry hung on and hung on and hung on and as won by it nine frames to

:02:09. > :02:15.

:02:15. > :02:25.eight. That is in. No! A tremendous cheer for the young player from

:02:25. > :02:35.Wales. Congratulations to Paul Hunter as he wins his third Masters

:02:35. > :02:37.

:02:37. > :02:42.title. Higgins clears it to snatch victory on the final black. Ronnie

:02:42. > :02:47.O'Sullivan, the most talented snooker player we have seen, he

:02:48. > :02:56.produces the business. He may attempt the double to clinch this

:02:56. > :03:06.year's Masters. It is right in the middle of a pocket. It has been a

:03:06. > :03:08.

:03:08. > :03:18.remarkable comeback. This is lovely to see, it really is. You champion,

:03:18. > :03:19.

:03:19. > :03:24.Neil Robertson. Happy new year to year. Welcome to Alexandra Palace

:03:24. > :03:28.where the Masters first moved here 12 months ago and it was a huge hit.

:03:28. > :03:34.Anyway it has been staged in the capital since 1975, the Masters has

:03:34. > :03:39.made riveting viewing, particularly on those cold January afternoons.

:03:39. > :03:45.Only the very best, most on the form players get to play in the

:03:45. > :03:53.event. It is invitation only. Stick with us on BBC Two and we might be

:03:53. > :03:59.able to get you in. Can Neil Robertson become the fourth man

:03:59. > :04:06.ever to defend this title? He needs for the 2011 champion Ding Junhui.

:04:06. > :04:12.-- he needs. Mark Allen will play Mark Davis. He is back after 10

:04:12. > :04:18.years. A UK runner-up last month, Shaun birth rate meets Ricky Walden.

:04:18. > :04:27.This will be ready's second match. -- Shaun Murphy. John Higgins plays

:04:27. > :04:34.Ali Carter. The new UK champion Mark Selby faces Stuart Bingham. He

:04:34. > :04:40.has the better record of matches. A Welsh play-off. Mark Williams has

:04:40. > :04:46.won twice. He plays Matthew Stevens. There will be a Scottish person in

:04:46. > :04:56.the final. Will it be Stephen Maguire or Graeme Dott? The London

:04:56. > :04:58.

:04:58. > :05:03.crowds love the flamboyant players. Judd Trump plays Barry Hawkins. As

:05:03. > :05:13.usual, a fantastic line-up for the Masters. No Ronnie O'Sullivan but

:05:13. > :05:20.marvellous matches ahead. Today's match, Ding Junhui against

:05:20. > :05:29.Robertson, it is a top -- is the top 16 players. Mark Selby has a

:05:29. > :05:34.toff -- have a tough one. My Exelby is the man to beat. -- Mark Selby.

:05:34. > :05:39.I thought he was going to win the tournament at one stage. He is up

:05:39. > :05:44.against John Higgins. He turns to save his best form for this season.

:05:44. > :05:50.This is the one the top players want to win. You're playing against

:05:50. > :06:00.your peers. Some entertainment responsibility for Judd Trump.

:06:00. > :06:00.

:06:00. > :06:10.is the people's champion. His is a great tournament for the top 16.

:06:10. > :06:12.

:06:12. > :06:22.Plans are afoot for the game to change. Let us concentrate on the

:06:22. > :06:24.

:06:24. > :06:27.present. We have a sell-out tour. They have come to sample that

:06:27. > :06:32.special one table feeling the Masters always provides from the

:06:32. > :06:36.get go. This afternoon, they will see the two men who have bad for

:06:36. > :06:41.this beautiful trophy for the last couple of years. Neil Robertson got

:06:41. > :06:46.his hands on this 12 months ago, right here at Ally Pally. Ding

:06:46. > :06:52.Junhui won in 2011, the last time it was staged at Wembley Arena.

:06:52. > :06:58.Ding Junhui was on red hot for me then. It is a mystery why he has

:06:58. > :07:08.gone off the boil in the last few months. -- red-hot form. 18 years

:07:08. > :07:09.

:07:09. > :07:15.of age, the second youngest player to lift the UK Championship trophy.

:07:15. > :07:19.When we first saw Ding Junhui and win it the Championship at such an

:07:20. > :07:29.early age, winning three ranking events, the only other player to do

:07:30. > :07:37.

:07:37. > :07:47.that was John Higgins. Everyone thought, this is something very

:07:47. > :07:53.

:07:54. > :07:57.special. It is pandemonium here. There is no doubt about it, the

:07:58. > :08:02.final against O'Sullivan was amazing. Ding Junhui came on the

:08:02. > :08:05.crest of a wave. He turned up thinking it was going to be

:08:05. > :08:14.business as usual. But he ran into O'Sullivan and dismantled in front

:08:14. > :08:20.of everybody. It came as a big shock. My art Selby officers handed

:08:20. > :08:22.congratulations. -- Mark Selby. Somebody who has such a good

:08:22. > :08:27.Somebody who has such a good technique will be a contender

:08:27. > :08:32.because you have to play well to beat him. There are no half

:08:32. > :08:39.measures with Ding Junhui. I think what happens, you get a few knocks

:08:39. > :08:46.along the way. He looked impervious at first. We all know snooker,

:08:46. > :08:55.apart from being a technique game, there is a lot in the mind. Ding

:08:55. > :08:59.Junhui is the loser this time. cannot get into his Psyche at the

:08:59. > :09:05.moment. When he first came, he had a wonderful work ethic. He would be

:09:05. > :09:09.in the club 11 hours a day. I think he asked to go back to that. But

:09:09. > :09:19.the hour was in, come in on the best possible form you can. If that

:09:19. > :09:23.

:09:23. > :09:28.is not good enough, start again from scratch. The main thing I like

:09:28. > :09:34.about Neil Robertson his he is a big occasion player. He has won so

:09:34. > :09:38.many tournaments. The bigger the occasion, the more he is up for it.

:09:38. > :09:41.A he will not be scared of anybody or the venue. If the World

:09:41. > :09:49.Championship becomes bigger, prize money wise, potential worldwide,

:09:49. > :09:54.that will not faze him. She thrives on it. A round the table, he has

:09:54. > :09:59.attitude. You may like it or not, but you know he is not scared of

:09:59. > :10:04.you when you play him. If you are not mentally strong, you will feel

:10:04. > :10:07.like the underdog and like a little boy. A I like it when he gives the

:10:07. > :10:16.fist and all that. Snooker players complain about that sort of thing

:10:16. > :10:21.but if you watch tennis, they do it after every point. I love to see

:10:21. > :10:25.that killer instinct, that will to win. He reminds me of me when I was

:10:25. > :10:30.younger. I do not want to talk about it too much. When I walk

:10:30. > :10:36.around the table, looking at old footage, I look like I was arrogant.

:10:36. > :10:41.He has got a bit of that as well. He values himself. In any sport,

:10:41. > :10:46.you have got to have it. I think too many snooker players cower away

:10:46. > :10:50.and do not want to show their true emotions at the table. Neil is not

:10:50. > :10:55.afraid to do that. He has every shot in the book. Would you not

:10:55. > :11:01.love his cue power? His long game is phenomenal. It is the best I

:11:01. > :11:10.have ever seen. You can play a safety shot, P Askew balls in bulk.

:11:10. > :11:14.It is the road effort. -- he has skewbald. There are no witnesses.

:11:14. > :11:19.All the players have such a high standard. That takes her extra to

:11:19. > :11:29.win tournaments and he has that. has already won ones. I would not

:11:29. > :11:32.

:11:32. > :11:41.put him passed it to win it again. It is our newly married M C.

:11:41. > :11:47.Congratulations. And New Year but the same great atmosphere here at

:11:47. > :11:57.Ally pally. Welcome to the Betfair Masters. It should be an absolutely

:11:57. > :12:02.brilliant start to one of the most prestigious tournaments in snooker.

:12:03. > :12:08.Please welcome one of the most exciting players on the circuit,

:12:08. > :12:12.twice a UK champion, winner of five ranking titles in all. He won the

:12:12. > :12:22.last Masters at Wembley. A national hero in China. Enter The dragon,

:12:22. > :12:42.

:12:42. > :12:48.Ding Junhui. A wonderful reception. Great

:12:48. > :12:53.memories from the epic triumph at Wembley. This one is going to be

:12:53. > :12:59.tough. It is always a tough game in the Masters. I have a good memory

:12:59. > :13:09.from Wembley. I hope I play well today. I am sure you well. Ladies

:13:09. > :13:13.

:13:13. > :13:18.Please welcome his opponent, one of the best long potters in the game.

:13:18. > :13:23.He has become one of the most formidable opponents on the circuit.

:13:23. > :13:30.Champion of the world in 2010, here comes the defending Masters

:13:30. > :13:40.champion from Australia, the Thunder from Down Under, Neil

:13:40. > :14:01.

:14:01. > :14:08.Another wonderful reception. What a run it was here 12 months ago. It

:14:08. > :14:14.was flawless. It was probably the best I have played from start to

:14:14. > :14:19.finish in a tournament. I have got a tough match against Ding Junhui.

:14:19. > :14:25.There is no better way to kick of the tournament. The best of luck.

:14:25. > :14:29.Ladies and gentlemen, Neil Robertson. Masters is your perfect

:14:29. > :14:39.Television Companion up this winter's afternoon. It is the best

:14:39. > :14:41.

:14:41. > :14:51.of 11. We have John Virgo and John Parrott in the commentary box.

:14:51. > :14:55.

:14:55. > :15:04.We could not start of the year with There is something very special

:15:04. > :15:14.about the Masters. You have to earn your position here. People are

:15:14. > :15:19.

:15:19. > :15:29.The break shot was a little bit short. I am wondering if Neil

:15:29. > :15:33.

:15:33. > :15:43.Robertson can just get past the That is what every player is

:15:43. > :16:09.

:16:09. > :16:15.There is a fantastic ride as well. -- fantastic crowd. Wembley had a

:16:15. > :16:25.great atmosphere but this arena is set up and looks just as good. It

:16:25. > :16:42.

:16:42. > :16:52.Didn't go in with any pace. But could have gone wrong. He made

:16:52. > :16:56.

:16:56. > :17:06.He got a bit lucky there. He played the cannon on the other red and it

:17:06. > :17:13.

:17:13. > :17:23.There is a slight angle on this blue. He could attempt to come

:17:23. > :17:45.

:17:45. > :17:49.I can only assume he thinks there They you go, not always

:17:49. > :17:59.straightforward. It looks like the reds were close together but there

:17:59. > :18:31.

:18:31. > :18:41.Foul. Always a possibility but a It through the cue ball out a

:18:41. > :18:52.

:18:52. > :19:01.Just asking whether it is a free ball. The does not look like a free

:19:01. > :19:11.ball to me. You cannot be snookered by another red. If we just circle

:19:11. > :19:12.

:19:12. > :19:22.that red... It is other reds that stop him hitting that. No way that

:19:22. > :19:40.

:19:40. > :19:50.Neil is arguing, could he get past the pink? The extremity of that red

:19:50. > :19:55.

:19:55. > :20:02.they are pointing to. I can only hit the black, can't I? The does

:20:02. > :20:06.not look like a free ball to me. The referee is explaining to Neil

:20:06. > :20:13.Robertson, which he should not have to, he is saying it that red was

:20:13. > :20:23.not there, he could it both sides. Neil is saying he cannot get past

:20:23. > :20:24.

:20:24. > :20:32.the pink. He is saying, trust me, Neil! And Neil Robertson thinks he

:20:32. > :20:42.is right. Using my commentator's I, I definitely do not think it is a

:20:42. > :20:52.free ball. He thinks the pink is stopping him hitting the rent on

:20:52. > :21:02.the immediate right. -- the red. They is no colour preventing you

:21:02. > :21:03.

:21:03. > :21:07.from hitting. That is the argument. Neil is saying the pink is stopping

:21:07. > :21:15.him from hitting a -- from hitting the outside of the red. The referee

:21:15. > :21:22.is not having it. And they do not blame them. You do not have to have

:21:22. > :21:32.the cue ball that close to the yellow. We are coming up to three

:21:32. > :21:42.minutes. The referee has got to be strong. I think it is the right one.

:21:42. > :21:55.

:21:55. > :22:00.This is one of those instances where you have to play a safety

:22:00. > :22:10.shot here. You have to be careful because you know you will open the

:22:10. > :22:25.

:22:25. > :22:35.back a little. He has accepted the APPLAUSE played it well. Good

:22:35. > :22:41.

:22:41. > :22:45.It is too risky for Ding Junhui to take on. I think it was the main

:22:45. > :22:55.feature of last year's performance when Neil Robertson was champion,

:22:55. > :23:16.

:23:16. > :23:26.He has forced an error. Pretty poor attempt, that was. He has given him

:23:26. > :23:39.

:23:39. > :23:49.an easy starter. The black is So back in. This is a very good

:23:49. > :23:52.

:23:52. > :24:02.He will be disappointed if he does not claim that the frame at this

:24:02. > :24:02.

:24:02. > :24:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:24:46. > :24:56.That was not quite as intended. He will be running into other reds.

:24:56. > :24:59.

:24:59. > :25:09.He is looking to see what contact he will make with the other red.

:25:09. > :25:13.

:25:13. > :25:23.Play the screw shot, I think that He could not be certain that would

:25:23. > :25:35.

:25:35. > :25:45.work. But he has given himself more No problem going in and out of

:25:45. > :25:55.

:25:55. > :26:05.Just looking for three reds. That would be enough to clinch the first

:26:05. > :26:05.

:26:05. > :26:51.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:26:51. > :27:01.He leads Ding Junhui 4-2 in the He really does cue the ball

:27:01. > :27:25.

:27:25. > :27:35.Finish the frame off properly, gave Ding Junhui no hope, keep his cue

:27:35. > :28:02.

:28:02. > :28:06.Neil Robertson played the plant a You can never say that is really

:28:06. > :28:16.unlucky because the middle pocket is always there. That was the only

:28:16. > :28:52.

:28:52. > :29:02.Gravity took over. There is still Just a bit unlucky there to be

:29:02. > :29:14.

:29:14. > :29:18.That was unlucky. A good start from the defending champion. Ding Junhui

:29:18. > :29:24.had one chance and did not take it. Neil Robertson looks very good as

:29:24. > :29:32.he takes the opening frame, 1-0. Neil Robertson settling in. Are we

:29:32. > :29:36.are settling in to our studio. These men have nine titles between

:29:36. > :29:40.them. When we look at the likes of Neil Robertson trying to become the

:29:41. > :29:47.fourth man in history to defend his title, you have done it, Stephen.

:29:47. > :29:49.Why is it so difficult? It is always the top 16 players. It is a

:29:49. > :29:54.always the top 16 players. It is a tough tournament to win. You have

:29:54. > :30:00.to play your best. You cannot get away with a lot of matches playing

:30:00. > :30:09.below your best. What is your take? You cannot afford, with the quality

:30:09. > :30:14.of player, to be slow from the get go. With the standard generally in

:30:14. > :30:19.Sicher, it is on the rise. Sometimes, you can ease your way

:30:19. > :30:23.into the tournament. You should not be able to do it at the Masters. It

:30:23. > :30:33.does depend on the day, the standard. We have to that great big

:30:33. > :30:43.occasion players. -- two great big occasion players. Of the two, Neil

:30:43. > :30:47.

:30:47. > :30:52.Robertson is the proved occasion I suppose that is a fair comment.

:30:52. > :30:57.Neil Robertson Bond the World Championship, Ding Junhui is yet to

:30:58. > :31:07.do that. The key is, he needs to get his hand and on the table and

:31:08. > :31:12.

:31:12. > :31:22.start scoring. That is where he is That was a half chance. He will be

:31:22. > :31:25.

:31:25. > :31:32.He played it confidently enough, but of course by playing it

:31:32. > :31:38.confidently he left the cue ball short -- short of the baulk line.

:31:38. > :31:48.It leaves a pot to either corner pocket. You do not want to leave

:31:48. > :31:59.

:31:59. > :32:02.this lad too many long pot plum Beautifully struck. You can see the

:32:02. > :32:12.distances to the cue ball and the object ball had to travel to the

:32:12. > :32:13.

:32:13. > :32:23.pocket. Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy, for me, or the two best

:32:23. > :32:35.

:32:35. > :32:45.It is safe to say he is in form. Another beautifully played shot.

:32:45. > :33:25.

:33:25. > :33:31.If you're going to try and nudge off the cluster, you have to try

:33:31. > :33:35.and stun into them a little bit. Lost control of the cue ball.

:33:35. > :33:41.are good news is, it is a natural angle, the bad news is, he has

:33:41. > :33:51.missed the pot. He did not play with a great deal of confidence

:33:51. > :34:06.

:34:06. > :34:10.there. That is surprising, it was a Ding Junhui knew that the black was

:34:10. > :34:13.partially covering the right hand side of the table for a safety shot,

:34:13. > :34:23.but I don't think he has covered an escape down the left-hand side of

:34:23. > :34:44.

:34:44. > :34:53.the table. No real pressure on that He has misjudged the path of the

:34:53. > :35:03.red, but having missed the yellow looks to have got a good length.

:35:03. > :35:18.

:35:18. > :35:21.But this red is pottable, but not Good pot, good cueing. The cue ball

:35:21. > :35:25.could have done more -- the cue ball could have done with being

:35:25. > :35:34.more of the table. Excellent cueing of the ball, but unfortunately the

:35:34. > :35:41.wrong side of the blue. A difficult shot to get back to anything Mike.

:35:41. > :35:51.-- and red. REFEREE: But you can't run away,

:35:51. > :36:00.

:36:00. > :36:10.please. -- could you put your If he is on this red to the right

:36:10. > :36:40.

:36:40. > :36:47.corner, that is a brilliant shot. He has forced an angle out of that.

:36:47. > :36:52.You could see Ding potting to widen the angle to make sure the cue ball

:36:52. > :37:02.went round to the black. He has played a couple of shrewd per but

:37:02. > :37:02.

:37:02. > :37:12.shops. -- superb shots. He deserves to make a break. The opening has

:37:12. > :37:42.

:37:42. > :37:47.He has such a simplistic way of going about it, Ding. His cue

:37:47. > :37:57.action just looks as if nothing could go wrong with it. Very

:37:57. > :38:00.

:38:00. > :38:10.Just looking a few shots ahead to see if the two reds around the pink

:38:10. > :38:34.

:38:34. > :38:39.There is a loose red. The plant is A possibility of the plant, those

:38:39. > :38:43.two reds just below the pink, but he could play for. The other

:38:43. > :38:48.alternative is to leave an angle on the colour to try to go into the

:38:48. > :38:54.reds and bring more into play. It depends on how he sees it. He knows,

:38:54. > :39:04.and I feel, that this is a very important visit for Ding Junhui. He

:39:04. > :39:07.

:39:07. > :39:13.did not have a chance in the first He has to be careful here. If he

:39:13. > :39:23.plays a stun up into the two reds, he could run behind another red and

:39:23. > :39:28.I think he was a little worried about that. He just caught it a

:39:28. > :39:33.little bit too full. He needed to catch it half ball on the left-hand

:39:33. > :39:38.side, and it would have been perfect. But he may be able to get

:39:38. > :39:42.to this red to the right centre. He would rather play in the right

:39:42. > :39:48.centre of and the far right corner. The red to this right corner pocket,

:39:48. > :39:57.well, he would be using the spiders, and I don't think he can get to the

:39:57. > :40:07.cat. He will have to play it to the far right corner. A big shot, this.

:40:07. > :40:11.

:40:11. > :40:17.Maybe he thinks he can get to the He has underhit fat, to me,

:40:17. > :40:21.slightly. A little tension in the arm, to me, not fully committed to

:40:21. > :40:25.that shot. He did not have confidence on that, did he? He

:40:25. > :40:30.could very well have played the screw back and come back from the

:40:30. > :40:40.black, but he did not have confidence on that one, Ding.

:40:40. > :41:11.

:41:11. > :41:15.decent opportunity, and he did not He could not tell there the cue

:41:15. > :41:25.ball would finish there. He was trusting to luck, and it is not

:41:25. > :41:36.

:41:36. > :41:43.He will be having a look down in Aside from his potting and cueing

:41:43. > :41:53.capabilities, he is an exceptional tactician, a Neil Robertson. The

:41:53. > :42:02.

:42:02. > :42:09.Considering he gave it a lot of thought, that is as poor a safety

:42:09. > :42:15.shot as you will see him play. The cue ball should have been paid

:42:15. > :42:20.against the baulk cushion. -- pate against. He has not put a lot of

:42:20. > :42:25.pressure on this safety shot for Ding. I do not think he can play

:42:25. > :42:35.the pot, because I cannot see a way he can get the cue ball back to

:42:35. > :42:42.

:42:42. > :42:46.He caught it a little bit too thick once again. He is just a boat

:42:46. > :42:49.reaching the baulk line, rather than the baulk cushion. I also

:42:49. > :42:53.think the cue ball came off a little slower there. It is

:42:53. > :43:03.obviously a brand new table with brand new cloth on it, and

:43:03. > :43:41.

:43:41. > :43:48.A pretty good effort to, from Neil. It has been a very difficult at

:43:48. > :43:58.shot on these super-fast cloths. It is a two-cushion escape for Ding

:43:58. > :43:59.

:43:59. > :44:03.He has badly misjudged that. What a chance he has given him. He got it

:44:03. > :44:08.down very quick to play that, didn't he? I think it needed a

:44:08. > :44:15.little more thought. Looking at the position of it, it did not look

:44:15. > :44:19.like a natural two-cushion escape, to me. He has given Neil Robertson

:44:19. > :44:27.a chance. Is it a frame-winning one? He will have to knock some

:44:27. > :44:37.He is slightly hampered by the virtue of the fact he is left-

:44:37. > :44:47.handed for the once down this end It is not a straight forward run to

:44:47. > :44:47.

:44:47. > :45:32.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:45:32. > :45:42.Pot the pink, flip the red boat and He did not play that very well. He

:45:42. > :46:18.

:46:18. > :46:24.There are a couple of ways to play this, but the one thing you do not

:46:24. > :46:29.want to do is bring the two reds together in the open. I would be

:46:29. > :46:38.playing the red near of the corner pocket. Will this be hard enough?

:46:38. > :46:42.Well played! And no touching ball, which is an advantage. You would

:46:42. > :46:51.think playing at that speed he would have left it touching. Had it

:46:51. > :46:59.been, the referee would have called It is in these situations, John,

:46:59. > :47:03.that you feel that Neil Robertson has just got that tactical edge.

:47:03. > :47:13.Can Ding get out of these little problems and get the next chance?

:47:13. > :47:16.

:47:16. > :47:26.The next chance could be the frame- He has left this red onto the

:47:26. > :47:37.

:47:37. > :47:47.Pretty tricky, if he decides to take this on. I think he is doing

:47:47. > :48:11.

:48:11. > :48:15.He is playing great replies, trying That is one way of playing it. If

:48:15. > :48:20.you play that with pace, duplicate but the open red up the table and

:48:20. > :48:30.leave those two together. Once again, he is deciding just to

:48:30. > :48:54.

:48:54. > :48:59.It is a situation where sometimes you would not mind leaving the edge

:48:59. > :49:09.of a red for your opponent to go at, that way you put a bit of pressure

:49:09. > :49:26.

:49:26. > :49:36.Now Ding needs a good safety shot. An important one at the end of the

:49:36. > :49:38.

:49:38. > :49:45.Of course, with Neil Robertson been such a good long potter, it puts

:49:45. > :49:50.pressure on every shot you play. It just shows you, Ding Junhui taking

:49:50. > :49:57.the option of pitting his opponent back in, which he can do when he

:49:57. > :50:04.made a foul shot. He obviously does not fancy the cross double their

:50:04. > :50:14.with that the red. ABC thinks the black is under way. He can play

:50:14. > :50:36.

:50:36. > :50:44.I'm surprised he turned the shot Once again, much too thick. He just

:50:44. > :50:54.cannot find that baulk cushion. Well clear near it. -- nowhere near

:50:54. > :51:03.

:51:03. > :51:08.An excellent pot, but he will be far from happy with that positional

:51:08. > :51:13.far from happy with that positional play. You can see the safety

:51:13. > :51:18.play. You can see the safety success there, Ding's is 44%. I did

:51:18. > :51:21.not think it was that high. He has not found the baulk cushion this

:51:21. > :51:29.afternoon. It is early days, but that will have to improve, that

:51:29. > :51:38.percentage. Good news for Ding, Neil Robertson has lost position

:51:38. > :51:42.Would you be tempted by the pink, John?

:51:42. > :51:52.I think the way he is controlling the safety side of this frame, I

:51:52. > :51:52.

:51:52. > :52:59.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:52:59. > :53:05.won't be tempted by the pink. I Now, maybe have a chance for Ding

:53:05. > :53:10.to get the advantage in this tactical battle, for the first time.

:53:10. > :53:14.If he can get his cue ball back to the baulk end, he would like to get

:53:14. > :53:18.it behind the brown. I don't know if that is a possibility. He is

:53:18. > :53:28.obviously concerned about leaving the red, but try and get a good

:53:28. > :54:02.

:54:02. > :54:06.That just gives the initiative back Neil Robertson is certainly in the

:54:06. > :54:11.driving seat in this tactical exchange. Every time Ding comes to

:54:11. > :54:16.the table there is a problem. That is the whole idea of safety play,

:54:16. > :54:21.naked as difficult as you can for your opponent. Looking at this red

:54:21. > :54:25.on the left-hand side, there is a slight angle. It is a bit of an

:54:25. > :54:28.all-or-nothing shot, but if he can just get past the blue, he has to

:54:29. > :54:38.be very careful not to make contact with the red on the left-hand side

:54:39. > :54:57.

:54:57. > :55:07.Fair play. I will give him seven Neil's just looking at the cross

:55:07. > :55:13.

:55:13. > :55:23.double on the red on the right hand I mentioned earlier those are like

:55:23. > :55:33.

:55:34. > :55:37.shots do nothing come and he was He would have loved that cue ball

:55:37. > :55:47.to have stopped a couple of inches closer to the cushion. Can he

:55:47. > :55:51.

:55:51. > :56:01.That was absolutely spot on. I did not think he could reach it at

:56:01. > :56:04.

:56:04. > :56:09.Not a good start from Ding Junhui. He had a chance early on in this,

:56:09. > :56:14.did not make the most of it. In the tactical side of this frame he has

:56:15. > :56:20.never looked like creating an opportunity for himself. I don't

:56:20. > :56:26.think he will get another opportunity in this frame. It is

:56:26. > :56:36.all about getting position on the yellow. If he does that, frame over.

:56:36. > :57:02.

:57:02. > :57:06.This is a lot trickier than it looks. There are a couple of ways

:57:06. > :57:16.of playing it, pot it and run round the angles, or play ate rice and

:57:16. > :57:52.

:57:52. > :58:02.low on the cue ball and try and Just the blue needed to go 21

:58:02. > :58:08.

:58:08. > :58:12.points in front with only 13 Just the start the defending

:58:12. > :58:17.champion was looking for, and a two fist pumped, that is how much he

:58:17. > :58:21.his psyched up for it. He is happy with his day's work so far. He

:58:21. > :58:24.leads 2-0. It is safe to say he is pumped up

:58:24. > :58:29.for the defence of his title, we were discussing his form in the

:58:29. > :58:33.last frame. A really tenacious attempt at that one when Ding

:58:33. > :58:38.established a lead early on. Yes, and especially on day one of

:58:38. > :58:41.the event, when you do not feel as if you have your teeth into it.

:58:41. > :58:45.Certainly, everything is just getting going for as here. He has

:58:45. > :58:51.to be on the ball from round one, and looks to be completely fired up.

:58:51. > :58:55.Let's look at one of the key moments in this frame, added was

:58:55. > :59:00.early on, but Ding was in, and suddenly there was a good pot on

:59:00. > :59:04.the pink from Neil Robertson. Yes, from Ding's perspective, he

:59:04. > :59:08.bowled the pink into the corner pocket, the green pocket, then he

:59:08. > :59:12.had a look behind it to see if it had a roll of. There was a question

:59:12. > :59:16.of whether it had rolled off a bit, added is hard to know whether it

:59:16. > :59:21.did, but he played it slowly, rather than punching it. Even

:59:21. > :59:26.though the cloth is very fast, UDC the top players hitting the ball

:59:26. > :59:31.firmly, and it is something that over the years we have learned to

:59:31. > :59:38.do. I'm sitting next to a gentleman who probably pushed the boundaries

:59:38. > :59:41.further on that. Talking about punch, Steve, that is quite a saw

:59:41. > :59:46.one to lose early on. The way he played at the red was not as

:59:46. > :59:49.positive as he would like. He is more of a puncher when he is

:59:49. > :59:54.confident. I don't think he has beaten Neil when they have played,

:59:54. > :00:00.so maybe he feels under pressure. Ding has not had a good season so

:00:00. > :00:03.his confidence will not be high. That is a very good point, and

:00:03. > :00:11.since 2007 they have played four times and Neil Robertson has won

:00:11. > :00:16.all of them. You are top players, I don't know how much of those sort

:00:16. > :00:19.of statistics play on your mind, if at all. You can have players that

:00:19. > :00:24.you have a mental barrier against. It seems every time the you play

:00:24. > :00:28.them they play well against you, for some reason. Ding has not

:00:28. > :00:33.played well this season, he is not 100% confident, he has to make a

:00:33. > :00:38.break quickly, I think. Also, it is very hard to get a run of form

:00:38. > :00:42.these days, so many players are vying for event. Beggars can't be

:00:42. > :00:46.choosers, whatever happens during the season, and trying to get a

:00:46. > :00:51.grip hold is difficult. We should mention that just last month Ding

:00:51. > :00:54.Junhui did win a smaller event in mother well in Scotland, his first

:00:54. > :00:58.win since February last year. I think that was a welcome win for

:00:58. > :01:08.him and I am sure it has felt his confidence, but he is in a little

:01:08. > :01:16.

:01:16. > :01:26.bit of trouble in this opening Ding Junhui is up against a serious

:01:26. > :01:40.

:01:40. > :01:46.competitor. Neil Robertson is a I thought he nearly had one of

:01:46. > :01:56.those moments that. If you don't just touch the ground, you fill so

:01:56. > :02:08.

:02:08. > :02:18.embarrassed. -- touched the brain, He did not think he would reach the

:02:18. > :02:21.

:02:21. > :02:25.There is a possibility. It is the type of shot most players play. If

:02:25. > :02:29.he just nestles into the outside, he will leave one to the left

:02:29. > :02:36.corner. If he goes the other way, he could leave the possibility of

:02:36. > :02:46.two to the right corner. He has something else in mind but I am not

:02:46. > :02:53.

:02:53. > :03:01.certain what it will be full stop - Once again, an example of Neil

:03:01. > :03:11.Robertson keeping the pressure on Ding Junhui. Every time he comes to

:03:11. > :03:26.

:03:26. > :03:36.the table, he has a problem. He The example you gave is a way out

:03:36. > :04:13.

:04:14. > :04:18.Foul. Neil Robertson will have a look but he will say, play again,

:04:18. > :04:28.please. It was not a bad effort, that. It was one of those

:04:28. > :04:29.

:04:29. > :04:39.situations... He was trying to make four ball contact. He will do well

:04:39. > :04:48.

:04:48. > :04:58.It was not a bad first attempt. He has nearly repeated it but he has

:04:58. > :05:37.

:05:37. > :05:41.Foul. He over adjusted that time. There is a red in the middle. Even

:05:41. > :05:49.if he hits the road, he is not certain to get away with it. --

:05:49. > :05:59.hits the red. 16 points given away. This is his 4th attempt. You can

:05:59. > :06:08.

:06:08. > :06:13.That had a bit more pace. Flick the red. It is a pity. He headed a bit

:06:13. > :06:23.harder, flicked to the red, the cue ball came off the cushion. He has

:06:23. > :06:29.

:06:29. > :06:39.There is one of bit of good news for Ding Junhui. It looks like the

:06:39. > :06:49.power through. The flick on the red did not do Neil Robertson any

:06:49. > :07:15.

:07:15. > :07:22.favours. This is the key is coming I knew it was going to run into the

:07:22. > :07:29.yellow. I thought the yellow would hold that she -- would hold the cue

:07:29. > :07:39.ball for this red in the middle. Unlucky. Be is a double whammy.

:07:39. > :07:49.

:07:49. > :07:59.has the difficult safety shot knife. The difficult not to put the red

:07:59. > :08:07.

:08:07. > :08:17.over the middle pocket. He has a If he is trying to get back to the

:08:17. > :08:26.

:08:26. > :08:32.baulk end, he asked to get the cue baize near that circle. He is

:08:32. > :08:37.looking there at the minute. I think he has a big problem to get

:08:37. > :08:47.up their. If he throws the cue ball round, he asked to avoid the blue

:08:47. > :08:53.

:08:53. > :09:01.Just missed it. Well, he nearly fell in the circle. It was a good

:09:01. > :09:11.effort. Not quite. -- he newly- found. What sort of an angle has

:09:11. > :09:26.

:09:26. > :09:36.Ding Junhui got on it? You do not Well played. That was an excellent

:09:36. > :10:13.

:10:13. > :10:23.pot. A good position. He needs to This used to be the situation a few

:10:23. > :10:25.

:10:25. > :10:35.seasons ago when you never saw him He seems to fall down a few times

:10:35. > :10:40.

:10:40. > :10:44.now when he is in amongst the balls. Neil Robertson played the top spin

:10:45. > :10:50.earlier. The cue ball hit the cushion, goes on the blue. It was a

:10:50. > :11:00.simple chance for Neil Robertson. And much like that makes such a

:11:00. > :11:16.

:11:16. > :11:24.This is an example. He just had to roll that read Machin and he has

:11:24. > :11:34.left himself awkward on the black. -- that red in. He is now having to

:11:34. > :11:41.

:11:41. > :11:51.He has coped with it. He is now back in prime position. You do not

:11:51. > :12:01.

:12:01. > :12:11.want to be leaving yourself I agree with you. You need simple

:12:11. > :12:14.

:12:14. > :12:24.The way the match has gone, too- zero to Neil Robertson, if he does

:12:24. > :12:24.

:12:24. > :13:18.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:13:18. > :13:28.not make a frame here, he will be Just a quick look at Neil Robertson.

:13:28. > :13:33.

:13:33. > :13:43.Watch this. He gives it another bump. He is very keyed up for this.

:13:43. > :13:48.

:13:48. > :13:58.Ding Junhui had to bite the bullet Now looks perfect on the black to

:13:58. > :14:21.

:14:21. > :14:31.Three of these remaining reds would Just another example of slightly

:14:31. > :14:43.

:14:43. > :14:53.using the cue ball. He is having to He is fine. Not totally confident

:14:53. > :15:28.

:15:28. > :15:38.He still needs red, colour, red The frame-winning break easily

:15:38. > :15:45.

:15:45. > :15:55.He could not have played it better. Good shot. There was a lot of

:15:55. > :16:02.

:16:02. > :16:07.pressure on him this visit. It was He got there in the end. He will be

:16:07. > :16:14.very relieved. He has got his hand on the table and he has made a

:16:14. > :16:24.frame-winning contribution. Every possibility of a century. The more

:16:24. > :16:27.

:16:27. > :16:37.importantly, he has showed his He has reduced the deficit and done

:16:37. > :16:37.

:16:37. > :17:40.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:17:40. > :17:48.This is more like it from Ding Junhui. Superb control. What a

:17:48. > :17:53.scorer he is when he gets going. There is the century. It did not

:17:53. > :17:59.matter about the pink. That is going to be the highest break of

:17:59. > :18:07.the week. That is a timely break to make, having lost the first two

:18:07. > :18:16.frames. He will be a lot more have been out. -- happy now. When he

:18:16. > :18:21.lost the first two, you thought he was under pressure. Neil Robertson

:18:21. > :18:26.was running through the pack. He was unlucky not to be on the yellow.

:18:26. > :18:32.Played a safety, left the red over the corner. It was by no means easy.

:18:32. > :18:39.You can see the distances we have got there. Look how far up the cue

:18:39. > :18:46.has been taken back. Our eyes on the object ball. He hit it

:18:46. > :18:52.wonderfully. So bloodshot. -- superbly shot. It was a great

:18:52. > :18:56.effort. He is back in the match. think when you get in amongst the

:18:56. > :19:02.balls and you run out of position, you can have a tendency to take

:19:02. > :19:08.your right of the next shot. But he dug in and it was a marvellous

:19:08. > :19:12.century break. It sets us up for a good match, which we all expected.

:19:12. > :19:22.It looks like it could be one way traffic after the first two frames.

:19:22. > :19:22.

:19:22. > :20:20.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:20:20. > :20:25.Good return. That is the thing at this level, you can play one good

:20:25. > :20:35.safety shot but you might have to play three or four before you force

:20:35. > :20:40.

:20:40. > :20:50.your opponent into a mistake. Good It looks too thick. He needs the

:20:50. > :21:00.yellow to come to his rescue. And it has. It just about has. He has

:21:00. > :21:01.

:21:01. > :21:09.The majority of the safety shots he has been hitting have been a little

:21:09. > :21:19.on the thick side. They are not reaching the blog area. -- the bulk

:21:19. > :21:19.

:21:19. > :22:26.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:22:26. > :22:36.area. It has finished in front of Sometimes that is all you have got

:22:36. > :22:49.

:22:49. > :22:56.to play. He has got himself out of He may be tempted to go for the pot.

:22:56. > :23:05.But there is no black available. Pink is out of commission. Just the

:23:05. > :23:15.safety. Imperative you find a place on that baulk cushion. It is tied.

:23:15. > :23:27.

:23:27. > :23:37.That makes any safety shot for your Not bad. Should have been right

:23:37. > :23:57.

:23:57. > :24:04.Even so, it has forced a mistake from Neil Robertson. This red will

:24:04. > :24:14.definitely pass the buck to this right corner. It is a big shot. --

:24:14. > :24:21.

:24:21. > :24:31.There is a lot of anger or much shot. It is not one you can hold. -

:24:31. > :24:44.

:24:44. > :24:54.- there is a lot of angle on that Pretty good. Pretty good. But not

:24:54. > :25:17.

:25:17. > :25:27.He played round the angles which was an even better shot. Pretty

:25:27. > :25:46.

:25:46. > :25:56.There is a path back to the cushion He has got to avoid the red to the

:25:56. > :25:56.

:25:56. > :26:01.left of the black. There are two reds on to the plant. I do not know

:26:01. > :26:11.what he is thinking, does he think he has a chance at aborting one of

:26:11. > :26:22.

:26:22. > :26:32.He has done it. He played the blunt but I think those two reds went to

:26:32. > :26:37.

:26:37. > :26:41.the joy of the two reds. That was a bit careless. He should have been

:26:41. > :26:51.tied behind the brown and then he would have had Neil Robertson in

:26:51. > :26:57.

:26:57. > :27:07.Ding Junhui wasted a shot there. He would have been in the driver's

:27:07. > :27:21.

:27:21. > :27:25.seat. He should have been tight Would you believe it? Not for the

:27:25. > :27:30.first time, we have seen someone make a mistake and then the next

:27:30. > :27:35.thing they do, they come to the table with a chance and this is a

:27:35. > :27:45.decent one. It is more difficult to judge how the cue ball comes out of

:27:45. > :27:52.

:27:52. > :27:58.the jaws of the pocket with the red He could not have played it better.

:27:58. > :28:03.Beautifully controlled. Excellent shot. The cue ball can make contact

:28:03. > :28:13.and run away. In sup on the other cushion. This was really well

:28:13. > :28:29.

:28:29. > :28:34.I think the only downside with potting the black, it is now not

:28:34. > :28:44.available in either corner pocket. You have to concentrate on the blue

:28:44. > :28:51.

:28:51. > :28:59.That was handy, that a red potted. It has opened up the path for the

:28:59. > :29:06.other red. But it is the wrong side of the blue. In was imperative he

:29:06. > :29:11.got a good angle on a. If he had had a nice angle, he would have had

:29:11. > :29:21.a chance of playing the cannon. He could have brought the ping into --

:29:21. > :29:55.

:29:55. > :30:03.He struck it absolutely beautifully. This is how to play shot. Look at

:30:03. > :30:13.that. Cue right through. Look at the action he got on the cue ball.

:30:13. > :30:20.

:30:20. > :30:29.He is struggling for absolute There's the point again. If he's

:30:29. > :30:39.landed on that red, he's had a right result. He has put his hand

:30:39. > :30:46.

:30:46. > :30:56.at endear -- to Neil Robertson to Yep, lucky to be on it. Not really

:30:56. > :31:08.

:31:08. > :31:18.Needs a good angle on the blue, sooner rather than later. And that

:31:18. > :31:19.

:31:19. > :31:28.could be it. That was beautifully struck. One of those you can get

:31:28. > :31:38.the cue ball too low. But he hit that beautifully. Playing the

:31:38. > :31:44.

:31:44. > :31:52.little cannon, now. Bring the pink I am amazed. Well, I don't know the

:31:52. > :32:02.value in that shot. He'll do well to win this frame just chipping

:32:02. > :32:08.

:32:08. > :32:18.away on the blue and possibly the He has not got that chance again,

:32:18. > :32:38.

:32:39. > :32:48.Once again, an example of betwixt and between. He is on the left on

:32:49. > :32:52.

:32:52. > :33:02.that -- the red on the left hand Cue ball the games slightly

:33:02. > :33:11.

:33:11. > :33:19.underhit. He dropped his head, It is not absolute perfection at

:33:19. > :33:29.the moment, but he is keeping going. You can see, a very high pop

:33:29. > :33:32.

:33:32. > :33:38.He has just about made it. And he may just about have the perfect

:33:38. > :33:48.angle. This time, I am not suggesting he plays the cannon into

:33:48. > :34:28.

:34:28. > :34:35.the pink, because they read either It wouldn't be a study in cue ball

:34:35. > :34:42.control, this break, but he is He has been the wrong side of the

:34:42. > :34:45.blue at least three times in this He has come down, he's going to be

:34:45. > :34:55.on this red, but that cue ball is much too close to the question for

:34:55. > :34:58.

:34:58. > :35:08.This could be ended break. I say end of break, but I can't see a

:35:08. > :35:36.

:35:36. > :35:46.I suppose you could drop it in big You would like to see a: near the

:35:46. > :35:49.

:35:49. > :35:53.cushion, but can he get it safe -- That was half an idea, but he will

:35:53. > :35:57.be disappointed. It looked as if it was always going to come. When you

:35:57. > :36:07.have only got the blue to play with and you just can't find the right

:36:07. > :36:32.

:36:32. > :36:37.angle on it, it will make the next Quite a few points to play with

:36:37. > :36:47.here, Neil Robertson. If he was to pot the green, he would be 50

:36:47. > :36:51.

:36:51. > :37:01.But it is not an easy chance, all three of the reds are very close to

:37:01. > :37:10.

:37:10. > :37:20.He has left himself a tough part here. Yes, this will chest -- test

:37:20. > :37:39.

:37:39. > :37:43.He played it well but it wasn't the right angle to develop the black.

:37:43. > :37:53.If he could have been thicker on the bed, he could have nudged the

:37:53. > :38:00.

:38:00. > :38:10.He has got to come in and out of baulk. And these last three reds of

:38:10. > :38:22.

:38:22. > :38:28.Always asking a lot to get back for a red. The priority was the points.

:38:28. > :38:38.Now a very difficult safety shot. But at least you have still got a

:38:38. > :38:46.

:38:46. > :38:51.I don't blame him for not try to find the baulk cushion, the most

:38:51. > :38:54.important thing was to not lead a pot on, because Ding Junhui is

:38:54. > :39:04.looking for one more red to clinch this frame. There is an interval

:39:04. > :39:11.

:39:11. > :39:21.The best part of the last shot for Neil was that Ding was forced to

:39:21. > :39:40.

:39:40. > :39:46.He is certainly not out of this framed. -- frame. He needs the

:39:46. > :39:50.colour. At the moment, he stands 43 points behind. And after his next

:39:50. > :39:54.shot, there will only be 43 left on the table, so if he cannot get

:39:54. > :40:03.through to the blue, he either place the yellow or he plays the

:40:03. > :40:13.snooker, but it replaced a snooker, -- if he plays a snooker an inch

:40:13. > :40:30.

:40:30. > :40:34.and we hit it, he can only tie. -- I don't blame him for taking it on,

:40:34. > :40:40.it was one of those. He had to play it with a little bit of extra pace.

:40:40. > :40:50.It just puts more pressure on the pot. In honesty, he missed it by

:40:50. > :40:53.

:40:53. > :40:56.Just this red needed to level it up for the interval. In it goes. So

:40:56. > :41:02.even though the defending champion raced away with the first two

:41:02. > :41:08.frames, you would think England we will be going into that mid-session

:41:08. > :41:13.interval feeling very good about it -- being Junhui. After two, I would

:41:13. > :41:22.say that Ding looks more on edge, but he will be happier with the

:41:22. > :41:32.scoreline. Neil Robertson having a look at the score. 50 points behind,

:41:32. > :41:37.

:41:37. > :41:47.35 remaining. Well, he is going to It looks as though Ding Junhui is

:41:47. > :42:08.

:42:08. > :42:13.going to get the fourth frame. It He will be keeping this red on the

:42:13. > :42:17.table. There is always the chance of a free ball and if he can get a

:42:17. > :42:21.free ball, just a couple of snookers needed. Would you carry on,

:42:21. > :42:31.50 behind with one red? I don't think I would have done, to be

:42:31. > :42:34.

:42:34. > :42:40.As a percentage, it must be exceptionally low for someone to

:42:41. > :42:50.have won the frame 50 behind with But it does happen, of course, and

:42:51. > :42:58.

:42:58. > :43:08.I think even Neil, that was a half- hearted attempt to get the snooker.

:43:08. > :43:19.

:43:19. > :43:24.So if Ding just rolls this radiant, It has been a good effort from Ding.

:43:24. > :43:34.A battling 53 break, you could call it, in this frame. Position wasn't

:43:34. > :43:36.

:43:36. > :43:38.as it would be, but it didn't put Yes, I suppose what was impressive

:43:38. > :43:42.about the break was a couple of times we suggested he could have

:43:42. > :43:46.gone into the pink and bring them into play but he was determined to

:43:46. > :43:56.get what he could without taking any undue risk. In other words, he

:43:56. > :44:00.

:44:00. > :44:07.Doesn't matter about the blue, this frame is over. So Neil Robertson,

:44:07. > :44:11.the defending champion, led 2-0 but being Jan week wins the next two

:44:11. > :44:15.and they go into the interval all- square -- Ding Junhui.

:44:15. > :44:19.When I have just been having a laugh in here, Stephen Hendry,

:44:19. > :44:27.which you have carried on? I would have been in the dressing room long

:44:27. > :44:30.ago. He would have given up if he was 36 behind. He wouldn't try for

:44:31. > :44:37.one snooker. And have come at a made a century in the next frame.

:44:37. > :44:43.An assessment of so far? Ding will be delighted, he was Two-nil down,

:44:43. > :44:46.Neil giving it the fist on. Ding is not at his confident best, and he

:44:46. > :44:51.didn't go for that pink, which he would when he was 100% confident

:44:51. > :44:55.that he will be delighted with the score. Is that how you view it?

:44:55. > :44:59.made very hard work of it, but he kept on going. Not just this match,

:44:59. > :45:05.if you analyse what we haven't seen from Ding over the years, we

:45:05. > :45:08.haven't seen a fighter, as, for example, John Higgins would fight

:45:08. > :45:12.his way back in two matches and frames and into form as well.

:45:12. > :45:15.Perhaps that is the one part of the equation that Ding needs to get

:45:15. > :45:20.right and when he does, perhaps with maturity, we will see the full

:45:20. > :45:24.package. It is the best of 11, so the first to six will go through

:45:24. > :45:28.and we will be following it right till the end. But while she were

:45:28. > :45:31.doing a last-minute Christmas shopping or stocking the booze

:45:31. > :45:34.cabinet before the New year's celebrations, you might have missed

:45:34. > :45:37.one of the most significant announcements in snooker for many

:45:37. > :45:41.years. The news that as of the start of next season in June, the

:45:41. > :45:47.top 16 players in the world rankings are no longer guarantee

:45:47. > :45:51.automatic entry into the final 12 stages of most of the big events.

:45:51. > :45:56.The exceptions of this one and the World Championships. Otherwise,

:45:56. > :46:00.they will all be lumped together in what they are calling a flat 128-

:46:00. > :46:04.man draw. They are role in it from round one and it has got everybody

:46:04. > :46:10.talking. -- all in it. So what is talking. -- all in it. So what is

:46:10. > :46:12.the rationale? The World Championship, there are

:46:12. > :46:15.no immediate changes there and the Masters will stay the same. The

:46:15. > :46:19.changes which we do have a hand in terms of introducing players from

:46:19. > :46:23.round one will be bringing some very exciting tournaments to the

:46:23. > :46:26.public. The UK Championships will see a massive improvement in terms

:46:26. > :46:30.of the standard of play and also in terms of the excitement of the

:46:30. > :46:33.matches that will be involved. We would like to look at it in terms

:46:33. > :46:37.of what is happening in other sports. We look at golf, Rory

:46:37. > :46:40.McIlroy, he is the world No. 1 and he plays in the first round. From

:46:40. > :46:43.our point of view, the prizes are there and the opportunities for

:46:43. > :46:48.players to earn more money than they ever have done will be

:46:48. > :46:51.available. To look at it in terms of one small area, everybody in

:46:51. > :46:57.that round one, you have to look it as a whole, and all of the

:46:57. > :47:00.information is out there and there are huge benefits for the sport and

:47:00. > :47:03.the transition we are going through at the moment to make it even more

:47:03. > :47:10.global and exciting, more prize money, that will come to the fore.

:47:10. > :47:14.Some more excitement, more drama, a good development or not? Well, it

:47:14. > :47:19.does depend on where you are in the game. From the player's perspective,

:47:19. > :47:23.and everyone you talk to will speak from their own perspective, but

:47:23. > :47:27.looking at how the game is going to have to go, if it is going to go to

:47:27. > :47:33.the standard that Judd Trump would like, with more prize money, it has

:47:33. > :47:38.got to break free up the whole life -- old way, and therefore, as we

:47:38. > :47:41.speak, no player, the top 16, is bigger than the game. And if you

:47:41. > :47:44.want the game to progress, you have to make it truly worldwide and

:47:44. > :47:48.accessible to people around the world from the overseas countries,

:47:48. > :47:52.and you have got it more prize money in. And to get to the next

:47:52. > :47:56.level, this is what you have got to do. When it was first announced,

:47:56. > :48:00.Judd Trump was on Twitter, saying that all of this year's getting

:48:00. > :48:04.into the top 16 and bad back in round one. There was a hint of

:48:04. > :48:08.irony. Shaun Murphy was saying that now we will have the best players,

:48:08. > :48:11.we will see exactly who they are, on current form, not relying on

:48:11. > :48:16.what they did accruing world ranking points two or three years

:48:16. > :48:19.ago. Is that a good thing? What the top players have always had an

:48:19. > :48:23.advantage with his they play in the qualifiers at the venue, so the

:48:23. > :48:28.qualifiers are a bit more nervous, playing at the TV stages. That the

:48:28. > :48:31.players are going in from round one, playing in different surroundings,

:48:31. > :48:35.they have more chance of losing. That is the thing I wouldn't like,

:48:35. > :48:39.playing in smaller surroundings, with not a lot of people watching.

:48:39. > :48:45.But now I am not in the game, I think absolutely, go in at around

:48:45. > :48:50.one! You mentioned that situation with TV. Mark Allen was very strong

:48:50. > :48:53.with his views, as he usually is, but you were saying he would not

:48:53. > :48:58.guarantee the so-called top players in the later stages of the event.

:48:58. > :49:01.Could that be a genuine problem? The top players think that they are

:49:01. > :49:07.box-office and they are to some degree, but I always think the game

:49:07. > :49:10.is bigger than the players in many ways. If the game is going to grow,

:49:10. > :49:14.they and the people who play at grassroots play the game, going to

:49:14. > :49:17.the clubs, every player is a great player in their rise. You want to

:49:17. > :49:21.see some good Baines, that is why we have the cream of the crop here,

:49:21. > :49:25.but ranking events after beyond a level footing -- we want to see

:49:25. > :49:28.some good players. We cannot have players getting further through in

:49:28. > :49:32.tournaments, getting not only the prize money from previous years but

:49:32. > :49:37.extra ranking points, which mean that they start off further through

:49:37. > :49:40.late tournament for the next season. This is unfair to the new brigade.

:49:40. > :49:44.You have to prove yourself every time at a snooker table and you

:49:44. > :49:48.shouldn't get a leg-up. You don't get insurance in other sports like

:49:48. > :49:52.you do in snooker. He was broadly in favour but I know others are not.

:49:52. > :49:56.Let's get the opinions of other pundits.

:49:56. > :50:01.I think it is a nonsense, if I'm being perfectly honest. That is

:50:01. > :50:08.what people want, an honest opinion. I think that people want to see the

:50:08. > :50:13.top players. Now, it is OK it, like a golfer, you go away and you play

:50:13. > :50:17.for hours of golf, but what we're talking about his playing

:50:17. > :50:23.qualifiers -- four hours. I know from Jimmy White's pointed you, you

:50:23. > :50:28.play qualifiers in what she could only describe as squash courts --

:50:28. > :50:31.you could describe. No atmosphere, hardly anyone watching. That

:50:31. > :50:35.doesn't favour the better players. The better players it to be out in

:50:35. > :50:41.front of a good crowd, the TV cameras and when your adrenalin is

:50:41. > :50:44.going, and that is a test for any player, to do it on the big stage.

:50:44. > :50:48.Looking from the whole perspective, I think it might even be better for

:50:48. > :50:53.even the top 16 players, because they won't feel compelled or under

:50:53. > :51:00.as much pressure to play in a lot of the PDC. They won't have to

:51:00. > :51:09.qualify. If we use the money list, the like of the PTC, with a �10,000

:51:09. > :51:11.first prize falls that Purse, will be devalued. So they won't have to

:51:11. > :51:15.play in these events. They can pick and choose tournament and they

:51:15. > :51:21.won't have to do as much travelling, so in effect, in a weird sort of

:51:21. > :51:24.way, it might actually help the top 16 players and players of that ilk.

:51:24. > :51:29.If I was a player, I would hate the idea. When he turned professional,

:51:29. > :51:33.the one thing you aspire to do as a professional is can I get into the

:51:33. > :51:36.top 16 -- when you turn professional. Can I get seeded for

:51:36. > :51:40.the Masters and the World Championships? I understand things

:51:40. > :51:43.are changing but you have to have a ranking list and you have to have a

:51:43. > :51:47.top 16 and I think the way it is then currently is fine. I as a

:51:47. > :51:53.player would hate the change. I think some people think it is a

:51:53. > :52:03.good idea because they don't play any more but I'm very much of --

:52:03. > :52:07.mother Lisa. -- paint a moustache on the Mona Lisa. If you are very

:52:07. > :52:10.good, you will rise to the top of the game. A lot of players a run

:52:10. > :52:14.the game for the money as well as titles, so keep knocking those

:52:14. > :52:20.balls and and you can't go wrong. Well said indeed. John Virgo made a

:52:20. > :52:24.good point about the logistics of the situation. If you have 128 then

:52:24. > :52:30.plain from round one, you are going to need two venues in the same city

:52:30. > :52:35.that playing. That is the thing I would object to as a player. A lot

:52:35. > :52:39.of places, you have spaces for a lot of tables, it is leisure

:52:39. > :52:42.centres and things like that, and that wouldn't be a great atmosphere.

:52:42. > :52:48.Plain that for two or three rounds and then going to the venue, there

:52:48. > :52:53.needs to be some tidying up -- playing. I would not be getting the

:52:53. > :52:59.buzz in that situation. Some places have the facilities but it does

:52:59. > :53:03.need to be carefully thought out. If you look at Wimbledon, the

:53:03. > :53:07.players start later, but they have the short court. The top players

:53:07. > :53:12.play on the short courts, so they would be a son -- situation where

:53:12. > :53:16.the would-be share tables. They need preferential treatment in that

:53:16. > :53:19.respect. Ultimately, although it is not happening now, will this be the

:53:19. > :53:24.situation for the World Championships in a few years?

:53:24. > :53:29.think inevitably, yes, but that would mean a bigger venue. That is

:53:29. > :53:33.what the game must aspire to, began better. And I do know that the

:53:33. > :53:36.person who is in charge of trying to runs Bequette is trying to make

:53:36. > :53:42.sure the players can earn as much as possible, and that way his view

:53:42. > :53:44.is the only way to do that is to try and expand it -- the man who

:53:44. > :53:48.runs snooker. He is not bad at breaking the mould in that

:53:48. > :53:52.department. Barry had has certainly done that a few times. I'm sure we

:53:52. > :53:58.will be discussing that in the coming months. You should get in

:53:58. > :54:02.touch with us and let us know. This is the 22nd event of the snooker

:54:02. > :54:06.season so far, so many of them now, since Barry Hearn stepped in and

:54:06. > :54:10.took over the game. We have had 14 different winners or any of those

:54:10. > :54:14.events, but as we begin the long run into what the Crucible and the

:54:14. > :54:24.World Championship, some of the usual suspects, for thoroughbreds

:54:24. > :54:42.

:54:42. > :54:52.in the game, are beginning to show MUSIC: "You To Me Are Everything"

:54:52. > :54:52.

:54:52. > :56:12.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:56:12. > :56:16.And no wonder he will be added to that list come Sunday night at

:56:16. > :56:21.Alexandra Palace -- I wonder who. Alexandra Palace was rocking over

:56:21. > :56:27.the knee when Phil Taylor swept all before him at the oche in the darts,

:56:27. > :56:31.and this evening, it is the turn of the BDO last in the world final.

:56:31. > :56:35.Scott Waites against Tony O'Shea, and I can't wait for this one.

:56:35. > :56:41.Scott, what an opportunity, the biggest match of your life so far.

:56:41. > :56:47.Yes, there are only two left to the competition, so let's just see if

:56:47. > :56:52.the best man wins. You have been concerned actual inconsistency at

:56:52. > :57:00.times this week, but against Richie George, we saw the best darts you

:57:00. > :57:03.have ever thrown at Lakeside. I took a note of his dad, Bobby.

:57:03. > :57:07.When he is commentating, he says you have got to get on top of that

:57:07. > :57:13.person and you have got to bury them, you have got to bully them.

:57:13. > :57:18.So that is exactly what I did to his lap. It worked wonders for me -

:57:18. > :57:22.- his lap. People have talked about you as a potential lakeside

:57:22. > :57:26.champion for a long time, with great performances at the Grand

:57:26. > :57:31.Slam, but this year, something has clicked which hasn't done

:57:31. > :57:35.previously. What has been different? By opponents, to be

:57:35. > :57:42.honest, haven't really put in the best performances that they could

:57:42. > :57:47.do, which has helped a lot -- my opponents. My game has gone from

:57:47. > :57:51.sort of mediocre, up and up and up, and hopefully the final, I can

:57:51. > :57:55.produce my best darts yet. Let's have a word about Tony O'Shea.

:57:55. > :58:00.His third lakeside final, he arguably is going to be even

:58:00. > :58:05.hungrier than you -- Lakeside. He has tasted defeat in the show down

:58:05. > :58:10.twice before. Tony O'Shea is my England captain, and fantastic guy,

:58:10. > :58:14.fantastic player. He is yet to win a major, I think, Tony and he will

:58:14. > :58:17.be going out there all guns blazing, he is going to want to win it.

:58:17. > :58:23.Hopefully I am going to be in the wake of him winning his first world

:58:23. > :58:26.title. -- in the way. You have been promising this result

:58:26. > :58:29.and this trophy for a long time. Have you started to dare to dream

:58:29. > :58:34.how nice it would feel to finish Sunday holding that illustrious

:58:34. > :58:40.trophy? I have not dared to dream yet, but it is amazing how many

:58:40. > :58:46.friends come out there would work. My mother, who stands behind the

:58:46. > :58:54.sofa and the extent where I'm going for a double, she is making her way

:58:54. > :59:00.down to watch. So it will be good to get up there and win the World

:59:00. > :59:03.Championships. That is everything that every darts player aspires to

:59:03. > :59:09.win its and there are two people in it tomorrow and I want to win.

:59:09. > :59:14.luck. And you. Tony, Your third Leg side final in

:59:14. > :59:18.five years, here we go again. -- comes let the lakeside. It is

:59:18. > :59:22.pretty amazing, I wish I had won one before, it would make tomorrow

:59:22. > :59:28.easier. How much confidence you take on the manner of the victory

:59:28. > :59:34.over Wesley Harms? It was always going to be hard. He was a great

:59:34. > :59:39.power last year, he has improved so much this year, said to have -- so

:59:39. > :59:41.to have beaten him with a set less, I was chuffed with that. It was

:59:41. > :59:45.great to see you really going for it with your celebrations. You

:59:45. > :59:52.could tell that even though it were shot welcome here, it still means

:59:52. > :59:56.so much. A -- even though it is your 12 year here. Every leg when

:59:56. > :00:00.so much that you try and keep it calm. But when the big finishes

:00:00. > :00:04.coming, you can't help it sometimes. I try to keep it under control, but

:00:04. > :00:08.sometimes you can't help it. have been around a long time for

:00:08. > :00:15.you have achieved a lot. This one is missing, though, and you have

:00:15. > :00:20.come up short twice before, how conscious IU of that picture Mark -

:00:20. > :00:22.- how conscious IU of that? It is not me that keeps mentioning it.

:00:22. > :00:28.The last of months have been fantastic and I am the new England

:00:28. > :00:32.captain, another milestone, so I have had a good 12 months and this

:00:32. > :00:38.would have it off nicely. What about Scott, he played brilliantly

:00:38. > :00:48.in his semi-final and due to know each other's gain Inside Out. It is

:00:48. > :00:51.

:00:51. > :00:55.It will be a cracking final. To be honest, he has not been in the big

:00:55. > :00:59.time that long. I have been there 12 years and have still not got

:00:59. > :01:02.that big. It will be a great game, but I will put everything into it,

:01:02. > :01:10.and I hope we both play like we can because it will be a great final if

:01:10. > :01:13.we do that. You have such a sway of support when you are up there,

:01:13. > :01:17.everyone is willing used to get across the line. What we did mean

:01:17. > :01:22.to you? I have studied so many times, said at last year in the

:01:22. > :01:30.final, I said it in 2009, I cannot believe the reaction from the crowd

:01:30. > :01:36.and it was always getting better. It means so much. It would mean

:01:36. > :01:40.everything, to be honest. Good luck. Cheers, mate of.

:01:40. > :01:44.A Rob Walker doing of the interviews last night before he

:01:44. > :01:51.high killed it to Ally Pally. Tony O'Shea is definitely the favourite

:01:51. > :01:55.in his final against Scott Waites. The final starts at 5:45pm. Every

:01:55. > :01:58.match here at Ally pally before this digger feels like a final with

:01:58. > :02:03.this one-table set-up, and we're looking forward to the second match

:02:03. > :02:08.this evening at 7pm. It is Mark Davis of Sussex, appearing for the

:02:08. > :02:18.first time in a decade, up against Mark Allen, from Northern Ireland,

:02:18. > :02:23.

:02:23. > :02:29.who has come close to landing the I think it went one year, two

:02:29. > :02:34.Year's, straight into the top 16, which was very impressive. The way

:02:34. > :02:40.he plays the game, it is very attacking. He builds breaks for fun.

:02:40. > :02:44.He is a top player. His wrist action is incredible, in the sense

:02:44. > :02:47.that he generates an enormous amount of spend. There would not be

:02:47. > :02:55.many players in the game that have the same sort of cue power Mark

:02:55. > :03:01.He won his first tournament in China, and I think that will put

:03:01. > :03:06.him up on another level. He is very outspoken, as well. He speaks his

:03:06. > :03:15.mind, and when he does speak out I think he plays his best snooker, he

:03:15. > :03:22.would really like to prove people A great player, fantastic talent,

:03:22. > :03:26.very courageous, but as far as some of the comment see mix on Twitter

:03:26. > :03:30.and everything, he need -- needs to mend his ways or he will be in

:03:30. > :03:33.trouble with the authorities. have a lot of sportsmen who say the

:03:33. > :03:37.right things all the time to please everyone, and I think the sport

:03:37. > :03:47.needs the sort of cult -- characters were willing to say what

:03:47. > :03:47.

:03:47. > :03:53.they think. The he will win tournaments, they will share a lot

:03:53. > :03:58.of tournaments between them, Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby, in

:03:59. > :04:03.the next three years. A annual be able to see that much -

:04:03. > :04:08.- that match starting at 7pm tonight. I'll be back with

:04:08. > :04:11.highlights at 11pm. But we are back for the conclusion of this one

:04:11. > :04:18.between Neil Robertson, defending champion, and Ding Junhui, the

:04:18. > :04:28.winner of the event in 2011. It is 2013, this is where I get my ideas

:04:28. > :04:38.next up, at the start of January. But legal, it is 2-2, first so six

:04:38. > :04:40.

:04:40. > :04:50.Don't worry, Hazel, I do not know what day it is. Ding Junhui breaks

:04:50. > :05:00.He is hoping it is more of the same, very good session before the

:05:00. > :05:20.

:05:20. > :05:25.There may be a chance here for Ding Junhui, if he can play this red in

:05:25. > :05:30.the corner, he will be thinking about taking it on. He may be able

:05:30. > :05:35.to get through to the one in the right corner. Not the best of

:05:35. > :05:40.safety shots, but I think it is the one to the left corner. No, he

:05:40. > :05:46.cannot get through to the one in the right corner. The left-hand

:05:46. > :05:56.side want is OK, if he can avoid a kiss on another red. If he cannot,

:05:56. > :06:09.

:06:10. > :06:19.He decided to drop it in dead You would not believe you could

:06:20. > :06:23.

:06:23. > :06:27.play that slowly and not come on That is a poor shot. That is very,

:06:27. > :06:32.very careless. The only thing you have to do when you play that shot

:06:32. > :06:42.is a guard against the bump on the middle pocket. To get down and do

:06:42. > :06:54.

:06:54. > :07:00.It could not have turned out much I agree with you, John, it is

:07:00. > :07:10.amazing he did not get on the black there. What an opportunity this is

:07:10. > :07:48.

:07:48. > :07:54.for Neil Robertson. The balls are Well, he used all the pocket there

:07:54. > :07:58.and in it went. Yes, I think it into a couple of days place here it

:07:58. > :08:04.might not have happened. These cloths are superfine when they're

:08:04. > :08:14.just put on and they tend to slide a little bit. The black certainly

:08:14. > :08:14.

:08:14. > :08:58.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:08:58. > :09:04.He wanted the cue ball to be higher I was having a little chat with him

:09:04. > :09:08.in the interval, he was watching the TV, and he was pretty adamant

:09:08. > :09:15.that was definitely a free poll earlier in the match. It is funny

:09:15. > :09:18.how the players are. They don't like to let incidents like that go.

:09:18. > :09:28.He has not made a great deal of difference in the context of the

:09:28. > :09:51.

:09:51. > :10:01.A poor positional shot by Neil's The most neglected shot in the game

:10:01. > :10:20.

:10:20. > :10:26.of snooker, VAT. So important to That was beautifully played. He

:10:26. > :10:31.knew that when he cannoned the red there was a possibility he could

:10:31. > :10:41.knock it in the other court -- pocket, if he was not careful.

:10:41. > :10:42.

:10:42. > :10:46.The pink spot is unavailable, no other spots available, so the

:10:46. > :10:56.referee putting it as close to the spot as he can in a direct line

:10:56. > :11:19.

:11:19. > :11:23.I am just wondering whether of the pink is pottable, as well. He has a

:11:23. > :11:29.choice, he can play this red and cannon into the cluster with a

:11:29. > :11:39.screw back and be on the pink. A chance to open a few balls out.

:11:39. > :11:43.

:11:43. > :11:47.He's going to play the run-through Not great.

:11:47. > :11:52.Yes, I know everybody has a different opinion on that shot. I

:11:52. > :11:58.always preferred the screw shot myself. Particularly there, when it

:11:58. > :12:05.was obvious he was going to hit the pink. This pink will pot. Although

:12:05. > :12:10.it is a thin one. It clearly passes the black, but it is a difficult

:12:10. > :12:13.pot. It is not very often I would

:12:13. > :12:17.question Neil Robertson's shot choice, but I will do it with that

:12:17. > :12:27.one. It was virtually impossible not to be on the ball playing a

:12:27. > :12:48.

:12:48. > :12:53.It is a better safety, because that pink and black are there. In trying

:12:53. > :13:03.to get back to baulk, Ding Junhui has to catch this just right. Catch

:13:03. > :13:05.

:13:06. > :13:10.it too thick and he will run into If anything, so far in this match,

:13:10. > :13:15.that has been Ding's Achilles heel, hitting the ball thick on his

:13:15. > :13:19.safety shots. He has looked at the red on the

:13:19. > :13:29.left-hand side of the table, but it is that close there is definitely

:13:29. > :13:45.

:13:45. > :13:55.Just missed the pink. And the red has gone in. That is a bonus. He

:13:55. > :14:09.

:14:09. > :14:19.was more interested in getting the As you see, it did not going

:14:19. > :14:25.directly. Two-cushion escape here, with pace. He pleaded very well.

:14:25. > :14:29.Just caught it a little too thin. But when you were snookered, try

:14:29. > :14:35.and leave as much distance as you can between the cue ball and the

:14:35. > :14:45.object ball. That is what he has done.

:14:45. > :14:53.

:14:53. > :14:57.By is one of the shots the modern Don't blame Ding for playing it

:14:57. > :15:02.that way. He was obviously trying to remove that red from the side

:15:02. > :15:12.cushion to give him a chance of making a Kentra clearance, but not

:15:12. > :15:17.

:15:17. > :15:22.a great cue ball. -- countered He just float slows in with no

:15:22. > :15:32.problem whatsoever. His long potting is sublime. -- he just

:15:32. > :16:11.

:16:11. > :16:21.floats those in. Right in the heart Just this red needed to go 56

:16:21. > :16:21.

:16:21. > :17:17.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:17:17. > :17:24.Well, it did not matter, the frame was over. Ding Junhui made a

:17:24. > :17:30.careless safety early on, and that was the catalyst and always kept

:17:30. > :17:36.Neil Robertson in control. He is back in front, 3-2.

:17:36. > :17:41.It is all about fractions, this game. Ding Junhui rolled the red in,

:17:41. > :17:44.did not get on the black, and now what he is faced with is what

:17:45. > :17:48.looked like a pretty straight forward safety shot, John. He has

:17:48. > :17:53.two things to guard against here - you don't want to play off the

:17:53. > :17:57.black to thin so that you can under red above it. The most important

:17:57. > :18:01.one is, the middle pocket bumper. It will always be there, it will

:18:01. > :18:07.not move, as long as you play it to miss that bump, you will be fine.

:18:07. > :18:14.He doesn't, chips the red up towards the middle pocket and gave

:18:14. > :18:18.Neil Robertson a chance to make 46. In these sorts of frames, you get

:18:18. > :18:28.that feeling that, if Neil Robertson does get in first, he can

:18:28. > :18:28.

:18:28. > :19:11.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:19:11. > :19:21.protect his lead a lot better than Well, take that one. Is he on the

:19:21. > :19:31.He will just about get through to it. What a tremendous opening red

:19:31. > :19:41.Talking about Neil Robertson's cueing - cue will not see much

:19:41. > :19:43.

:19:43. > :19:49.better than that from Ding, that Would you believe it? After a shot

:19:49. > :19:54.like that, he goes and misses a simple black. How many times do we

:19:54. > :20:04.see it, though? He has his eye on where the cue ball is going to

:20:04. > :20:07.

:20:08. > :20:13.nudge the red and took his eye off This was that opening red, close to

:20:13. > :20:23.the cushion, just off straight, right in the heart of the pocket. I

:20:23. > :20:23.

:20:23. > :21:11.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:21:11. > :21:15.I a couple of shots here for me might. He could play the dump shot,

:21:16. > :21:25.up and down on the left-hand red, but he will play the red closer to

:21:26. > :21:35.

:21:35. > :21:41.He's still just cannot get that pace on the cue ball indoors safety

:21:41. > :21:49.shots, not consistently. -- in those safety shots. It makes it so

:21:49. > :21:59.much easier for go opponent to play a better safety. Looking at the

:21:59. > :21:59.

:21:59. > :22:06.position of the balls, this is not If he catches this red wrongly, he

:22:06. > :22:11.could knock the black in. A you're going to play that one, you have to

:22:11. > :22:21.hit it very often and let the side swing the cue ball round. If you

:22:21. > :22:27.

:22:27. > :22:36.hit that at a natural angle, it I don't think he can visualise the

:22:37. > :22:42.red going past the black into the He has had a look to see if he can

:22:42. > :22:52.play safe down the right-hand side of the table, the red just above

:22:52. > :23:08.

:23:08. > :23:14.Ford does that mean, John? What is this? Foul and a miss, John Parrott

:23:14. > :23:24.four. There you go, someone can remember

:23:24. > :23:32.

:23:32. > :23:42.That makes a change from, where is Talking about where is the cue ball

:23:42. > :23:56.

:23:56. > :24:01.going, and a nice red shirt, as REFEREE: Foul and a miss.

:24:01. > :24:11.Well, he was worried about knocking reds onto the black before, this

:24:11. > :24:17.time he has potted the black directly. Amazing. Has he left a

:24:18. > :24:22.pot on? A possible plant? There is quite a distance between these two.

:24:22. > :24:30.This is not a certainty by any means. The but he is very good at

:24:30. > :24:36.He is an exceptional player that these type of shots, he does not

:24:36. > :24:46.miss many. Well, the form books could you in

:24:46. > :24:56.good stead there, John. -- stood you in good stead. What a chance he

:24:56. > :24:59.

:24:59. > :25:09.The black is only available into one corner pocket, but that will

:25:09. > :25:09.

:25:09. > :26:08.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:26:08. > :26:12.not bother him at the moment. It is A little bit surprised with that

:26:12. > :26:22.shot, maybe he has a touch of angle, he can stun it round to make sure

:26:22. > :26:25.

:26:25. > :26:35.This is where he is at his best, Ding Junhui, are amongst the balls

:26:35. > :26:51.

:26:51. > :26:55.He is slightly hampered on the one he would have liked to have been on,

:26:56. > :27:05.the red that is on the same pocket as the black. He is settling for

:27:06. > :27:06.

:27:06. > :27:50.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:27:51. > :27:56.No great surprise that this is a good match. Top 16 players and the

:27:56. > :28:02.world, both exceptionally capable, great competitors. I am sure we

:28:02. > :28:12.will see quite a few thrills through the week. Matches going 26-

:28:12. > :28:26.

:28:26. > :28:36.5, 6-4 will be very prominent, I Red, cholera, red is what is needed.

:28:36. > :28:45.

:28:45. > :28:55.-- red, colour, red is what is This red would put him 71 in front

:28:55. > :29:25.

:29:25. > :29:28.Well, gravity took over. I think the frame is over, it is just a

:29:28. > :29:38.case of whether Neil Robertson would have thought about coming

:29:38. > :29:45.

:29:45. > :29:48.Not the best of contacts there, but what it is proving to me in this

:29:48. > :29:58.match is that both players, if they get a chance, are capable of

:29:58. > :30:03.

:30:03. > :30:13.And that always put pressure on And how we got into this break was

:30:13. > :30:20.

:30:20. > :30:23.bizarre, we didn't expect to see I agree both players are looking in

:30:24. > :30:28.very good scoring form and that is going to make for a very good match.

:30:28. > :30:32.This was it. The way he threw his arms up, he felt as if it rolled

:30:32. > :30:42.off. You haven't got to put a little trace of side on to close

:30:42. > :30:56.

:30:56. > :31:06.Every time you play that shot, why does it always finish like that?

:31:06. > :31:17.

:31:17. > :31:27.But in it goes, and he is on a His second century of the match.

:31:27. > :31:32.

:31:32. > :31:40.I've Always Fair with Ding Junhui that if he starts to score, then he

:31:40. > :31:50.is a very dangerous opponent -- I Is a lot more fluent than the first

:31:50. > :31:50.

:31:50. > :32:32.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:32:32. > :32:37.century break and he made -- that The one thing you have got to say

:32:37. > :32:43.about Ding, he is so understated, but absolutely deadly. Yes, in the

:32:43. > :32:48.balls, along with John Higgins, the best to out there. Every shot, the

:32:48. > :32:52.positional play his pinpoint. have got to stop you. Ding Junhui

:32:52. > :32:57.missed the black off the spot, the most glaring error in the match so

:32:57. > :33:02.far. If Neil Robertson had cleared the balls up, we would be saying,

:33:02. > :33:06.he has gone! Acid was, the table rolled off for Neil Robertson -- as

:33:06. > :33:14.it was. Patrick tee shot, perhaps, and the next minute, we are raving

:33:14. > :33:18.about him -- a tricky shot. What is going on? It is 3:30pm on a Sunday

:33:18. > :33:24.afternoon... Neil Robertson is steaming in his chair, the table

:33:24. > :33:29.Roy Allsop, he is in bits. The it definitely rolled off? The way Neil

:33:29. > :33:32.Robertson jumped up with his arms in the air, yes. For all of your

:33:32. > :33:36.protestations, it does give us a rather nice situation. Three frames

:33:36. > :33:44.apiece, and we are getting into the nitty-gritty. I agree with John

:33:44. > :33:48.Virgo, when Ding is scoring, he is very hard to beat. And two chances

:33:48. > :33:58.a frame though, you only needed the one. He is not going to say

:33:58. > :34:09.

:34:09. > :34:19.anything, we had better get back. JOHN VIRGO: I think both players

:34:19. > :34:20.

:34:20. > :34:23.have now settled down and it is now I have been impressed with Ding, he

:34:23. > :34:31.went two frames down, Neil Robertson came out and Harvey gave

:34:31. > :34:41.him a shot in frame five -- hardly gave him a shot. But look at a pop

:34:41. > :34:52.

:34:52. > :34:57.success for both players. -- the JOHN PARROT: On today's showing, it

:34:57. > :35:01.is hard to see why Ding is doing as badly as he is in the rankings.

:35:01. > :35:07.People are right to playing brilliantly against him or he has

:35:07. > :35:15.not been doing his stuff -- either. On today's showing, he is not far

:35:15. > :35:24.away from being very, very good He would like that one back, though.

:35:24. > :35:27.So careless. So close to the reds, to overhit it as much as he did. I

:35:28. > :35:32.don't care if he can get through to a red in the right corner, Neil

:35:32. > :35:42.Robertson. If he can, you know he will take it on. He should never

:35:42. > :36:18.

:36:18. > :36:22.Phone the police, he has missed a long ball. I think he was trying to

:36:22. > :36:32.hedge his bets. Most of the long pots he has gone for, he is fully

:36:32. > :36:37.

:36:37. > :36:46.There is a bed on here to the right corner -- red on. He may just be

:36:46. > :36:56.able to get around the back of the He didn't fancy it, he just played

:36:56. > :37:22.

:37:22. > :37:32.Have or you are trying to do when you play that shot is make sure the

:37:32. > :37:42.

:37:42. > :37:46.cue ball is tight on the cushion -- Just having a look at the baulk end.

:37:46. > :37:56.As long as he covers the red just to the left of the yellow, he

:37:56. > :38:02.

:38:02. > :38:08.should be safe. But he has to make He has played that well, played

:38:08. > :38:14.that very well. That is as good as safety as he has played so far this

:38:14. > :38:18.afternoon. Yes, and everything seems to be improving with Ding

:38:18. > :38:28.Junhui. His scoring is very good. That safety shot is much improved.

:38:28. > :38:57.

:38:57. > :39:02.He is getting confident. He is Left it on to the middle. It is

:39:02. > :39:12.tricky, it is not as easy as it may look, but it is definitely the

:39:12. > :39:27.

:39:27. > :39:35.I'm a bit surprised, I thought he would get that, the form he has

:39:35. > :39:45.been in. He is an exceptionally good middle pocket player. So a bit

:39:45. > :39:56.

:39:56. > :39:59.Well, it looks as though it has run safe. The idea of that shot, if you

:39:59. > :40:06.get the part in the jaws of the pocket, then there is no danger,

:40:06. > :40:16.but once that red was going back to what the cue ball in the baulk end,

:40:16. > :40:26.

:40:26. > :40:30.it could have left it. -- actor Now, can he get past the brown to

:40:30. > :40:40.the potting angle? Be any reason I mention it is I think it is the

:40:40. > :40:50.

:40:50. > :41:00.only shot he has got to play. -- Brilliant try. Fabulous cueing, it

:41:00. > :41:15.

:41:15. > :41:25.was very tight. You couldn't get I'm not surprised he missed that

:41:25. > :41:52.

:41:52. > :41:55.Add the Brett off now in his safety play -- a little bit off. It was

:41:55. > :42:00.that in the early part of the match that seemed to be giving him the

:42:00. > :42:10.advantage. But Ding Junhui, without having to do much, comes to the

:42:10. > :42:16.

:42:16. > :42:25.table. A fairly easy starter, it is I'm surprised he played it like

:42:25. > :42:35.that. It was a little stunned through rather than the screw.

:42:35. > :42:36.

:42:36. > :42:46.don't think he has control that. -- He is playing the yellow, so he can

:42:46. > :42:56.

:42:56. > :43:06.obviously not get through to hit Good shot, because he has covered

:43:06. > :43:24.

:43:24. > :43:31.the red on the right-hand side of He will be pretty happy with that

:43:31. > :43:41.result. It wasn't how he played it. One of two signs at the moment that

:43:41. > :43:55.

:43:55. > :44:00.Neil Robertson is feeling it a That is a terrific pot. He had a

:44:01. > :44:03.shot not too dissimilar and you were not surprised he missed it

:44:03. > :44:08.because it was tricky, that one was as well but didn't he plays

:44:08. > :44:14.confidently? Normally, you would play that and try and get the cue

:44:14. > :44:24.ball back to the vault end, and he has landed perfectly on the blue. -

:44:24. > :44:38.

:44:38. > :44:48.Another really well played shot. He knew that red would be the ball

:44:48. > :45:00.

:45:00. > :45:04.that stopped it, so he played the You just got the feeling there, he

:45:04. > :45:07.looked to have landed perfect on that red, but he just stopped and

:45:07. > :45:11.thought about it as though he didn't want to played for some

:45:11. > :45:16.reason. I just get the impression at the moment that psychologically,

:45:16. > :45:20.going ahead seems to be a big thing in this match. Both players are a

:45:20. > :45:26.little edgy, they have missed one or two shots, not quite right. It

:45:26. > :45:29.is a long way to the winning line, being 4-3 in front, but it does

:45:29. > :45:37.seem to be a psychological aspect of this match at the moment, making

:45:37. > :45:44.That could have worked out better. If he plays the yellow, he is going

:45:44. > :45:51.to be hampered by the blue. If you are right-handed, you would play

:45:51. > :46:01.the green and not even think about The only advantage with the shot is

:46:01. > :46:07.

:46:07. > :46:12.he doesn't have to do a lot with That was a much better positional

:46:12. > :46:22.shot and it looked. He had to guard against snookering himself behind

:46:22. > :46:41.

:46:41. > :46:45.We know there is no problem with He just didn't hit that red into

:46:45. > :46:50.the pocket where he would have liked, he wanted to avoid the kiss

:46:50. > :46:54.on the second red. This pink is tricky. It needs a good shot to get

:46:54. > :47:04.on the red. You assume he will play for the red that is near the top

:47:04. > :47:12.

:47:12. > :47:16.He held for it but he didn't get the pink. Yes, and he tried to play

:47:16. > :47:24.that in a way that was going to leave the pink in the jaws of the

:47:24. > :47:34.pocket and cover it if he missed. They are never easy, those, when

:47:34. > :47:44.If Ding can just popped this red and still have an angle to be able

:47:44. > :47:52.

:47:52. > :47:59.to pot the pink, he may be able to Beautifully played. Ditto.

:47:59. > :48:02.Absolutely beautifully. And this could be the key to the frame. He

:48:02. > :48:07.has let himself the angle on the pink. It is still thinner than you

:48:08. > :48:10.would like, but I'm certain with lots of left hand side, he can get

:48:10. > :48:20.that cue ball running into the main bunch in the middle of the table.

:48:20. > :48:26.

:48:26. > :48:30.I was just about to say, it wasn't the greatest actor going to. If you

:48:30. > :48:40.hit the back of it, you leave the cue ball their -- the greatest pack

:48:40. > :48:43.

:48:43. > :48:53.Unlucky to finish there, but it was He is having a close look here. Is

:48:53. > :49:06.

:49:06. > :49:12.It is there! That is an absolute You said in the last frame, he is

:49:12. > :49:22.very good at plants. There was enough of a gap that made

:49:22. > :49:45.

:49:45. > :49:51.admissible. But right in the heart A choice of friends here. -- reds

:49:51. > :49:57.here. If he plays the low one, he could hold for the pink in the left

:49:57. > :50:00.middle. If he plays the other one, almost straight on, he could stun

:50:00. > :50:10.it for the blue. But when you are playing the blue, you have got to

:50:10. > :50:22.

:50:22. > :50:31.get the right angle, otherwise it He has decided to play up for the

:50:31. > :50:41.blue, and that needs to run on a lot. And it hasn't done. I don't

:50:41. > :50:42.

:50:42. > :50:52.blame him for refusing those two red Fareham -- reds. But he could

:50:52. > :51:20.

:51:20. > :51:30.It made light of a very difficult Dear me. He missed that by the

:51:30. > :51:40.proverbial. Didn't get through that shot at all. He just click on it. -

:51:40. > :51:56.

:51:56. > :52:06.But at the moment, Neil Robertson It looked as though he was going to

:52:06. > :52:19.

:52:19. > :52:23.Fu kit, but the green has come to He would like to live -- like to

:52:23. > :52:33.move that red away from the left corner. But I'm not sure how he can

:52:33. > :52:36.

:52:36. > :52:46.The worst thing happened, he missed the pot and brought those reds away

:52:46. > :52:59.

:52:59. > :53:06.from the side cushion. The last If this red was in the first couple

:53:06. > :53:13.of games, I would fancy him very strongly, but at the moment... I do

:53:13. > :53:23.think she is struggling a little bit. A good pot, though. He needs

:53:23. > :53:59.

:53:59. > :54:09.to re-establish himself in this Just checking to see the angle. If

:54:09. > :54:10.

:54:10. > :54:20.he drops the blue in, 1 other red, He decided take the chance and open

:54:20. > :54:22.

:54:22. > :54:27.If he can't get through the gap, he is very unlucky. And looking at

:54:27. > :54:32.that, well, I think the only way he could get through to part that red

:54:32. > :54:39.is to play a swerve, using lots of right hand side. But even if he

:54:39. > :54:49.potted the red, would he be on a But he will have to play this work,

:54:49. > :54:55.

:54:55. > :55:05.I don't think he can get through I think if he had an alternative

:55:05. > :55:11.safety shot to keep that red are He may be forced into having to

:55:11. > :55:17.play this pot. Unless he can find somewhere in the baulk area to hide

:55:17. > :55:25.the cue ball. Yes, if it is just a case of swerving it to pot the red

:55:25. > :55:29.and then play safe. But if he tries to get up to the baulk end, he is

:55:29. > :55:39.looking to see if he can hit the red on to the pink and the pink on

:55:39. > :55:42.

:55:42. > :55:52.Well, at least did missed the red away from the corner and that was

:55:52. > :56:08.

:56:08. > :56:13.his main concern. He was unlucky Well, I was just about to say what

:56:13. > :56:19.a good pot that was and he just got into it too much. Trying to stun it

:56:20. > :56:29.round and got too much back spin on the cue ball. No real harm done,

:56:30. > :56:30.

:56:30. > :57:12.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:57:12. > :57:22.but he would like to have seen the Their problem, of course, Neil

:57:22. > :57:28.

:57:28. > :57:38.hitting this cluster of four reds - Don't blame him for that, the last

:57:38. > :57:40.

:57:40. > :57:43.thing you want to do is open the It is going to require a good

:57:43. > :57:53.positional play, whoever gets the chance that this frame, with the

:57:53. > :57:55.

:57:55. > :58:05.Where has the cue ball gone? That is a careless in-off, you have to

:58:05. > :58:08.

:58:08. > :58:14.You used to get three for that in billiards. Is that the new

:58:14. > :58:24.catchphrase, "Warehouse the cue ball gone?"? -- Where has a cue

:58:24. > :58:51.

:58:51. > :58:56.He will have to change that shirt. I think the reason he is

:58:56. > :59:06.considering this red, he doesn't really want to bring those four

:59:06. > :59:08.

:59:08. > :59:14.He decided to try and get back to the baulk end. It is not a bad

:59:14. > :59:21.effort, particularly with that little flick off the brand. --

:59:21. > :59:31.round. He does he remind you of? He reminds me of Neil Robertson. It

:59:31. > :59:34.

:59:34. > :59:44.And he will be looking a lot happier now that Neil has not been

:59:44. > :59:47.

:59:47. > :59:56.We will be getting the smile out of him now, it might be something that

:59:56. > :00:06.young lady said to him. What a pot I just wonder if any of those reds

:00:06. > :00:13.

:00:13. > :00:17.He has missed it, and he thinks He thought the top one of the four

:00:17. > :00:21.would go, but how many times do we say it and how many times do we see

:00:21. > :00:29.it? Thinking about position and forgetting about the shot in front

:00:29. > :00:39.of you. Never expecting to miss a green like that. But he is not

:00:39. > :01:04.

:01:04. > :01:10.really on this red, I don't think. I dodged ll whether he is tempted

:01:10. > :01:20.by this. It is actually a very awkward shot into it hate pocket.

:01:20. > :01:53.

:01:53. > :02:00.It is a do-or-die shot. -- into a So far the longest frame of the

:02:00. > :02:08.match,, up to 28 minutes. It might not last much longer if Ding Junhui

:02:08. > :02:18.can knock this long red in. Not the best from Neil Robertson. One good

:02:18. > :02:26.

:02:26. > :02:34.Well, he did not fully commit, but he got the red. He hedged his bets

:02:34. > :02:38.by screwing back to the baulk end. I don't blame him, but it makes the

:02:38. > :02:44.pot a little more difficult, the more pace you put into it. But he

:02:44. > :02:48.will be happy now. He always knew he would be on the green, it was

:02:48. > :02:53.just about to judging the pace to get on that red in the middle of

:02:53. > :02:57.the table. The most awkward aspect is the two reds on the top cushion,

:02:57. > :03:07.because neither of them are pottable. They have to be disturbed

:03:07. > :03:19.

:03:19. > :03:23.The first priority was to get on He could have stunned back for the

:03:23. > :03:29.blue and thought about the cannon, but he does not have a good angle

:03:30. > :03:33.on this thing would. Can he trip this red of the middle and play a

:03:33. > :03:43.cannon? He would be unlucky to stick himself. I don't know whether

:03:43. > :03:48.

:03:48. > :03:53.He tried it. He did, added has not come out too

:03:53. > :04:00.bad. He has flicked the black and finished ideally on the blue to

:04:00. > :04:10.stun down to cannon on these reds. What a flick of the black that was.

:04:10. > :04:12.

:04:12. > :04:22.If this goes right, it is a frame- Well, it could have gone better. It

:04:22. > :04:27.

:04:27. > :04:32.could have gone a lot better. OK, a Decision time, which would you

:04:32. > :04:42.prefer, the one in the left middle or the left corner? I think I would

:04:42. > :05:00.

:05:00. > :05:07.prefer the one in the middle. And it is there! And perfect on the

:05:08. > :05:17.blue. The blue will put him 18 points in front. After the blue,

:05:18. > :05:20.

:05:20. > :05:29.red, cholera, yellow would be This just needs to bounce a bit, he

:05:29. > :05:32.doesn't want to finish tight on the cushion. He would not expect him to

:05:32. > :05:37.miss, but it is more awkward than it should have been. Nothing Neil

:05:37. > :05:47.Robertson can do now. He has played a few loose safety shots in this

:05:47. > :05:47.

:05:47. > :06:29.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:06:29. > :06:39.This yellow to go 26 put backs in Not perfect on the green. Only one

:06:39. > :06:53.

:06:54. > :06:58.Neil Robertson watch -- took the first tonight frames, Ding Junhui

:06:58. > :07:02.pulled him back 2-2 before the mid- session interval. Neil Robertson

:07:02. > :07:12.came back out at on good form to win the frame after the interval,

:07:12. > :07:18.

:07:18. > :07:23.but since then he has gone a little In goes the pink, and it is for

:07:23. > :07:29.Ding Junhui, always trailing in this match, but, the business end

:07:29. > :07:32.this match, but, the business end he goes in front. He now leads 4-3.

:07:32. > :07:37.There first time Ding Junhui has been ahead in this match. But

:07:37. > :07:41.despite a flurry of errors from boast -- both men you just sense

:07:41. > :07:45.that the business end of the situation is now beginning to

:07:45. > :07:51.affect the both of them. They are playing a lot of shots to

:07:51. > :07:54.nothing. There was a shot would Ding had a red, where if he was

:07:54. > :08:00.confident he would have stunned for the blue and chose to screw the

:08:00. > :08:05.white back. They're not playing the most positive shots, and Neil

:08:05. > :08:11.Robertson's safety is going off the boil, he is not finding the baulk

:08:11. > :08:16.cushion as often. A top break from Neil Robertson is 76 so far, yet

:08:16. > :08:19.Ding has knocked in two centuries. It looked as if Robertson was

:08:20. > :08:23.starting the game in form. never know what is going to

:08:23. > :08:30.happened through the day. John Parrott hit the nail on the head

:08:30. > :08:33.with the fact that this was a big frame. 3-3, first to six, the

:08:33. > :08:39.seventh frame is significant. We're spoiled by some great snooker out

:08:39. > :08:43.there, but never underestimate what pressure can do. I think both

:08:43. > :08:48.players are a little under it. Ding broke free, and was impressive by

:08:48. > :08:52.the end of the frame. It was anybody's at that stage. It took

:08:52. > :08:57.him a couple of tries at it, but in the end he was very clean, precise

:08:57. > :09:01.and careful towards the end of that break. He was fortunate, he had a

:09:01. > :09:06.shot around the angles and had a little cannon on the black which

:09:06. > :09:12.gave him a nice angle on the blue to disturb the two reds. Never easy,

:09:12. > :09:19.those ones. He cleared up well in the end. When you look at Neil

:09:19. > :09:23.Robertson, what does he need to improve and quickly to?

:09:23. > :09:29.He needs to allay all the frustration that has probably built

:09:29. > :09:34.up as the match progressed. When he started he was cueing like a dream.

:09:34. > :09:40.All of a sudden, his opponent has got himself back in the game, with

:09:40. > :09:45.a little help from the vagaries of luck. Neil is probably out there,

:09:45. > :09:49.frustrated at the moment. If he now tries to grasp at it, push it too

:09:49. > :09:54.strongly, that is when it could all collapse. He has to be patient and

:09:54. > :09:57.let himself play back into the game in a natural way. He can only play

:09:57. > :10:02.the shots that are presented, and if he feels it is the right shot to

:10:02. > :10:06.go for the 50-50 ball, and you miss it, sometimes it looks like you

:10:06. > :10:11.have lost -- lost the plot a little bit. As defending champions, you

:10:11. > :10:14.both know what that is like, does it add a degree of difficulty?

:10:14. > :10:18.will certainly play on his mind, who do not want to give up what is

:10:18. > :10:23.yours, but he is a determined character. I think he has to play

:10:23. > :10:29.more positive shots, not so much percentage play.

:10:29. > :10:39.Here we go, it is for Sharon, and the Australian defending champion

:10:39. > :10:45.

:10:45. > :10:53.one frame behind. -- it is frame Neil Robertson breaks off in a very

:10:53. > :10:59.important frame for him. If he goes 5-3 down to Ding Junhui he will

:10:59. > :11:03.have a mountain to climb. Role reversal, we said when Ding was 2-0

:11:03. > :11:13.down he needed to win the third frame to get back in the match, but

:11:13. > :11:26.

:11:26. > :11:35.Neil Robertson needs to win this That was always a tough shot to

:11:35. > :11:40.take on. He will probably be feeling that the only red he could

:11:40. > :11:46.leave was the red he was playing. I don't believe he has left something

:11:46. > :11:56.there could count Neil. The fact he was looking up to the baulk end

:11:56. > :11:59.

:11:59. > :12:03.I sometimes feel with Neil Robertson that he is just getting

:12:03. > :12:09.his balance right, sometimes. He can really get in and start scoring

:12:09. > :12:19.heavy and go for these long pots, and he has some beautiful long pots

:12:19. > :12:20.

:12:20. > :12:27.today, and all of a sudden he get a And that is another very poor

:12:27. > :12:37.safety shot. Being so close to the reds, there is no way you should

:12:37. > :13:02.

:13:02. > :13:08.I think, looking at this shot, it is one of those that you cannot

:13:08. > :13:18.just stun it dead. You have to let the cue ball stagger through six

:13:18. > :13:30.

:13:30. > :13:35.inches or so. That is his problem, I always feel the problem with that

:13:35. > :13:39.shot is you just tried to pinch it a little bit. It is almost straight

:13:39. > :13:45.and you're trying to play it of straight, and with that the green

:13:45. > :13:50.being near his bridge hand, that didn't help. He didn't feel he

:13:50. > :14:00.could play the stun run through and get position on the black. He does

:14:00. > :14:00.

:14:00. > :14:43.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:14:43. > :14:46.not look to have left anything easy. There is no doubt in this match

:14:46. > :14:51.that Ding Junhui has grown more composed, while Neil Robertson has

:14:51. > :15:01.grown slid the worst. Ding is finding the cushion with more

:15:01. > :15:10.

:15:10. > :15:18.regularity now. -- grown slightly Here is Neil Robertson's view from

:15:18. > :15:25.behind the cue ball. Plenty of reds he can hit, but getting it safe is

:15:25. > :15:35.another matter. If he tries to get back to the baulk end, he will have

:15:35. > :15:41.

:15:41. > :15:51.He fluked another red. And don't think the yellow comes to his

:15:51. > :16:01.rescue. Ding Junhui can get through to it. The way the reds are spread,

:16:01. > :16:23.

:16:23. > :16:28.one good positional shot, what a He must have been hoping for a

:16:28. > :16:34.thicker contact on the second red than the one he got to. He is not

:16:34. > :16:41.on the colour as planned. Did he think he was going to kiss the red

:16:41. > :16:51.on the top cushion fuller? He still has a chance of a pot, the blue,

:16:51. > :17:00.

:17:00. > :17:10.I would be surprised if he didn't play a pot and try and keep this

:17:10. > :17:21.

:17:21. > :17:31.To only get one. Back from that opportunity, he will be going back

:17:31. > :18:01.

:18:01. > :18:11.to his seat ready disappointed. -- REFEREE: Foul and a miss. Ding

:18:11. > :18:44.

:18:44. > :18:49.This corner is telling the referee. Nice to see him back, he had a

:18:49. > :18:53.health problem over in China, but he is back now. And he is

:18:53. > :19:02.bespectacled. It gets to them all, in the end.

:19:02. > :19:08.Me, too, JV. I can't read the paper without them now. Old age.

:19:08. > :19:18.A miss will be called, but it will not be taken. He has left a nice,

:19:18. > :19:21.

:19:21. > :19:31.I used a magnifying glass now, I think the print is getting smaller

:19:31. > :19:57.

:19:57. > :20:07.end these newspapers. There are loose reds to take on

:20:07. > :20:08.

:20:08. > :20:12.here. I just wonder about the angle You can see the way that cue ball

:20:12. > :20:17.grabbed there. That was really well played. He had to get into that cue

:20:17. > :20:20.ball quite a bit there. Particularly with that red just to

:20:20. > :20:25.the right of the pink, and you can see how the back spin gripped on

:20:25. > :20:35.the cloth. He could not have played it better. The reason he was not

:20:35. > :20:35.

:20:35. > :20:41.too bothered about the pink, he One Celsius get the black on its

:20:41. > :20:46.spot, it will be available possibly into both corners. -- once he gets

:20:46. > :20:51.the black. The fact he is stopping to look at this tells me it is a

:20:51. > :20:54.little bit too straight for comfort. He just wanted a slight angle there,

:20:54. > :21:04.Bennett would have been a straight forward positional shot on the next

:21:04. > :21:25.

:21:25. > :21:33.A little bit of work to do on the I can't believe he quit played it

:21:33. > :21:37.like that. -- I can't quite believe. He had the side on, as you see, I

:21:37. > :21:41.think he hit it too well. He was playing for the red immediately

:21:41. > :21:51.above the black in a direct line with it, but he just overscrewed it.

:21:51. > :21:58.

:21:59. > :22:05.He has a chance at this red, and he If he plays the cannon on the red

:22:05. > :22:15.to the left of the black, it could go wrong. He is one good positional

:22:15. > :22:15.

:22:15. > :23:00.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:23:00. > :23:10.shot away from a fantastic chance He he has the bonus, he has got it

:23:10. > :23:12.

:23:12. > :23:21.You cannot blame him for that shot. One more required with the blue and

:23:21. > :23:31.It just looks slightly the wrong angle, as well. If it was straight

:23:31. > :23:38.

:23:38. > :23:43.he would come back for the two reds I still expected him to pot that,

:23:43. > :23:53.but it made it more tricky than it should have been. Looking where the

:23:53. > :24:16.

:24:16. > :24:21.cue ball has finished, I am not He was unfortunate there, and Ding.

:24:21. > :24:28.Having missed the blue, the left that he read Neil Robertson it

:24:28. > :24:38.would always be doubtful whether he could get position on the colour.

:24:38. > :24:55.

:24:55. > :25:00.This black me go to the far left Well, I have to be honest, I think

:25:00. > :25:10.I agree with Neil, because that looked as if it was in the heart of

:25:10. > :25:41.

:25:41. > :25:51.the pocket. That looked dead in to I think he has a. Black. Get the

:25:51. > :25:52.

:25:53. > :26:02.table fitters and. -- I think he had a point. Get the lovers. --

:26:03. > :26:26.

:26:26. > :26:28.He has not finished perfect, by any He was time he surely he's, I am

:26:29. > :26:38.not sure whether he saw where the ball finished, but he would be

:26:39. > :26:39.

:26:39. > :26:49.disappointed when he looked up. -- he was tying his shoelaces there

:26:49. > :27:09.

:27:09. > :27:14.What a kiss on the black! He has put his hand up a few times to

:27:14. > :27:20.apologise to Neil. Believe me, folks, it doesn't work, it doesn't

:27:20. > :27:30.make you feel any better, your opponent putting his hand up and

:27:30. > :28:01.

:28:01. > :28:04.A good kiss, but get it straight, Well, he potted a good red bought

:28:05. > :28:14.the last time with the rest, but he missed a blue a good few shots ago

:28:15. > :28:24.

:28:24. > :28:29.with the rest. Not guaranteed. His Nicely played. And left the perfect

:28:29. > :28:39.angle on the black to cannon into those four reds just below the pink.

:28:39. > :28:55.

:28:55. > :29:05.If this goes right, it could be a He is certainly on the one just

:29:05. > :29:19.

:29:19. > :29:22.He is just seeing if, in potting this red, he can knock the pink on

:29:22. > :29:32.for the right middle. Most importantly, make certain of the

:29:32. > :29:32.

:29:32. > :29:39.He did not knock it towards the middle. If he is going to play it,

:29:39. > :29:44.which I feel he must do, he has a couple of insurance policies. He

:29:44. > :29:48.has the two near the top cushion, the one near the left-hand cushion,

:29:48. > :29:55.a 48 point lead. If he knocks the pink in, it could win him the frame.

:29:55. > :30:05.You have to take these on. There should be no hesitation whatever.

:30:05. > :30:22.

:30:22. > :30:26.He could put the cue ball down at the cushion there and have an

:30:26. > :30:36.insurance policy with the scent - back pink being on the side cushion,

:30:36. > :30:50.

:30:50. > :31:00.There is your answer. Good cueing there. We need some positive shots.

:31:00. > :31:13.

:31:13. > :31:23.Write to the heart of the pocket. This black, and one more red, and

:31:23. > :31:46.

:31:46. > :31:50.he will be one frame away from a Neil Robertson is in a spot of

:31:50. > :31:59.bother. I do not know how it has come about. He seems to have

:31:59. > :32:05.stopped playing. Tactically, he has been a little lacking. He has not

:32:05. > :32:14.found that bold cushion enough in the second session. -- baulk

:32:14. > :32:24.cushion. There is only one winner at the moment. Ding Junhui is

:32:24. > :32:31.

:32:31. > :32:41.playing hard. It is better than You would have to say, the run of

:32:41. > :32:52.

:32:52. > :32:59.He is now within one frame of going out of the title he holds. He

:32:59. > :33:04.trails Ding Junhui 5-3. He is in sight of the winning line. There

:33:04. > :33:11.have been a couple of incidents in this match when Neil Robertson will

:33:11. > :33:16.be steaming in his chair at what he perceives as the ball rolling off.

:33:16. > :33:22.In both instances, he did not play with deadweight. The table was a

:33:22. > :33:27.bit of. This one, the black was in the middle of the pocket. It moves

:33:27. > :33:32.to the right. The previous one also moved to the right. Perhaps the

:33:32. > :33:37.table is a bit lopsided. We know the tournament office will ask him

:33:38. > :33:47.if he feels the table needs looking at between now and the next match.

:33:48. > :33:48.

:33:48. > :33:56.Do you think there is an issue with this? To get a 12 by six area of

:33:56. > :34:02.table level is not easy. The table is put in the day before and it is

:34:02. > :34:12.a big lump of slate that is on two runners of wood and it settles.

:34:12. > :34:16.Unfortunately, the guinea pig is the first match. Lots of things

:34:16. > :34:20.come into it. They are testing things out. That is one of the

:34:20. > :34:26.reasons why you do not want to be first. Worryingly, earlier in the

:34:26. > :34:31.match, Ding Junhui played a red into the opposite corner and that

:34:31. > :34:34.did not role as you would expect, to the right, that pulled to the

:34:34. > :34:39.left as well. That means, effectively, it is rolling away

:34:39. > :34:44.from both cushions. That becomes a nightmare for the table fitter.

:34:44. > :34:52.Ding Junhui is playing under the same conditions and so far he has

:34:52. > :34:57.been a heavier scorer and he is looking more likely. What has

:34:57. > :35:02.impressed me more than anything about Ding Junhui, you get the

:35:02. > :35:10.feeling if things were not going well, he could drop his head but

:35:10. > :35:15.after losing the first two, he has done really well. Apart from a 46

:35:15. > :35:25.break in frame five from Neil Robertson, it is Ding Junhui who

:35:25. > :35:31.

:35:31. > :35:41.has done all scoring. I could not He needs to win this frame if he is

:35:41. > :36:15.

:36:16. > :36:21.going to stay in this match. He Whereas that red going? Are --

:36:21. > :36:31.where is that red going? I thought it was going to trickle in to the

:36:31. > :36:35.

:36:35. > :36:45.He needs to make the most of this. One of those just off Streak.

:36:45. > :37:17.

:37:17. > :37:22.Trying to pinch a bit of a chance It seems a long time ago now since

:37:22. > :37:29.Neil Robertson was giving a fist pump. He was feeling good then. I

:37:29. > :37:39.would not think he is feeling that good night. Back firmly against the

:37:39. > :37:54.

:37:54. > :37:59.wall. -- that could now. He cannot He has the option of playing the

:37:59. > :38:09.yellow and going straight into the pack if he wants. Perfectly natural

:38:09. > :38:36.

:38:36. > :38:45.There is his chance again now. not think he can refuse at this

:38:45. > :38:55.time. The two reds on the side of the table on not easy. That looks

:38:55. > :38:57.

:38:57. > :39:07.perfect. He did play that at a lively pace. He could not have

:39:07. > :39:25.

:39:25. > :39:35.That is amazing. It absolutely flew off the cushion. I got the feeling

:39:35. > :40:00.

:40:01. > :40:10.when he hit it, I thought, this is This could cost him the frame of

:40:11. > :40:37.

:40:37. > :40:47.Any harder and it would not have dropped, believe me. The table is

:40:47. > :40:47.

:40:47. > :41:28.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:41:28. > :41:38.definitely running downhill if that This is the highest break Neil

:41:38. > :41:59.

:41:59. > :42:09.There is no better way to reduce That should never have gone in,

:42:09. > :42:09.

:42:09. > :42:50.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

:42:50. > :43:00.This black, to go 65 points in He will be a bit disappointed to

:43:00. > :43:07.

:43:07. > :43:17.That was a good pot. He has knocked it in. He would like to make a

:43:17. > :43:23.

:43:23. > :43:33.It is also important to keep the momentum going and get the frame

:43:33. > :44:09.

:44:09. > :44:13.He may try and bring the red away from the left-hand cushion. I

:44:13. > :44:23.thought he might have played the cannon to bring that M3 into play.

:44:23. > :44:50.

:44:50. > :45:00.He will need it. Maybe not. -- that Did not give that a chance to roll

:45:00. > :45:10.

:45:10. > :45:20.Well played. So that trophy that he held high last year is still within

:45:20. > :45:21.

:45:21. > :45:29.reach. A good century. That was an excellent break from Neil Robertson.

:45:29. > :45:34.He is still on the brink and trails 5-4. That is how to answering

:45:34. > :45:39.tricky situation. Biggest break of the match. He seemed to me that

:45:39. > :45:43.told, that kick, to get moving. Sometimes that happens when your

:45:43. > :45:49.back is against the wall. He got a bit back from the table. We were

:45:49. > :45:58.talking about the role ofs before. The raid should never have gone in.

:45:58. > :46:03.-- Roelofs. If he had not had that, he might have lost the match.

:46:03. > :46:09.probably senses at one stage he did not think Ding Junhui deserved to

:46:09. > :46:19.be winning. From his perspective, he feels as if he has a claim on it.

:46:19. > :46:21.

:46:21. > :46:25.You would expect a fighter. It is anybody's at the moment. One of the

:46:25. > :46:30.first frames we have had that has been one visit snooker. We have had

:46:30. > :46:35.a bit of a scrap in the early stages of the frames to get moving.

:46:35. > :46:39.Neither player has been at their best. Ding Junhui has had two

:46:39. > :46:43.centuries. Apart from that, the frames have been difficult to win.

:46:43. > :46:51.It is the right time in the match for Neil Robertson to start making

:46:51. > :46:58.big breaks. Neil Robertson has on his mind his performance at the UK

:46:58. > :47:04.Championship before Christmas. He got to the semi-final against Mark

:47:04. > :47:11.Selby and lost. I wonder if that is playing on his mind? How quickly do

:47:11. > :47:15.players get over it? To be a player, you have to be an optimist. There

:47:15. > :47:20.is no point in dwelling on what has gone before. It is not as hurtful

:47:20. > :47:25.as boxing. There is always a tournament around the corner.

:47:25. > :47:29.Especially now. You get plenty of bite during the season. He is not

:47:30. > :47:34.the type of player, I do not think snooker players are the tide in

:47:35. > :47:40.general to dwell on it. If you have bad form for a long time, that is

:47:40. > :47:45.another issue. Nevertheless, coming in to at an event like this, do you

:47:45. > :47:51.have a point to prove to yourself? It is such a big event, this. All

:47:51. > :47:55.the players want to do well. To play the first match and go out in

:47:55. > :47:59.the first match and have the rest of the week, it is not nice.

:47:59. > :48:04.have seen a glimpse of the form that brought the total to Neil

:48:04. > :48:12.Robertson last year. He is still hanging on. He has got to win this

:48:12. > :48:17.one and the next two if he is to go to the quarter-finals. The crowd

:48:17. > :48:23.are starting to get behind Neil Robertson. That was an excellent

:48:23. > :48:31.break. Puts a little bit of pressure on the return it to baulk

:48:31. > :48:41.for Ding Junhui. Particularly with that red being adjacent to the

:48:41. > :49:04.

:49:04. > :49:12.He has played it up well, they may not be a return for Neil Robertson

:49:12. > :49:22.here. He cannot get across that red and back down into the baulk area

:49:22. > :49:55.

:49:55. > :50:05.Has he spotted a red that goes to I do not think he can see enough of

:50:05. > :50:18.

:50:18. > :50:25.Well, that is very careless. If he has left a chance at that red to

:50:25. > :50:35.the left of the black, a chance of putting it into the middle, that is

:50:35. > :50:44.

:50:44. > :50:54.That was a great shot. Careless from Ding Junhui to leave that

:50:54. > :50:59.

:50:59. > :51:09.Absolutely dead straight, that. He wants to go behind the blue here.

:51:09. > :51:26.

:51:26. > :51:36.This red, the alternative red, it is a bit tricky. The other one has

:51:36. > :51:44.

:51:44. > :51:54.He played that as well as he could have done. It was an awkward angle.

:51:54. > :51:57.

:51:57. > :52:07.The black he is about to take, it is not easy. He knew it was

:52:07. > :52:12.

:52:12. > :52:18.difficult. He did not want to play That was too thin. Has he got away

:52:18. > :52:22.with it? As he left a red to the middle? I think he has left a red

:52:22. > :52:32.to the right to meddle. Touching ball, does that mean he cannot get

:52:32. > :53:02.

:53:02. > :53:12.through to the red? I think he can A good shot. I think he can get

:53:12. > :53:17.

:53:17. > :53:27.He can get through to the black but he would have loved to have been on

:53:27. > :53:37.

:53:37. > :53:42.Oh, that was a clever shot. It has worked out beautifully. That is

:53:42. > :53:52.what we talk about, playing the positive shot, the right shot to

:53:52. > :54:06.

:54:06. > :54:16.He is giving himself a match winning chance. Would you believe

:54:16. > :54:17.

:54:17. > :54:22.it? How careless was that? That is in the top three of his worst shots

:54:22. > :54:27.today. All you have to do his land on the blue and he has overscrewed

:54:27. > :54:37.it with a bit of side on it. He has left himself more open and he

:54:37. > :54:40.

:54:40. > :54:50.should have done. -- than he should He should have had any easier shot

:54:50. > :55:06.

:55:06. > :55:12.them this. This is a tough shot to Very well played. It was one of

:55:12. > :55:18.those, if he had missed, he would have said he played it out of

:55:18. > :55:23.desperation. He would have been annoyed. He did not have anything

:55:23. > :55:27.easier. He is showing he is in a positive frame of mind. We saw it

:55:27. > :55:37.with the pink in the last frame. And now with that green. He is

:55:37. > :55:42.

:55:43. > :55:52.winning this match. It is not being Sometimes you wonder whether he is

:55:53. > :56:32.

:56:32. > :56:42.up for the fight but he has He played that nicely. He has a

:56:42. > :56:46.

:56:46. > :56:56.choice here. Go for the blue or the An angle to go into that cluster of

:56:56. > :56:58.

:56:58. > :57:08.five below the pink. He could play for one of these two loose reds. We

:57:08. > :57:40.

:57:40. > :57:45.He would love to leave an angle here off the black where he can

:57:45. > :57:55.play a cannon into the pack. That would be an insurance policy of the

:57:55. > :58:07.

:58:07. > :58:11.It looks like he will just play for the loose red on the right hand

:58:11. > :58:20.side of the table. I thought he would play on an angle. Very

:58:20. > :58:30.surprised at that choice of shot. It is not even going to be that

:58:30. > :58:36.

:58:36. > :58:46.He has managed to force it up but I am really surprised, the way he

:58:46. > :59:08.

:59:08. > :59:18.Well recovered. If this goes right for Ding Junhui, he will be through

:59:18. > :59:27.

:59:27. > :59:37.6-4. He needs a good cannon of this You do not want to hit it too hard,

:59:37. > :59:38.

:59:38. > :59:48.you just want to split them open. Is he on the red? He is desperately

:59:48. > :59:48.

:59:48. > :59:58.looking. Not quite. He may be able to turn it over slightly with the

:59:58. > :59:59.

:59:59. > :00:09.left Tyneside. If the cue ball rolls a little, it is frame and

:00:09. > :00:13.

:00:13. > :00:18.match. -- left-hand side. I thought he played it perfectly. How many

:00:18. > :00:28.times does that happen? You just need a little quarter of an inch.

:00:28. > :00:46.

:00:46. > :00:51.In practice, you would not hesitate. He would just try and flick this in.

:00:51. > :01:01.But he knows how important it is and he does not want to make the

:01:01. > :01:12.

:01:12. > :01:19.In my opinion, that was the right shot. The degree of difficulty was

:01:19. > :01:28.too much. He has played a safety and played a good one indeed. He

:01:28. > :01:38.has put Neil Robertson in trouble. Hard to see a way back into the

:01:38. > :01:52.

:01:52. > :02:02.Just looking at the situation, 41 points behind, still a possible 75

:02:02. > :02:07.

:02:07. > :02:17.on the table. Ding Junhui is now the big favourite. I do not see how

:02:17. > :02:20.

:02:20. > :02:26.Surely even a potter like Neil Robertson cannot put all his eggs

:02:26. > :02:36.in one basket and go for this red on the left-hand side? Is there an

:02:36. > :02:42.

:02:42. > :02:47.Well, he played it and he has done pretty well. He has got the cue

:02:47. > :02:57.ball but to the baulk end. He is not completely safe. But he was in

:02:57. > :02:59.

:02:59. > :03:09.a whole there. He could not have done much better. He got so close

:03:09. > :03:31.

:03:32. > :03:36.to the pot. It is as safe as he Ding Junhui is almost over the line

:03:36. > :03:43.here. Defending champion looks like he is going out. We have to leave