Final, Part 1 Masters Snooker

It is a white out in North London. Happily, we have one of those

indoors in the warmth of Alexandra Palace. It is the last day of the

Betfair Masters. After a break up superb matches although we were not

saying that last night in the conclusion of her second semi-final.

The kiosk has been doing a brisk trade with us all. If we are tired,

spare a thought for the number one Mark Selby. He has to get himself

back up to play Neil Robertson who is fresh as a daisy. In truth, it

has been a hard journey for the two of them to get this far. Let's

remind you of how they did it. have got to play well from the

start. It is one of the best tournaments. To be involved and it

is that big on her. -- on her. playing one of the best players in

the world around one here. If I could get a chance, I was really

going to go for it. He left to be a chance. I won the first round and

then I lost five rounds on the trot. It would have been disappointing to

go out in the first round. While I am in the tournament I have still

got a chance. I fear the worst when Mark lady listener power. In terms

of judging a shot, probably the best shot I played. To go on and

make a century from there is I felt up for it from the start and

I am sure Mark did. But we all seem to bring each other down, neither

of us perform to what we are capable. I got off to a good start.

I won the first round. It am under pressure. -- its tenants. -- beat

him. If it wasn't for that, I would be going home. It meant the

incredible to win it again. It is a great privilege to be a player. To

win it again went the extra special. Hopefully I can get my hand on the

He is preferred method to do that would to get good breaks. He has

got a great speed game. He can claw his way back into any match. He has

got the class and the regret and determination. What does Neil

Robertson need to do? What he has to do is do what he has been doing

all week - be confident in his own ability, when frames in one visit,

don't get involved in this they do battle. And don't let Mark Selby

dictate this match. Mark Selby leads the series 3-1 and won the

most recent meeting just six weeks ago. Neil Robertson's plant

collapsed and the Mark Selby Be in both of their minds. It was

that defeat that sparked a chance meeting with a certain Stephen

Hendry after words and some very straight-talking ensued from this

man about what you thought about his thought-processes in so doing.

How if anything do you think he has improved as a consequence of that

lecture? His focus looks incredible. He is getting early and friends, he

is winning them in one visit. I would like to think I have helped

him a little bit. But he is a great player on his own. He is a

fantastic player and then ex-world champion like yourself. As far as

Mark Selby performed last night, it was hard snooker. There was not a

lot less from them in the end from his interview. How much do you

think he has Colette and what does they have to do to get himself back

up? He hasn't got a lot left if he plays that kind of snooker. He

wants to win with style. If he gets into getting centuries that he will

enjoy it more. He will not be as shattered as he was last night.

have heard what Neil Robertson has and has not to do. Her Heagney

sticky playing his own game. He has been the best player I am well this

week. -- he just needs to stick to. It is a long way to go before that.

Let's review the numbers for you. Neil Robertson Appin 92 present

potting success. He has been more accurate with the long hots. Selby

suffered from distance and the most telling staff, Selby's highest

break from bitter remit is 86. -- Neil Robertson trying to be the

fourth man in history to defend this title. Mr Rob Walker. Thank

you. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is that, after

seven days a competition, it is far the Betfair Masters final for 2013.

Both players have won it before. Who will reign supreme tonight?

Let's find out. It is time to get Please welcome a player who has

been simply sublime so far this week. Although his tenure as in

Britain he has established himself as one of the very best in the

world. Bidding to become the 4th player to six per -- successfully

defend the Masters title, the tournament's number one seed, can

you hear The Thunder From Down And his opponent, a man Who Never

knows who -- when he is evident. This is his fourth final in six

years. This is a tournament which so often reduces his best, ladies

and gentlemen, please welcome the world number one, digester from

Leicester. Mark Selby! Best of 18 friends. -- frayings.

What an atmosphere here. It is cold outside but it is nice and warm in

here. Certainly, Dennis. What a fantastic every by everybody to be

you. -- effort. We have two Looks as if Neil Robertson won the

It is the Australian who gets his opening frame underway. And it's a

white keeps on running... Be looked as if he was going to get a snooker,

We have said before the match, how has Mark Selby colt. I mentioned

last night, there are not many sports where you play twice in one

day. He is back in the final because it finished very late in

the morning. It certainly was hard work. Graeme Dott looked as if he

would go ahead when he had a great chance of a clearance, he did not

make it. It was hard work for both It didn't look possible from that

angle. Let's have a look again. He didn't got the red in the middle of

the pocket, that is why he followed I think that type of shot is going

to play a big part in this final. It is about who will get themselves

able to get that kind of shot to He took his eye off it. He played

it to cannon the pack. He is in the final, but he has not played

anything like he can do this week. It is aback handed compliment if

A thin one to get in behind the yellow and blue. That is a terrific

You usually find the first attempt All is her on the side of caution.

He is such a wonderful competitor. That would be nice, a three-ball

plant. He did have a look at the possibility of setting this red to

the one above the black. He might A county sure dead! -- and he sure

If he was confident that would go in, he should have played for green

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Just seemed to drift slightly to It is an awkward angle, this. It he

plays for that to -- two to the left of the black spot, he could

Where those two reds are, he is In a perfect world he would like to

come into this pack from the right- Is he looking at the two cushions

Very well played. He got to those two reds that were mentioned. It

was well judged. The only downside is it is touching ball. You can

guarantee you will be back down the I think there is a gap there. It

might be the black because the pink and black were tied up. He can see

the red is OK. It depends on which he gets whether the black will

He would have to stun it. It would make the pot more difficult. Not a

lot of value in this. He has a straight push up and down on his

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I am wandering Ed Mark thought He is such a good potter. He could

get a cue in the air and say it as Watch the white when it plays the

It was the reverse side that caught him up this end of the table. But

Always going to be tricky. There is a shot on the black. Is he feeling

This is a big indication early on in this match Harry E years feeling.

It is the opening frame of a final, you are going to have tension out

there. It is nice to get that first I feel the opening of this match is

This is not what he wants to see at the moment, Mark Selby in amongst

You could hear a pin drop in the Ally Pally. The crowd are engrossed

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Plate that nicely. Got enough angle It is amazing, it is the first

Has he come back far enough? He hasn't. Just needed to screw that

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There is some target to aim for A little that AC, that. Now will

Neil Robertson take on his specialities? If he knocks this, we

will finish when I in the bank. -- It is going to cost 10. I don't

blame and taking that on, there was some pressure on it. He went full

blooded far-out. He knew it would give them a chance to take the

frame. Every chance now he will Look back on its pot will help. --

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Had to play it eight screw a If he doesn't get it, he could undo

That is why he was looking at where He can switch round in a match and

suddenly play at his best. There is no doubting his quality. Some of

that performances in the Masters have been out says -- outstanding.

Century breaks. In the last few He is keeping going and getting

those chances. Neil Robertson needs as an ogre. Only 43 on the table. -

He tried to double the black because he didn't need it. AKG

start by both players. It is Mark Selby who has taken it and he leads

If you like to get in touch with If you like to get in touch with

these gentlemen please feel free to do so. The e-mail address is below

and up he would like to tweet us, the Twitter address is below. Steve

Davis will have cue on hand and will receive you in his Snooker

Clinic. Impressions first of all on that opening frame for Mark Selby's

perspective. Looked pretty solid. He will want to put on the style,

you will want to show why you while world number one. Especially after

the UK and the matches this week, you want to prove why you are the

best player in the world. It is a bit worrying for Neil because he

had been such a quick starter in matches. You almost sense his

frustration, and he must be asking himself where it has gone. After he

beat Mark Williams, we were commentating on the match, he was

so frustrated and saying he is creating chances but he is not

scoring and sheer frustration even though he had beaten Mark Williams

quite convincingly that he still quite convincingly that he still

was not happy. Sometimes when you get a few frames Open balls but he

can score, but he has scored quickly and he has not been doing

it from one visit. It is a testament to how good the standard

is, that he can play at this level and not at his best level and still

win. Both players hoping that they can shake off the shackles and we

will get some big breaks into this DENNIS TAYLOR: That has kept the

pink in open play. The black is tied up with a red either side of

He has fluked it and if he hits the yellow, that is a bonus. Cannoning

into the yellow means he can now That is careless. He took his eye

off the pot, played a delicate screw shot and took his eye off the

pot. Some shots I don't fancy him missing, but that is exactly what

he has done. He certainly has not You can get yourself up for a final

and sometimes the worst thing you can do is to try too hard but I am

sure Neil will settle down, he has The pink is the highest available,

I am wondering if he can power the blue in and somehow cannon the reds

and black. He could play for the single one near the cushion but he

The red up the back will go, but can he get a better angle on the

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He decided to go with power and hit that exceptionally well. You could

see the white jump there. Played with lots of top spin and that was

about as much of an angle as he He just keeps leaving himself with

a slight angle, just about OK again and the red is available. He did

not have to force it in that time because of the red to the right of

the bunch. If he screws that back, he might go close to the middle

He played it well, was very careful of that middle pocket. He can play

into the pack here, obviously. If you play it firm enough, you may

get lucky and bring the black into This is a well-constructed break

here. He is having to work very hard and as long as he keeps on

getting the right side of the blue, Once again, he has played that

beautifully. He has got his mind set on clinching this frame. He is

going about it in a much better way than last night. The way he is

striking the ball as far better than last night. Taking that

opening frame has really settled Mark Selby down. He has forgotten

Stephen Hendry was saying, when you are the world number one, you want

to do it in style and he certainly Neil Robertson in his chair knows

he needs to get involved in this He has had chances already.

unlucky it is that if he has covered this red? He is just OK and

That is the first time he has come up a little short so he will have a

Another red and blue would put him 60 in front with a possible 59 on

Not often you see that but he has made a frame-winning break here and

he has potted or blues, eight of them and one pink. -- potted a

Nothing in the rule book says you Neil Robertson will already have

forgotten about this frame and be And he is still going, that was a

Well, he has tried to flick one but he has not. What a superb effort

that was from Mark Selby. He potted nine blues in that break and he now

leads two frames. HAZEL IRVINE: We were talking about

Mark Selby's highest break all week was 86 but that 73 was top quality.

Yes, you will see a lot of centuries this week but he will not

see many better breaks than that. The black was out of commission and

that was a superb break. We always talk about how important it is to

get the top side of the blue. Mark Selby on most occasions there got

top side of the blue every time to keep the break on. That was a

superb break. Robertson 2-0 down now. He seems a bit tentative.

body language does not look good. In the semi-final he looked up for

it and focused. I do not know whether he lost a bad defeat to

Mark in the UK, he might be a little bit nervous about playing

him again. He knows what to expect and how tough the match will be.

Even sat in his chair, he does not look good. Not as focused as

yesterday. I commentated on that match and it was incredible. Mark

Selby could not make a break in the first four frames. From then on,

Mark Selby did not look back. Maybe as Stephen said, in the back of his

DENNIS TAYLOR: He could do with a That is not bad. He needs a chance

Will he be forced into a Neil Robertson special? We have seen him

knock this type of shot in down the left-hand side of the table. But

when you are 2-0 down, and are struggling to get going, this might

just spark something. This is a That is a bit more like the Thunder

Right through the ball, he has finished just behind the baulk line

with no pot on. A great shot for He would had a great chance with

the reds if he rolled onto the That was a difficult shot to do.

Virtually the same shot in one of his other matches the other day and

Has he left this pot on? He had to be very precise with that escape

He has to be careful as he is a That was the best he could do, the

red dropping on and even then, not the perfect angle on the pink. A

bit of a cut back. But looks easy from that picture but it is safely

That was perfect. Spot on. This is very significant, even though it is

early in the match, a first real good scoring chance and time to go

We have had 19 centuries in this year's Masters and the Australian,

he has made six of those. Three of them against Mark Allen. In that

fantastic match that finished with a century break after the

unbelievable escape to pot the red He must give this a bit of due care

Amazing, he has done it again. He has concentrated so much on the cue

ball, he took his eye off that fairly straightforward pot. It is

amazing, the number of times that That is nicely played. If I was

Mark Selby, I would be rather encouraged by what I was seen from

Mike opponent today. -- my opponent. So far today, body-language and

The defending champion Neil Robertson has played the best

snooker in the past week here as we were saying before the match. Here

in the Alexandra Palace. He has made six centuries. Mark Selby is

yet to make one in this championship. The quality of his

matches has been up standing. -- To date it is a very poor start and

not like him. -- today is a very They have played each other on four

occasions and Mark Selby is 3-1 The come back from 4-0 behind in

the UK Championship to win 6-4, that was terrific performance from

It is nice to have things like that All of a sudden, he is growing in

confidence. That was a terrific shot. He could go one and maybe win

another frame, the way he is If your opponent does not get in

front of the balls, then you will get confident. That was a brilliant

I cannot begin to stress the Most people would expect Neil

Robertson to come out of the blocks on the form this week and stamp his

Out of 14 of the matches played here, 10 of the matches, who were

the won the first frame, went on to win the match, an interesting

statistic -- whether won the first frame. The final is the first to 10

but what a start for the Jester He is looking more focused. He is

sensing that he has got his He is certainly hitting the ball

You cannot do better than win a frame with one visit. He did it in

the previous frame. He has done it One more frame after this before

John mentioned earlier that Mark's highest break has been a break of

I do not know whether it is the pressure of trying to defend this

championship which not many people have done, lot of pressure on Neil

Robertson today but he will blank that because his opponent is

He made 55 century breaks last season, did Mark. 20 so far this

That is a timely century break and that is his wife there, Vikki

Layton, she will be delighted and he will not in an attempt to pot

the black. He has got the one chance and it was enough, that 102

break puts the Jester from Leicester 3-0 in front. Worrying

Ken has been talking in his studio. Here is a situation, all we have

You have an ace easy pot on the red, you want to get on the right side

of the blue. Let's say you can get back down the table, the cue ball

has to travel into baulk. It can come back into the blues pot area.

It it is area is a area we want to put the white ball end. It is

critical to get on the right side of the blue, but the right angle.

This can become a frightening shot where there is some tension on the

If you go too far, then you have got one of that baulk colours. This

area here is roughly where the players are looking to get it, but

under pressure it is difficult to Never put that paper in the match.

It was a very surprising and this given how accurate Robertson has

been all week. He took his eye off the pot. It is amazing, we are

saying two different players. Sometimes you can struggle through

the tournament and finder form in the final. That is what Mark Selby

has done. -- find your. It is almost a role reversal of what we

expected today. Mark Selby has a chance to win this match in one

session. He is now 3-0 up. A very strong position and he will want to

keep his foot on the pedal. We have not seen Neil Robertson buckle

under pressure will -- this week. How does he recover? He is looking

at the scoreline, he is thinking I Mark was out of the arena for a few

moments there. He is going to get a 15, 20 minute interval after this

frame. 3-0 down, that is quite good Look at that, you are not the only

ones! We love Hazel as well. are not allowed to blow kisses at

Terrific long pot. He cannot get himself on to a baulk colour.

No advantage from that terrific it long shot. It is touching so that

Didn't intend to hit the yellow there. The only problem here, you

cannot see that red, is the red near the cushion. You have to be

careful not to cannon into that. He needs at the inner contact on his

red or a thicker contact to avoid He doesn't want to hit it that then.

Nice to see Terry Camilleri getting his first major final. Our great

It it that reverie last night had a hard match between Mark Selby and

Good that we have the monitors now for the referees to look at.

especially when the bulls get As long has he missed that red, he

Has he spotted another three-ball plant? He could have a go at it. He

He didn't attend to it. -- attempt it. He knows the importance of this

frame. 3-0 down and against the world number one, who seems to be

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improving. You have got to be very To an excellent shot. Mark Selby

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tap the table there, saying well As slow roll shot or as a day? A

bit of both. -- or a safety. lost to Shaun Murphy last year. He

has gone for his hat-trick of Masters titles. He really does love

He is not going to make it easy for Neil Robertson. Mark Selby keeping

things tight. He is going to have He doesn't want to be taking any

undue risks. He is one of the best potters the game has ever seen. He

has been kept at bay at the moment by Mark Selby. He will have to be

patient and played a very good safety shot or he will have to pull

That is Mark dictating things at the moment. He is doing the right

thing here. Just look what the cue al... It was worth the risk there.

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That flick of the brown has led his red, which is almost straight. It

is not an easy black it he was to It is a tough black. He is going to

keep it tight again here. He took it up to their baulk cushion.

have to knock the red end. He knew Ate it looked as if he could take

the black on, but it was a tough Black to take on. There is a

possible plant with the pink. It He might have a go at this. Nor,

once again, there is a day. He could have dropped on the black. He

is not risking anything and you cannot blame him. He wants a decent

I am wondering if you will risk a It was a great try and a clever

He knew himself that was close. Look at the way he has played it.

It has gone very close to the He has got to be careful here. He

could leave a path between the green and brown. It is a little bit

But with that red, up past the blue spot area, any escape to they at

baulk area has got to be precise. I am wondering if he can take the

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double on and move towards the What a fluke that would have been.

This is very good matchplay from Mark Selby. He knows his opponent

is desperate to get a good chance of scoring and he is playing a very

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I wonder if that double is on again. You do like a double. It is our --

This kind just as safety shot macro. But a possibility that time.

could have played it better. He could have had that cue ball tight

The red is pottable. But with the white up against the cushion, it is

difficult. It the white was off the Look at the shape of the balls. It

He fought long and hard. Now Neil Robertson has a chance to get a few

points on the board. That was a calculated risk. And if he had not

have not attend, he had a great chance. It was always going to be

Might not take the obvious one over the middle ear. The black is no

good either. The pink is tied up. Stopping for the yellow because he

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He knew it -- needs to get the He played it into an area which

Still far from easy. Don't know of the red closes to the white could

It is not the easiest of shots, but you are guaranteed to be near the

black. He will not win the frame on This will help as long as he is not

dead straight. He has a little -- little bit. He has got to play

It was a fascinating safety exchange there, seeing who would

make the mistake. He is doing well. Neil forced Mark into taking a

This was the one, it was a tough one, but he took the risk and it

didn't pay off. It is all about keeping a full concentration now.

have noticed he is striking the ball better, there is more

authority and his strike. Tentative at the start of this match and not

like him. I don't know if he has that much respect against Mark

Selby. His body language is usually very confident and hasn't been

He has experience to know that this is very important. He needs to tell

Eight frames to be played in the It has come up a little bit short

there. Checking to see of the pink He was trying to stun pass the pink.

It is still got it all. If you do knock the pink in, you are opening

He is showing as hear what a class act he is. Under extreme pressure,

Mark Selby with breaks of 73 and 102. He is not going to let go of

A 47 now in front. There is plenty of Louis reds. That could take am

well past the winning post in this We are at a order than the Ally

pally, people at home nice and warm. It is going to be a good day, I

It will be feeling better for Neil Robertson and his fans. He will

only be two behind at the interval Just the pink needed an Neil

Robertson has got his first frame on the board. As we always say, you

never settle until you get that This is what he had to do, one

mistake from Mark Selby and he has punished and correct. It has been

excellent match play. Top-class tactical stuff at the start of it.

1 miss the Hague, which was this, a very tricky got in the centre. And

since then, it has been a fabulous break. He has sorted it out. And

Here's a nice three-ball plant. The That has a nice plant. Alan

Titchmarsh would be proud of that Good concentration here as we show

you that again. When he wins a frame, he wants to pot off the

Neil always wants to knock the lot Wouldn't it be nice if he could

finish this mini-session with a What a shame that he will not be

too worried about that, he got the chance and Neil Robertson made a

superb break of 78 there and we go to the mid-session interval just

two behind, 3-1 to Mark Selby. HAZEL IRVINE: You would think some

relief for Neil Robertson because clearly he has not started as badly

as this all week. No, and a good response. He needed to take all the

experience, particularly the comeback against Ding Junhui. That

is what champions are made of. We were commenting, you're struggling

to get the first frame so you put more pressure on yourself so a bit

lose with the cue ball but he held himself together well and he will

certainly be feeling a bit better going into that. There were a

couple of shots, Stephen, where he was a bit loose. Yes, you put more

attention on potting the balls and everything is automatic in your

head. You go round and it is easy but when you are desperate to get

the first frame, you are concentrating so hard, you forget

about the position. It could have been four frames for Australian

watchers of this match. We have had lots of tweets and e-mails, thank

you for them. Glenn Fogarty rides to say, how do you get yourself

ready for a long session and in particular, how do you do so

mentally? It is a best-of- 19, the whole momentum changes in these

matches. Your best not to think about the whole of 19 frames, what

players will normally think about is the start of first four frames.

Take it in fours. Try to win the first two many sessions or even

have a lead going into tonight, both players will be happy with

that. Take each mini-session as they come. Did you have to break it

down into small, achievable goals as you went along, Stephen?

always thought I could get a massive psychological boost in the

first session so I would be looking for 62. -- 6-2. It is a huge margin

going into the evening session. They it sounds simple but when you

break it down into targets like that... Thank you, gentlemen. This

one is from C R wood. Chris says, can you ask Stephen and Ken what

they regard of the fine mess of the modern-day match cloths, the

benefits are more action on the cue ball, more bad contacts and Raul

offs because every slight blemish on the slate of the table can be

exaggerated. If you have played in some of the clubs I played in since

I was an amateur, they are a lot worse than those ones! I would not

playing at the Fine nature of the cloth but I would so that if you go

into your club and you run your hand down the table, you will feel

a little bit of the heavy cloth. This cloth is double shaved, and

you almost tinge you're fingers, it is that Sharp and fine. But if you

go into a club with the 26 ounce cloths... Like your suit!

One person says do you think safety play has become a thing of the past,

you clearly were not watching last night will stop I believe it is

better to be aggressive, and that is the way snooker should be played,

and snooker isn't important -- Mark Selby was not exactly at his

most lucid best when he came into this studio, he was practically

punch drunk after clambering across the line at Graeme Dott -- with

Graeme Dott. But Ken caught up with him earlier in the week because

these are great times for the world We are at the Masters tournament,

welcome, Mark. What are your feelings about the Masters? It is

one of the main tournaments that sticks out in my mind, when I was a

junior watching the great finals and to be involved in it is a great

honour. To have won it is a great privilege. When you first played

here, what did you think? I have never come to it, not given to

watch it because the year I came it was in the Wembley Arena and before

that it was in the conference centre and somebody said it was the

best venue but to go to the Masters going in blind and not knowing what

to expect, I managed to go in and win the tournament in my first year.

Can you remember the first match? think I played Stephen Hendry and

2008. They baptism of fire! managed to come back and win but it

was very nerve-racking. Every match you play it seemed like you go into

a final, a one-table set-up so always a great atmosphere. You had

so much success at the Masters in Wembley and now it has moved here.

I lost in the final twice and won it twice. At the end of the day, it

is a 6 ft snooker table and it is in a different room. What about the

first time when you won the Masters? That must have been a

special memory. My first tournament I won as a professional and even

though it is not a ranking event, it is up there as one of the best

reply. To win on my first one was amazing. It has been well-

documented about your health and you're back and the vertebrae. How

you feeling now? Are play snooker as much as I did before, with no

discomfort. When I got first diagnosed, it was difficult because

I could not practise. There were certain shots I could not play. It

seems to be 99% fine now and I can get on and enjoy my snooker.

must have been a worrying time. Obviously your career, you started

as a child and wanted to play snooker. When something like that

happens, it must be boring, that you might not be able to play

snooker for the rest of your life. Yes, because I still enjoy playing

it as much as I was when I was a trialled. I enjoyed the competitive

side and when I was sitting at home -- one I was as a child, I was

watching and thinking, who knows, I might not be able to play again and

with having no qualifications at school, I did not have much choice.

Just any ideas what you might have done if you're not a snooker

player? I would probably be signing on! You are clearly a passionate

player, you enjoy a coming to the tournaments, having the banter with

the lads. You have a great feeling for the game as well as playing for

a living but you have a great passion. Yeah, I do because I see

myself as fortunate. Some people are struggling here, there and

everywhere but I am fortunate, travelling the world doing

something I love and getting paid a good amount of money so I cannot

complain. Life is good at the moment, you're married now, back to

world number one, you have won the UK Championship and now you are

committed the Masters. Things are going swimmingly for you. Yes,

married for just over a year, me and Vikki are very happy. I can't

complain. The family and friends and good snooker as well.

important is it to you to have the good support, particularly from

your wife, who comes over for the final? It is tough because you know

as well as everybody, there's always highs and lows, I can be

really down after a tournament but she is always there to pick me up

and get any on the right track. You need somebody like that and in the

sport like we play, you need stability and support. He still had

to do the washing up? Well, I put them in the dishwasher! Of the UK

Championship before Christmas, you regained the world number one. How

important was that for you? It is great to be top of the rankings,

you aim for that but it does not mean as much to me as it did the

first time. Don't get me wrong, it means a lot but I put a lot of

pressure on me and now like go out expected to show what I am number-

one and I think I have gained a lot bike losing it and now I am trying

to enjoy it and trying to do what got me there in the first place.

There is the added pressure of being world number one, you try to

live up to it. Yes, I did not feel the pressure from outside people,

lots of the time I was just putting it on myself. I want to go out and

play it but if I put pressure on myself, I have learnt a lot about

that. How you feeling for the Masters final? I played well in

Germany in the New Year, and I am really confident and off the back

of the UK as well so looking forward to it. Best of what to you.

HAZEL IRVINE: It took him a while to feel good about winning the UK

Championship and without bringing his A game should have filled him

with confidence but he went straight to the practice table and

went from there. Do you understand that? You want to win a

championship as big as the UK and win it in style and they do not

think he did. He did not have to. The standard has gone up and his

second game is so good. Like John Higgins, who can win by not playing

at his best. That can be great to have that in the tank but you want

to go out in style to get the satisfaction. He did not do that at

the UK Championship but he is determined to do it every time he

goes out and it shows you, at his standard as well, what he wants to

achieve in the game. It is a good sign that you are still not happy

with your game even if you win the UK Championship and you want to

improve. That is important. Yet we have seen him win in style. Being

number one, lots of different pressures come on your shoulders.

The attention is on you and that is why you want to play your best. As

he wins more tournaments as he surely will, and he has not been

number one for long, he wants to prove it. They have got a secondary

and a primary game and he has tried to show his primary game. Terry

Camilleri, like Tony the a tornado Drago hails from Malta, he has been

a professional referee and was the man in the middle when Ali Carter

maybe a memorable maximum at the Crucible a few years ago but this

is the first time he has taken charge of one of snooker's big

This is my 5th final but my first of the World Cups, two of them by

Shaun Murphy and then another match by Ricky Walden and last year, the

Welsh Open won by Ding Junhui. This will be another new winner between

Mark and Neil. Hopefully, it should be my most memorable match. It

should be. Just before the match, you cannot think of anything else

because you can make a mistake and you must not. In our job, you have

to be 99.9% there. I enjoy the game and you have to be professional,

you have to concentrate. We are like a bunch of good mates, the

referees in every tournament. Making friends, some new friends

even other venues. You enjoy meeting people and they see you on

television and they want to take a photo of you. It is a good thing.

When there's a maximum 147, it is exciting. You want the player not

to miss a ball and the atmosphere, the pressure. My first one was of

the World Championships between Ali Carter and Peter Ebdon and it was

Ali Carter's first maximum break. I remember Steve Davis when he

started and Dennis Taylor and the first time I saw them on television

I didn't think that one day, I would be there refereeing those

types of players. It is amazing, really.

HAZEL IRVINE: I am sure he is enjoying it. All quiet for Terry

and that is the way he wants it. Some big occasion players and Neil

Robertson has to be one of those. He has been in eight significant

major finals including this event last year. He is trying to do what

only Cliff Thorburn and the late Paul Hunter and despite Stephen

Hendry has done and that is to retain his Masters title. It seemed

only fair that Stephen went to talk to him. Two years in a row, Neil.

You must like this venue. His it is a fantastic venue. All the players

were happy with it last year. An improvement ever Wembley Arena and

the atmosphere is as close to the Crucible and the conference centre.

A did you play at the conference centre? I played against Jimmy

White as a wild card. I do not think there will see anything like

that ever again but this is as close as you can get there. Top 16

players in the world, I like to prove myself against the best

players, do you? It is what I always want to do, test myself

against the best. This is why this tournament is so difficult to beat

because you are playing the top 16, down to the last eight sometimes.

My draw has not been easy. Mark Allen and against Shaun Murphy, it

does not get any easier. You have had tough games, what is your mind

set when you are 5-5 and go into the final frame, do you like to go

to the toilet, get your thoughts together? Do pence how I am feeling,

if you need to go to the toilet... By well, obviously! You can have a

sudden urge when you need to go but all you need is one chance and then

to really go for it. To try to win in one visit. The more you win, the

more comfortable you are in that situation. Might match against Mark

Allen, the decider, I won the frame off the break, and that gave me

confidence, should the situation arise where I get a chance, I will

take it. You have not given it as much emotion in the last few

matches, no "you a little beauty!" I think it is great. My match

against Dean, I was 30 minutes away from being knocked out. I think I

was 6-4 down so I did not want to go out and the first round like a

did defended the World Championship where I went out in the first round.

It is one of those things, against Mark Allen at there was no way I

could do it the way he lost. It was a one in 30 shot that came off and

ended up knocking him out of the tournament. It proved to yourself

but you can handle the pressure if you can win it in one visit.

Absolutely, and knowing that the balls are open and you have made 70

and then you can enjoy potting the rest of the balls and I find that

enjoyable. You are like me, you like to make centuries and clear

the table. Lots of players relax when the frame is one. -- frame is

won. I got to about 70, 80 and would sometimes play positional

shots and play quite carelessly but Stephen Maguire was playing Judd

Trump and you thought it was important for Stephen to go on and

make a clearance but if you are making 70 and 80 and miss, compared

to when you make 135, it gives you such a lift. Our two lost to Mark

Selby in York, we chatted in the bar afterwards and you asked

questions about break-building. I am surprised about your questions,

and that is when I used the word "amateurish" and you are certainly

not an amateur player but it is certainly interesting to hear a top

player on break-building. potting got me out of sorts of

trouble. I don't find myself doing some things as much any more,

sometimes I would have a laps in concentration -- a lapse in

concentration and to be consistent as a scorer match after match you

must play a good position and nobody better to ask than yourself

so I took the opportunity. Do you think your game is getting better

and better as the week goes on? my match against Shaun was probably

the best I played. You were focus right from frame at 1. Even though

when the white-walled off, and the red with the rest -- the white

rolled off. This tournament not many people have defended it so it

will mean a lot to you. Like yourself. At the moment, it is my

trophy and every time I walked down the stairs it gives me that little

bit more to think that I do not want to lose it, it is mine, and it

is. I do not want to give it up. Somebody will have to play

unbelievably well to take it away from made. By asked of luck in the

final. HAZEL IRVINE: The Waterford crystal

trophy still belongs to Neil Robertson as we see them come back

out, well it's still be his at the end of the day? There is the

referee, Terry Camilleri. And we have four more frames to play this

afternoon and it is change in the box, Ken Doherty has jumped in with

John Virgo. JOHN VIRGO: thank you, Hazel.

Another day, another dollar and Mark Selby got off to the perfect

start winning three frames but Neil Robertson now, having won that last

frame before the mid-session interval, will have settled down.

You never really settled down until you get the first frame on the

scoreboard. Four more frames to be played in this session. Mark Selby

is in a position where he can hopefully hold that advantage going

into this evening but down to Neil Robertson it is, now. I suppose

from Neil Robertson's point of view, it is about getting it all square.

A good break in the last one and I am sure that he would have been a

bit more relaxed, a bit out of sorts in the first three frames but

Plenty of room to come back down the left-hand side of the table,

That is what can happen particularly when you play a safety

shot at that sort of pace, you will bring reds into play, always a

He managed to kiss the red, I do not think that was intentional but

it has left him on the black just If he played with less pace, then

it could have been intentional. Maybe hoping to bring the black

He played it to the far jaw because sometimes the ball can drift and a

lot of players will play that to that jaw hoping it will fall in

towards the top cushion but it stayed on the line. And left a

Always dangerous when you miss the black off this pot because then

you're in amongst the balls and invariably you leave your opponent

a good chance and there is a gap He can play for the red in the

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He will settle for that, it is just Terry Camilleri getting a good look,

he is close to the red. Have to be Electing for the spider. It doesn't

make the shot any easier though. Any unintentional side, if it does

not catch the cue ball in the I think this is one of Mark Selby's

great strengths, he is a shot maker. He has one particular shot to knock

him, no matter how awkward it is, he seems to be able to produce that

shot. At any given time. Wasn't too concerned about position, just get

the ball on and he is perfect on the black here. That was a lovely

stun follow-through. Perfect on the He looks a completely different

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He has finished inch-perfect on the A couple of reds piquantly on. --

he can play on. He can it be cue ball in an area, if he overruns he

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could fit it into one of the His positional play is so good when

he is in amongst the ball took -- balls. It is one of the best breaks

Yes, he is a heavy scorer. When he was 5-1 down behind Stuart Bingham,

he did not reach those heights with his other games. But he has got his

touchier this afternoon. -- touch So 67 points in the lead. Still 67

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If he pots the red he will be 68 Et looks like the defending

champion is going to drop three Neil Robertson's ms on the black,

he had the first chance in this He expected it is all a little bit,

He had that chance. Mark Selby didn't play against safety. It

didn't cost tempt. He has made the He will be disappointed he mess

that red. But the frame was well over. -- missed. That was the end

of that frame, or-one for their It wasn't about the pot, it was

about the position. What is your take on what we have seen? What is

difficult to demonstrate his timing on the ball. Timing is everything

in a game of snooker and timing are run. Mark Selby has tended to

perfection in the final. described his performance in here

last night as pathetic. In a way he is starting from zero. Her it as if

the shackles have come off. Speaking from my own experience,

when you get to the final, the biggest stage, unconsciously you

save it for them. He is taking a That is when you know you are not

having too bad a day. Look what Dint one that nudge off the yellow.

Now he is close to the cushion, he may be able to drop the blue. --

Everybody end this wonderful auditorium heard that noise. It was

a kick, it took the blue off the What a chance now for Neil

If he is straight on the blue, he has the opportunity to play for the

He will maybe have the position to pot that red. He has got to judge

this correctly, nice soft screw. The black available for balls

corners. It will be a cannon into a lacklustre. You always need a

little bit of luck. -- that cluster. Plenty of cue power. I am not sure

whether he will stun it on the That is not too bad, there is still

the red. He will need that cue power now. Split the reds and

It is not too bad. Excellent shot. Lots of top spin bouncing through

those reds. It is in the opposite pocket. If he takes the black, he

That is why he is looking at the pink. Simply because he can get

clean through to it cue ball. This That was an excellent shot. He knew

if he missed that it could have cost and the frame. Good pot. A lot

This would be a big frame for Neil Particularly because his opponent

got a bad kick on the blue. It may prove a turning point should Neil

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I think he is concerned in potting this red that he might make the pig

It was a good choice to go for the blue but he has not got the right

angle. Just the wrong side of St. - He thought I would stun it and

He is going to have is that there are now and suffer. I wonder how

costly it will be. He took most of the easy reds, so what is let for

Mark is oddball macros. -- All Just as safety, to get behind the

He could have a cover these four Short on pace but pretty good. Mark

Selby knows that if he takes a risky pot on here he will have to

take it. He is all we looking for one more opportunity to clinch the

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It does help when you do that. Habit of a body swerve. Like

Normally you would expect him to have a go at this. He has given it

plenty of thought. He is not that And make the pot difficult by

trying to screw back to their baulk Mark Selby might take the risk of

bringing the yellow into play here. That is a really good shot.

And what that does is... A few shots ago kept the red say. He

This is no straightforward safety. He could consider the red on the

If he is trying to get back to No, that is not good enough. So

Mark Selby does get a chance. He would like to be straighter on this

It is a chance. The yellow is not making in saying to a bigger pocket

and it would normally be. It is not in the jaws. He will lead to pot

Anyway, it went in. Probably will play for the yellow off as red,

He should have left himself a little bit more angle than this. A

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How important will that clever A very clever shot, clever thinking.

The big problem ball is that red He has taken the chance to bring

He did not have the position on the pink but that is an excellent pot.

There is work to do. There is the red next to the black which is tied

He needs an angle on the pink. He It looks just about perfect. If he

can pop this pink, trying get a He is on the wrong side of the

black there, so end of break. right back in it, just four points

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The fact that the cue ball is close together with the rest, he could

push this. He is trying to play it with a bit of pace. Very difficult

to play the shot. Not That is not good. So scared of a

Good shot. He left himself open for that one. As you say, Ken, the one

where he was close to the red. He did not play it very well. I know

what he was saying about a possible push shot. Tried to make a better

effort than that to leave a distance it win the cue ball and

Neil Robertson should still be in charge of this important tactical

exchange. He has got such a great I am just wondering whether he had

attempted the pot there. Does this red pass the brown? If it does,

No problem about having a go on the red but look where he has left the

Just about on this black. One good shot and Mark Selby becomes a big,

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Neil Robertson will be very disappointed to have lost this

frame. He was in earlier on on a sitter of a blow. -- of a blue. He

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has never really had much chance He cut it much too thick. Believe

it or not, he was trying to get in That is what happens when there is

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It has gone safe so his hope is Good effort. Yes, a great line.

Just short of pace. The problem was he has left a pot for this pink and

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if it goes in, that is the end of In it goes, a very disappointed

Neil Robertson, he had an early chance but once he had missed that,

it was all Mark Selby who stretches So, yes, Ken, Neil Robertson got in.

Not every frame is important for him, he just has to hang on to Mark

Selby's coat tails but how do you miss a blue like this? We always

say you have to try to get up on the right side of the blue here and

here it was very important. He is concentrating on leaving the cue

ball in the middle in the table but digging down on the cue ball, the

most important thing is to pot the object ball first. And worry about

the position after that. It was a bad miss and he had a good chance

to capitalise from what we thought was a kick earlier that Mark Selby

got on a similar blue one to the opposite pocket. But he is not

himself, Neil Robertson. He is a bit perturbed and that is to do

with how well his opponent is Mark Selby asks Terry Camilleri how

many frames to be played in this session, it is eight. With a

possible 11 played this evening. He cannot be behind now, he will have

at least a two frame advantage going into this evening's final

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But can he build on this 5-1 lead? I think he can get through. The

only red he can get through to his this one. The black looks like it

is available into the opposite Oh, beautiful. But it means to stop

That was a terrific pot but he may have run far enough to be tempted

Two more frames and this one before the end of the session, very

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That was an excellent shot, disturb the red closest to the black shot.

An excellent positional shot, it If he is hampered by the red, that

He will have to play for the blue, that is OK as long as he gets a

Perfect angle on the blue, a couple of reds he can drop on here. He

will probably read a straight red into the bottom might hand corner

The cameraman may have put him off a bit. I don't know. Maybe somebody

in the front row. I think it to somebody in the audience but he is

If you are not comfortable, get back up and start again, don't play

the shot and then say to "I was put He needs a lot of strength of mind

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He is contemplating going into the He came around briefly to see if

the red at the bottom of the pack At that pace, you have to be so

accurate. It's just about went in. -- it just about went in. A nice

decision not to play the cannon. A He has come just off straight on

the wrong side, possibly the worst Obviously it is a shot he likes,

potting these reds into the middle from this position. This is tight

from that angle. Yes, if you are right behind it, you fancy it but

it is tight, as you say. Very tight. So he did not clinched the frame at

that visit, just one red and a colour from doing so but Mark Selby

is still in this frame. 75 Looked very tight from that angle

and you need to be dead set behind. Playing on an angle, it is more

It is worth playing, and what a shot he has played there. If you

look at it, look at the shot again. Looked at the cue ball, we always

knew he would cover it with the reds and pink but what an excellent

He tried to play it with power. Because he did not have a good

angle, he was stunning it out and the pace he generated in the cue

ball was running out and he is on Can he see enough of that red? Does

That looks like a touching ball. Terry Camilleri will have a look.

Yes, touching ball. When he hit it, the red came back and nestled on

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It came back, a little bit of nap Ideally, he would like to knock the

black on to the top cushion, to get it safe but it is very, very

It has been declared a touching ball and he fires away, he is

deemed to have hit the red but I can't see how he get to this.

will use all six foot two inches of himself to reach it. There's no

where I could play the shot, John! REFEREE: Would you like the

He is trying to play the black on to this top cushion and try to get

the cue ball was close to the cushion as well. Good luck to him

because the distance from where he is and the cue ball, he is hampered

Well, I don't see the value in that. The touching ball meant he could

have come and got a snooker behind the black. He has not put the black

safe. The cue ball being near the top cushion, he could have done

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that anyway. In the time it took I think he can get to just enough

of this red to the left of the blue to play it up the side cushion and

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leave the cue ball near this top He could take the chance to cut one

of these reds around the pink spot but it does not look like he will

He just about got away with that. He played to hit that red a lot

fuller than he did. Frame in the balance. Neil Robertson has got the

55 point lead which makes him the favourite but the way the balls are,

I feel that Mark Selby could pot the next red and we would have a

Not a bad shot but what takes the pressure off the run to baulk is

the fact those two reds have come together and are not in a position

they can pot in the right middle which takes the pressure off the

What a difference a role makes am that looked very good. I do not

think he has snookered mark on all the reds, there is just one

sticking out but he would not have played that shot to the baulk end

if the two reds were not together. He has had a go. It could have been

a lot worse. Absolutely! But this red may pass the pink into the far

left corner. I am sure, when Mark Selby missed the red, Neil was

coming to the table looking for something a bit easier than this

but it is one you would normally They look easy sometimes and the

players make it look easy but there was pressure on it and he was

He will be disappointed he did not pot that, he only needed position.

And he has knocked it in. And now, a chance, a big chance of a

We duly it? He has got it a good This one will surely cost and this

frame. Neil Robertson will be very, very relieved. It is a frame, on a

couple of occasions, that he might have thrown away. Now that pink is

Mark Selby will not be getting back There will be one more frame after

this. Before the end of this afternoon's session. Can Neil

Robertson really put himself back in the match by winning it? Not on

this red, but it does not matter. There is there not from Mark Selby.

A frame in the end which could have gone either way. Fortunately for

Ski Sunday will be a long immediately after this frame. It is

one of the great weekends in the mountains. Back to the present, and

how important might that be from Neil Robertson's perspective?

last frame has become huge. He is not winning frames in one visit, it

is taking home a few bites at the cherry. Some time when you are in

Mark Selby's position, he did have the opportunity to take that.

Selby trying to power his way through here. He is trying to get

as much distance as the can. We were talking about his stamina

levels and how that might all. Adrenalin would be key here. He

might feel very tired at the end of the tournament if you feel you had

mentally exhausted your results. It is a different looking Mark Selby

there. -- Europe reserves. -- your He was to see are the only is

available for the opposite corner. Trying to force the cue ball back

Here is the break off. Whatever you It he was right-handed, Neil

Robertson, the blue would not be a It makes the pot a little bit

He has managed to avoid the reds. There is a gap to get through there.

Can he see enough of that red? what do you think? I am not sure.

So, in putting this black, I think the red will go into the same

pocket. Just a little screw back for the same pocket. That is

provided of course the black was on Maybe it wasn't, because that red

Asking him to replace it. A schoolboy error. It was hard. He

thought the black was on the spot. He just naturally in the sea and

the black was on its spot. -- He didn't have a look. It might

As you said, John Le Carre -- John, The black wasn't on its spot. Just

a fraction off, but those fractions can make all the difference. It was

a good opportunity but it is gone Where is the cue ball? Save enough,

but no real pressure on Mark Selby It is not a bad target that, if you

Much too thick. He will be lucky if He has got a target, blue and baize

year. -- green here. He has to be I think he can get just pass that

Lucan. He is not playing it. -- Kissing the yellow is not going to

help her. I think he has left the That yellow is exactly where he

He would normally have his fingers Just make it awkward enough for a

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That red seemed to go straight on. Dinner on the kiss on the red. Can

he get onto the black? Know. A pressure pink to their far corner.

He has been venting wanting on some of the shots in his first session.

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He is going to need a good shot He needed a little bit of luck. I

am not sure he has got it. The bulls are very close together. --

Air looked perfect for a moment when he went into the reds. When he

hit it there, it looked perfect. The second red had nestled on the

third one. It is a delicate little shot. He does not need to do much

Players will always tend to hit it to the FA jaw of the pocket.

A good chance now here for Neil Robertson. We know how important

That is not the best shot he has played. He has asked the referee to

clean the cue ball. It looked as if he underhit it to me. When you

start to underhit the ball are overhit the ball, you struggle with

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That is a good recovery. And he is You wouldn't expect any mistakes

now. I think he has done our bit. And after losing the first three

frames of this match, going or-one behind, he will have to settle for

5-3 and a duet. It could have been a lot worse. He will be thinking

already about this evening and he will want a quicker start any had

8 o'clock this evening's session And now well past the winning line.

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We could be in for a classic this evening. It was touching the Hague

green. -- touching the green. He would like to make a century if he

But to do that, he needs to be on the next red and he is not. He is a

great potter, what can he pull out Not quite, but just enough for our

Mark Selby to offer his handshake. So Neil Robertson will be quite

pleased. There you see it, well pleased. But Mark Selby, the

comeback king, doesn't have to come back this evening because he has at

two frame advantage at 5-3. It does not look bad now as it did earlier

not look bad now as it did earlier on for Neil Robertson. I wonder if

Mark Selby will feel a little aggrieved at not pushing that

further. Great performance by Neil Robertson, great fighting spirit

and he is back in this final. Robertson looked unsettled at the

start of this session. You can see by his reaction, how much that

meant to him. It has set up for as no Khawar this evening. You never

know how recession will end up. -- set up almost no car war. It looks

like Mark Selby has got out of scrapping mode. Now he is into more

fluent form. Who do you think looks the stronger? You would have to say

Mark Selby over this afternoon. Neil Robertson has put pressure on

the first frame tonight. These men are both equally matched. How they

have got great strength of character when it comes to that

kind of occasion. I do not think they will be playing defensively,

they will go for it ate the see the shots. A fascinating afternoon. Ski