First Round: Higgins v Wenbo Masters Snooker

I used to love coming and competing in events, I don't think that will

ever leave and I love to come here and compete and that is getting

tougher every year. It has been a great first six months to the year,

I would love to keep it going and try and play as good as I can. I won

the International open. A couple months ago. I cannot ever remember

being quite that a home tournament, I thought I played really good stuff

and those performances still remain. It gives you a good feeling. You are

watching the TV and it would be amazing to get through to the final

and try and win it. Ladies and gentlemen, the 2006

Masters champion, John Higgins! Hello, good afternoon and welcome to

Alexandra Palace and the 2016 Dafabet masters. Two first-round

matches to be completed today. Four time world champion John Higgins

hoping to reach the quarterfinal. The biggest names in World Snooker

already through, Stuart Bingham, Mark Selby and Ronnie O'Sullivan at

Higgins faces a tough match this afternoon against China's Liang

Wenbo and a fantastic run to this year's UK Championship final in York

in December which saw him qualify for this year's masters.

In the semifinal, if I win, I go to the Masters. The day before the

match, a lot of pressure. I am very happy to go to the final and it

gives me a lot of confidence. I learn a lot of experience. Yes, it

is tough. Brilliant player. Everything is perfect, I think. The

best players in the world. Concentrate, be strong, believe. It

was a great performance by Liang Wenbo in the UK Championships. Yes,

fantastic. He did not win the trophy but fantastic. Great excitement. His

personality shone through. And getting to the final and into the

top 16 and play here at this wonderful event. One of the few

times he has played a major television in a one-table set-up and

coming into this Masters, that is a scenario. Yes, a different situation

here. Playing in the Masters, every match is tough. One-table set-up, at

the Ally Pally, top 16 players the world for this wonderful trophy. You

are thrown in the deep end, he has one of the hardest match players the

game has seen in John Higgins. One of the most decorated players the

game has seen and one of the toughest players I have played and

that has ever played the game. A lot of experience, but he will be tough

against John Higgins. But the underdog has beaten the big seed in

history. John Higgins is the favourite over Liang Wenbo. But the

Masters, one-table set-up, how much more do you think is John Higgins

the favourite considering it is his sort of office? You would say so but

it is going to be a baptism of fire for Liang Wenbo but he plays to the

standards of the UK Championship and he has a good chance. The start is

very important. He settles down very quickly and you never know what is

going to happen. Every superlatives in the game has been awarded to John

Higgins. Let's hear from two old has-been is an Shaun Murphy. -- an

Shaun Murphy. John Higgins, four time world

champion, winning major ranking events for over ten years. And in my

opinion, pound for pound the best overall match player we have ever

had in the game. One of the toughest players I have ever played. Ever

likely to play. A great all-round game. I have watched him since he

turned professional. I have played him ever since and without a doubt,

every part of his game coming he is so tough to beat on top form and

always loving the big occasions. He always played his best new card

towards the end of the tournament. And his tactical game, you would

learn so much just playing him. Everything was always spot-on. If

you had to pick one player, under pressure on the big occasion to

clear up three reds and you put your house on it, he is the person. So

much going for him that it is hard to believe players do outplay him

now. Perhaps the fact he has been around so long, he is not as

motivated as he used to be but he is still winning offence. He has

achieved everything in the game he could want to. We all talk about,

will Ronnie break yourself and Stephen's records of Championship

wins? The same could be said of John, if he wanted to coming he

still has the game to compete with anybody in any event around the

world. But is he prepared to put in the work required that he used to

put in 15 years ago? What is wrong with him? Where do you pick holes in

somebody like John Higgins? It is so hard to find any weaknesses, as a

snooker love and somebody who has shaken his hand and tried to play

him, I not sure. You see John Higgins and you think, that is a

problem. Maybe if he had to concentrate a bit more on his time

away from the table, his general fitness and stuff, but might have

helped him and maybe his concentration may have let him down

the older he gets, like it does with everybody. But if you had to

concentrate a bit more on fitness, he would still be up there in the

top six players of the world. He has earned the right to chill out a bit

and is to spend more time with his family. But he will get passed.

Good to hear from the two former players Stephen Davis and Graham

Doherty. He won the Masters twice but has been knocked out 11 times in

the first round at has an excellent record against Liang undefeated. Two

first-round matches today, Neil Robertson taking on Marco Fu tonight

but the live match here this afternoon is John Higgins against

Liang Wenbo. Let's join our MC at Alexandra Palace, Rob Walker.

Thank you and good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Two places up for

grabs in this year's quarterfinal of the Dafabet Masters and what a match

in prospect. One much returning -- one-man returning for his 22nd

appearance and another hoping to mark a memorable debut. This could

be a cracker. It is showtime once again at Ally Pally!

Please welcome the most flamboyant Chinese player we have ever had on

tour. He booked his first appearance here after a great run to the UK

Championship final last month. He is so excited about this debut. He has

had a round new suit is tailor-made for the occasion. Let's raise the

roof for Liang Wenbo! APPLAUSE.

WALK-ON MUSIC. And his opponent, one of the finest

sportsmen Scotland has ever produced. Winner of 28 ranking

titles and twice a Masters champion. Some said he was past his best at

the beginning of last year and how he proved the doubters wrong with

three big wins in 2015. He is back to his best so here he is, the

Wizard of Wishaw, John Higgins. WALK-ON MUSIC.

Making his debut at the Masters is Liang Wenbo but he looks relaxed.

His run in York one of the highlights of the season, can he do

it again? We will find out in the company of John Parrott and Stephen

Hendry. A little bird tells me happy birthday Stephen Hendry, what a way

to spend your birthday. I never knew that, you kept that

quiet! Good afternoon, everybody, and

welcome to the last 16 match of this year's Masters. If Liang Wenbo is to

progress today, he has to do something he has not done before and

that is G -- beat John Higgins in a competitive match. The Scot leads

7-0. What can he do, Stephen? Continue the form he showed at the

UK Championship. That would be a start. So delighted to be here at

the Masters, Liang Wenbo. He could not pick a much tougher first-round

opponent. I think he definitely looks more

comfortable as the underdog, Liang Wenbo. Yes, that may be the case,

some players on the circuit like that, they do not like the heat, as

it were. His form certainly came from nowhere really. Something of a

journeyman on the circuit for the last couple of years but a

performance at the UK was pretty special. And those ranking points

got him here in the Masters. Very capable scorer. Yes, what he needs

to do to win today, one of his matches started with three centuries

in the first three frames and that is the sort of thinking has to do

today. Score heavily when he does get the opportunity. -- the sort of

thing he has to do. Yes, they will not go in at the near

jaw of these tables, pretty close. A chance for Liang in the centre

pocket. Good if you knock this in. Nice off -- nice pot. A little bit

slack from somebody like John Higgins to leave the cue ball in the

middle of the table. Not something you associate with John Higgins,

shots like that. Can Liang put a marker down in his

first frame? He needs that cue ball to stop. The body language says he

is on the red, left corner. Yes, I bet his heart skipped a beat, that

cue ball. One more quarter turn and he was on nothing.

Tricky shot here. He is playing to hold for the black into the left

corner. You have to strike it positive enough to get the action of

the cue ball. Sometimes you need to decelerate and Mr the right-hand

side. -- and missed it. It was a tricky shot, it was not a given.

Yes, it needed respect. It looked easy on the screen but you hit these

jewels on these tables and that was noticeable, but looked tougher than

it did earlier in the tournament. They were dropping in a bit with a

new cloth. Playing a little harder now and that is what happens. Nice

and shiny when the cloth goes on. That just catches the draw a bit too

far out. But they slide in the first couple of days, don't they? Into the

pack here from this black for John Higgins. He hit that perfect. That

was a lovely shot, he played a stun, nice and firm, kept hold of the cue

ball, it did not run away. Beautiful shot.

It has been a remarkable turnaround for John Higgins, I will be honest.

I saw him play in one of the matches last year at the UK and he looked

bereft of any confidence, like he was half the player he was. To turn

it round and to win three tournaments in a year. Two this

season. That is remarkable at his age. Are you surprised at the way he

has come back, Stephen? Very much so. I bought a couple of years ago,

John Higgins was coming to a crossroads in his career. -- I

thought. These new tournaments where you spend little time at home. He

perhaps looked like he was not enjoying it as much. This season,

very impressive. Yes, I think one of the tournaments, one of the matches

he played in that opened my eyes, he played Mark Selby in one match and

he beat him 9-4. To beat Mark Selby by that scoreline is playing good

snooker. He was the only one to give Neil Robertson a close run in the UK

Championships, he took him to the final frame in a great match.

Certainly nothing wrong with the way he is playing and it is good to see

him back. That was a well controlled shot. He

did not have a natural angle to run off two cushions so that is

stunning. That was perfectly played. It was not so long back he just went

past another milestone. He went over the 600 century barrier. Not only is

he one of the game's greatest match coming he is also one of the game's

greatest big builders and that is what makes him so difficult to beat.

Such a competitor and such a scorer and a great all-round game.

Yes, he never, ever plays the wrong shot. At the start of this break, a

lot of players in the first frame of a map like this, there were a couple

of loose reds but he went straight in and produced this opportunity.

That is the sign of a top, top player. Yes, that is the way it

should done, make it easier for yourself, get those balls in the

Open. I agree, a lot of players cherry picked and take off the odd

red but John Higgins knew that was a great chance is to split the balls

and he is getting his reward. The cue action has not changed much

over the years. John said he thought he had some -- found something, a

couple of months ago. He played in a tournament abroad, I think it was in

a team competition and he said to Stephen Maguire, he has found what

is missing from his game. His cue action has not changed much over the

years but whatever it was has made a lot of difference. He is full of

confidence again. Yes, it is very repetitive, his cue action. 99% of

shots, it is two or three waggles and a hit. Here, it is just one or

two Llong waggles and a hit. He just caught the near jaw. He was aiming

for the pocket for the red to drop in. That is the cue action we are

talking about. Top-class. If you want to copy one, that is not a bad

one to copy. He will prompt bully have to go up

the table now, I don't think he will take a chance on the cannon with

those two reds behind the pink -- probably. Already, absolutely

perfect. Brilliant. I am sure Liang Wenbo but it was going to be a tough

match to date but he has certainly found out quickly in this first

frame. He had the first opportunity. And I am afraid at the martyrs with

the best players in the world, it is a tough skill and you have to take

your chances -- the Masters. He has hit it well enough, just got the

left-hand side jaw. Look at this first shot. A lovely little cannon.

I mentioned earlier, could Liang Wenbo put down a marker? Well, John

Higgins certainly has. Play well or you going home, Liang, that is what

he has telling him. Hugely impressive from Higgins.

Just run into the cue ball little too much. He is already past the

winning post in the first frame here. Nice to make a century,

though. Never in doubt. APPLAUSE. He seems to have his

belief back in his game. If he is going to make a century, he

needs to make some pot here. Goodness me! That is amazing. What a

shot that was! Very ominous signs already for his opponent. That was a

beautiful pot. Watch this. It never touched the sides.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Cue ball... Wonderful control. He has

had the pace of the table right from ball one in this break, it has been

exceptional. He is looking right back to his best.

Just this black for a break of 119 and you cannot start much better

than that. Superb, John Higgins. Wonderful. Liang Wenbo was first, he

missed the red and he has had to sit in his chair for the rest of the

frame. The Wizard of Wishaw takes the opening frame and he leads 1-0.

We heard Steve Davis, Ken Doherty and Shaun Murphy talking about his

game, this is his reply. To hear that from two of the guys

you have grown up copying, trying to copy, respect, two of the best match

players I have ever played, it is great words. Great words from those

two players. You obviously do not practice as

hard, but I think the way the tour is, you maybe don't need to because

if you go on a bit of a roll, you can play your way round and you

maybe don't have to practise as much as used to. Would you still do need

to put the work in to be a winner. No, if I know I am still capable of

competing, it is still more in my mind, fitness wise or whatever. I

will be all right, I think. Just keep doing what you are doing.

What he did there, a beautiful break in the first frame of 119. Very

classy, it was. And a big frame, you would feel for his opponent, coming

up. He is trying to get a foothold in the match and you have to

respond. If red to the corner pocket. A

comfortable shot and nice angle to get round the black and back to the

baulk end. Top players expect to get this seven out of ten. Good shot. At

pace to stop the cue ball. That is just going to run too far. He is

still on the yellow. The red he is lining up now, he can get to the

left side cushion but it is quite tricky to judge the pace of this.

Yes, the pot itself is not totally straightforward. And to judge the

pace off the cushion, it can easily run away, the cue ball. I think that

is what has happened. That looked a difficult pot. If the cue ball just

runs a bit, it you end up snookered, which is what has happened there.

Good attempt. The referee is checking whether cue

ball is, in case there is in this here. This gives him a better

indication. I am just wondering if he could have sneaked past the blue

to hit the inside of the pack but it is too tight so the outside red is

the shot. Not the best, again. The red to the

left centre. He is refusing it so that tells you the cue ball is maybe

going towards the pocket. Surprised he is not playing the red, to the

middle. The break of John Higgins in the first frame, he is a bit wary

after that of taking on dodgy shots. You will not see many of them. John

Higgins. If not the best, but certainly in the top two or three of

the game and safety, that was a complete misjudgement.

That was a good shot. Yes, a little bit of pressure on that. Just enough

on the cue ball to run past the reds. A nice side of the table for a

left-hander to play the black from. So one good positional shot here. It

could be a decent chance. I think he is on it. The ball has

just pulled up in time. So it is a very good chance. If he gets this

and he comes through for the black, a cannon on the red to the left of

the cue ball, that would be ideal. He is playing a screw backs of the

other red goes as well at the bottom.

This is a boxing match and it would be important for Wenbo to get a

counterpunch in, as much for your confidence, and I'm going to win the

frame as well. These are lovely now, that cannon in particular into those

reds, as I was mentioning earlier. It has opened it up into an

excellent chance. One thing he can do above everything, is score. He

played in a qualifier a few years ago, I was in Pontin 's playing a

qualifier, walking in and saying you cannot believe what he has done, a

maximum 5-0 win, and incredible score.

That looks pretty calm and composed, there are times in the UK where

towards the end of the tournament, he has looked anything but calm and

composed. Sweating, slapping his face, banging the table, you might

be very right. What you said early on, it might be a case, he has a

terrible record with John Higgins and he might just relax and place

new car. My record is poor and I can only get better. Relax and play and

new car. My record is poor and I can see what happens, it has worked

before. The red passes the green no problem.

The play of the yellow now, and screw down the left-hand side of the

table as we look at it because there is at least three reds that go

there. Straight down or off the caution, whatever he chooses. -- the

cushion. Always when you make these breaks, areas where you have got

options. There are at least two where he has got options for him.

This is an impressive riposte. Playing the little cannon into the

red and pink here, he doesn't have too of course, you can play past it,

it is on. If it carries on like this, we are

in for a cracker. Both players looking in great form.

Maybe five centuries in this match, if they continue like this. It is

very high quality. Both breaks, both players have had a cue ball on a

string. It would appear, there is nothing

like doing well in a few matches and then in a tournament to build up

confidence. We mentioned earlier that he was just ticking along in

tournaments without doing anything special, Liang, but reaching that UK

final as well as he did has all this he built up his confidence levels.

-- has obviously built up. Can he have back-to-back centuries in

mismatched? That one in the side cushion is not too bad for him of

course, being left-handed. He gets in behind that, dropping down on the

cushion. He could have done with another couple of inches on the cue

ball, behind it, with his own cue, not having to use the extension. But

if you pot it, the cue ball will go to the perfect angle for the next

colour. It is not there. John Higgins knows that he is in a match

now, and when bow with a brilliant break, it is now 1-1. STUDIO: Last

night, Mark Selby destroyed Richie Worrall and 6-0 and after the first

frame, we thought that we were in for a quick afternoon this

afternoon? Yes and Liang Wenbo was left eight big question when he was

left a chance, but it was a difficult read off a side cushion

and these are always very missable especially when you do not have much

playing time. We spoke about when you have a baptism of fire, Liang

Wenbo with a one-table set-up, you cannot beat a bit of form.

Particularly with that shot itself, it was a wonderful break, as we said

at the top of the show and it was very important for Liang Wenbo to

get off to a good start. Just boys own confidence, new venue, new using

the big time now. He has two settle down. And the way that he entered

this venue, it can be an intimidating place especially in

front of the crowd, he looked remarkably relaxed given his Masters

debut? Yes, he may have talked to Ding who struggled in this venue,

and I think that Liang Wenbo looked very relaxed, that is depending on

the individual, if he takes the

confidence, from the UK then he could be jumping up in standard.

Liang Wenbo to break. COMMENTATOR: I don't think you are getting away

from the fact that it is your birthday, Stephen. Trying to keep it

quiet. Not only has he got the cue ball tight on the cushion, but he

has opened a reds up a little bit. It may just be what we called the

dump shot, the top cushion, as we look at it. Not much else we can do.

Such a good break from Liang. That was an excellent shot. It is

what you have to do when you play Johnny Higgins, you have to play

100% every single shot. In particular with this fellow, he

isn't going to give you lots of opportunities.

it was a pretty straightforward safety shot if he had not contacted

the yellow. John played the shot in the last frame, where he tried to do

it down the side and he completely missed the ball, he wants to do

better here. He's not looking at any plans to pot

a read here, she doesn't want to play his safety, over that left

pocket. There is a chance it could go in, but he is more weary about

setting Johnny Higgins up with an easy shot. Yes the type of shot, you

are taking a bit of hope. The cue ball is paramount here. Asking a lot

with the distance of the first plant onto the red getting it absolutely

spot-on. It may be a case that this is the only safety shot that he has

got to come off there. So he is back looking at it. The problem is, with

this, great if it goes in, but the pace he is going to play it at, the

third read in the line could stay over the corner pocket. This is a

problem. Yes, there is the line, two reds onto the other one, the pacey

is playing at if you did not go in, it would probably be a sitting duck.

Playing off the angles. Great shot. There is a big target behind the

green if you can get a cue ball into there, but you don't want it into

the pocket. I don't think there is any great damage done, going into

there at the moment. If you see what John Higgins is doing, it is a

problem if you can get the cue ball in behind that green.

It looks like he is lining up the cue ball somewhere. Where his right

elbow is. It looks a bit pacey. He got that on the thin side, it is a

chance now, for them to get in behind the green or close to it.

Off the ball he would be trying to play the safety to.

Even though he didn't get up behind the green, it is still a good

safety, because he has blocked off one side of the pack with the pink.

So getting back, she would have to be a bit more careful with those for

reds on the left-hand side of the cushion. -- four reds.

What is John looking at? I can only assume, he has got a read to the

right corner, two to the left of the pink, and you can see there, it

looks from our view, there it goes. It is one of those funny ones, the

camera behind the pocket always looks like the pot is on, when you

look at the other way, you are never quite sure. Playing it with top spin

so he obviously doesn't think that the white goes. Nice pot though. The

angle on the blue. Pretty perfect, just a screw straight up, not using

the car Schneiderlin think, the red to the corner. -- not using the

cushion I don't think. He is twice the Masters champion, John Higgins,

I suppose by his standards in the last six years or so, the bestie has

done is one semifinal. He is trying to improve this week. Still a bridge

record, winning the Masters, you know-how good years, and he has won

four Championships. Probably a little disappointed that he has not

won more of them. Think of this, his 22nd straight appearance, to win it

twice, he has also won the World Championships, he has underachieved

you would say in this tournament. He has just had a monster kick their,

running through. It should have been a simple shot, the red nearly

missed. Jumped up, off the bed of the cloth, nice to see a drop in. I

think with these shots, when they are so tight into the pocket, you

want to be right behind them to get a better view. Seems to make them

that little bit more difficult. They are tricky because if you are

aiming the black into half a pocket, it is a lot more tricky than a full

pocket. He hasn't left anything. That is not a good shot, he had a

chance there, as I mentioned earlier, that green has been, he

could have got a snooker behind it, it is probably even better now. That

was a chance missed. It is not in behind the green, still

a very good safety but it is also extremely difficult to get back to

the baulk area, three reds on the left-hand side are causing the

problem. Coming off and trying to find the gap.

So much so that he has decided just to play the dump shot again. So he

had two very quick frames at the start of this match, John Higgins's

break of 119, and Liang's break of 88 but this one has been a lot more

tactical. The safety has to be good, where the

ball is situated, one mistake could cost you the frame.

The black Cats been covered. -- the black has been covered. It might not

be automatic, the reds are nicely spit. It is a decent safety, from

Liang. That is a bonus, I'm pretty sure

that he did not right behind that. Yes he was playing a safety shot in

that acidity, to get right up behind the brown, is a little bit

fortunate. -- in that facility. Yes maybe the red on the left-hand

side, might be the one. Even if he pots a red that is available lower

down, where is the colour coming from unless he can get back out? He

thinks that he has found one. Excellent pot, you will always be

struggling for position there. He was not playing the pot there,

now it is just a safety. He has just got a bit more swerve than the cue

ball intended. Having a look at another potential plants, he is

desperate in this frame, slightly off but it just depends on the

distance between these two balls, whether it can be made or not. As

you have a look at that, you need to hit the red on the right-hand side.

There is a big gap between those two, one of these can be made. Yes

they can. There is your answer. At first glance I thought that was

maybe a good cannon on the red. This is a tricky pink or blue for

position. If you look at the plant again, very confidently.

Playing the red that is on the blue spot, so it is a natural angle to

drop that, leaving the pink to right centre. Playing its soft enough to

pink on the right corner. Looking at the table I don't think

the pink goes past the black, to the right centre. Looking to play a

cannon, it is just too dangerous. Potting the black. It is one of

those shots if you are practising, taking a chance and doing it. But

not here. It is looking a bit thin to him, the pink so he is taking the

longer yellow. He needs a kiss, and he has got one.

He can play this off the side cushion and off the back to the pink

here. I don't know whether that was such a bad contact or whether he hit

it poorly, the cue ball probably had a few more inches on it than that.

It did did not seem to jump as much on it,

he is on it. He did not play that one as well as

he might have liked, much fuller contact to leave that red for the

right corner. The funny thing about that cannon that he played, is that

he put this red, that he is playing out in the wake of the pink. Not a

bad idea to play this one anyway. What was that? Liang Wenbo, 16. I

did not see that coming. It almost looks like he's playing with the

left-hand side and he has pushed the tubal thick to the red, maybe he had

his eye on the positional side of the shot. Just about to say before

he played that, it is not one that it is easy to get position. But he

hit that far too thick, John Higgins. Awkward little shots,

those. Yes, he could have played this read a lot thing, it is a poor

shot. Taking this green on, it looks like it.

He will be taking himself over that contribution, leaving the red over

the pocket, and you get one. And you have just put him in a lovely

position. Plenty of those reds available, blue

and pink are available, identity thing need to worry about the red

and black in order to settle this frame. The ideal angle to play a

cannon for the blue. That might go back upon its spot in a minute, it

is all good. There is nothing that gives you

opponent more confidence. Than missing a couple of pots or playing

a poor safety, or a missed pot like the green, because the initial shot

was the poor one. One thing it had to be was thin. He has just got to

make sure that he thinks it is nice and thin, it looks like he's

flicking a bit of side and getting it far too thick. And Liang looks

like he's playing well enough and what we don't want to do is

encouraged him a bit more. -- encourage him.

He has just left himself a bit more angle on that pot than he would have

liked, pace more than anything. Any harder and he would have missed it.

This red, should give him a third frame. Position on the pink, just to

make doubly sure. Something like John Higgins, his knowledge of the

game, not getting back to the table laying snookers on you.

Excellent. He is very surprised to get back to the table as quickly as

he did after his miss. What a contribution this has been. And it

is Liang Wenbo with a very impressive 42 break.

So it is Liang Wenbo who has been pretty impressive in the last two

frames. 88 and 42 after John Higgins made his mistake. And he has settled

down roughly into his first appearance here in the Masters and

at Alexandra Palace, which is just a fabulous venue, it really is. I am a

massive fan of this place, it has a wonderful atmosphere, well attended.

And he is doing very well indeed. As for John Higgins, he has to get back

to what he was playing like in the first frame. One or two little

errors and it does not take much at this level. He is having a bit of

trouble. Yes, quite a big frame for John Higgins. The way he started, I

had ideas of him running away with this match. But he is two down in

the last frame before mid-session interval, it you do not want to be

3-1 down. Interesting statistic. 61% win rate for Liang Wenbo, that is

quite impressive. We mentioned earlier on it was seven

matches to zero in the head-to-head. The closest Liang Wenbo got to him

was 10-9 in the 2012 World Championships so he knows that he

can run him close. In fairness, that is the only one, the rest have been

incomprehensible, 5-1, 4-2, 4-1. He has never really had a good run at

John in these tournaments. But already today, there does seem to be

a new-found confidence in him. This is a test of cueing. At distance,

dead straight. A stun for the black. It is one of those, in the black was

totally open, I would fancy him all day long knocking this in. It has a

fair bit of run through after the stun and if you pot this, you

stagger the cue ball past the red on the right blocking the black. So

this is not straightforward, the shot.

Good pot. Just that little bit of extra run through require after the

stun made it more difficult. A priority was the pot. But this black

is massive. Plenty of pressure on this.

Yes, that was just as difficult as the red in a different way. He

played that very confidently. And now a great chance. He could not

have the reds much better for the ultimate prize, John. It could be a

bit early to predict. He has gone for an early one of those! I cannot

believe it. I know it is your birthday!

Just try to leave an angle just to flick the red away from the other

and you have the black area opened up after the next shot. Lovely

little sequence of stun cannons you have played. And he deserves

everything he gets, the two shots at the start of this break were

excellent. The opening pot was brilliant, at the second with the

black dead weight took plenty of nerves.

Just let that cue ball run Opera just make this black missable. If

you keep your eye on the positional side, you could have a pot here. No

problem. He has just bunched up the reds, having to play the cannon.

Winning the frame is obviously the priority at 2-1 down. He will be

starting to have thought at the back of his mind because he will know how

well he is placed. He is just going along beautifully.

He has a choice of reds. One he can play with the pack and one he can

drop with the rest down the right-hand side. He has taken these

beautifully so far. That little cannon just clicking another nifty

ball out. One in the middle of the table, lovely.

He played that in the way and he left itself an opportunity of two

pots, one in the middle and another in the corner. Take it from me, he

is after the maximum. He knows it is on.

Just slightly hampered with that red on the cushion. Just a little bit

awkward. This will show his intentions. Yes, we know what he is

playing for there. That was easy to follow the red. The cannon and the

pink, maybe. That is all right, through the gap. In with the rest.

Perfectly down for the black again. It is looking like that red on the

cushion which has been there since the top -- since the start of the

frame is going to be the stumbling block. At the moment, the ones in

the Open look like they are going to go. I think he has played that

beautifully. He has. Screw back for the black no problem.

This is an interesting scenario. He could play for the loose red on the

left-hand cushion now with the perfect angle, would you play it?

You have two because you might never get the chance again to drop nicely

on it, this surprises me. You can put the cue ball anywhere on that

red, you have two pot the red eventually so a little bit

surprised. Perfect position on these reds. He has not got the angle now

to get on the red and is slightly on the wrong side of the black. I bet

he wishes he had played for that red now.

He has checked the cue ball off beside cushion. We mentioned, he

probably should have done it three shots ago. I think he will be

kicking himself, he was perfect to drop on that red. Hardly ever I

would disagree with a shot John Higgins plays on the balls. He got a

kick. On the key. Great buy and you can argue the rights and wrong is if

he should have played on the loose red but great play from John Higgins

and it is 2-2 at the interval, a good try.

Top-quality snooker at Alexandra Palace, Marco Fu made a great

century last year and halfway through, we thought it could happen

again. The shot at the end, by failing to

play the red is the third last red, ?20,000, it might have cost him!

What have you made of this opening session? Rate snooker. Both players

looking very comfortable, cueing beautifully, and it is a really good

match. And not showing sign of any nerves. I think he has really

embraced the atmosphere and the challenge of playing John Higgins

here. That is what you have to do here. You do not worry too much

about the history and then the style Janda big occasion, just say, go out

and enjoy it. You are playing one of the best players in the world, you

are playing well yourself, just go and enjoy the challenge. I think

that is what he is doing. Let's remember that Liang is making his

Masters debut today and Higgins got off to a blistering start. So many

players have come to the Masters and been rabbit in the headlights

material and still struggled if they have experience here. It does show

that is nothing like current form for your confidence. But a journey

into the unknown which is what it is for 55 -- for Liang Wenbo is what it

is and he did not know he would play well but he must be delighted with

how it has gone and he gives some self a great chance to turn over one

of the great players in the game. You have been in a situation where a

match is hanging in the balance. If you are making your debut like Liang

Wenbo, how has it gone so far and how do you behave in the interval?

He will be plays with the first four frames and the way he has settled

into the game -- pleased. He looks nervous and I would say he would be

happy, hit a couple of balls, sit in the dressing room, have a cup of tea

and get ready for the youth -- for the next half. In the UK, I was in

the dressing room area and in the match in between, he went to the

toilet and a guy started talking to him. He obviously has somebody in

his corner on him all the time, not necessarily is sports psychology, --

sports psychologist, a manager or somebody. I imagine he is playing

the team game and it is nice to have a team, you feel you have more

support and you do it for other people so perhaps he is happy in

that environment. Four cracking frames of snooker already this

afternoon and what a brilliant afternoon yesterday as Ronnie

O'Sullivan took on Mark Williams. The Rocket was playing his first

match since last year's Championship including a capacity crowd with some

famous faces. After winning the first frame, he

was fortunate to get the second as he whipped the final green. Escaping

from a snooker. Williams watched on as O'Sullivan

had a chance to clear but miscues, jumping the white over the black,

costing him a frame. When he fourth frame to level the match 2-2,

Williams got the better of a scrappy sixth and he had the momentum at

4-2. The world number six O'Sullivan has won the Masters five times and

is suffering from a slipped disc, not happy and a quickfire break of

104 united his come back. In a match living up to its billing, O'Sullivan

added the next two frames, with winds of 60 and a very impressive

117, giving the fans favourite read by 5-4. After taking advantage of

the ten to settle the decider, Williams attempted a very risky long

planned at the red failed to find its target, much to the despair of

the Welshman and wife Joanne. O'Sullivan stepped in with a

superbly crafted run of 62, highlighted by a very clever shot on

the green to notch the last red off the side of the cushion to set up a

quarterfinal meeting with Mark Selby.

It was not an easy match but in a way it was not a bad draw because we

both know each other so well so we know what shots, I know what shot he

is going to play, he knows what I am going to play, so we feel

comfortable playing each other. Yes, it probably would have been hard if

I had had to play somebody I did not know the game as well. 2,000 people

in Alexandra Palace yesterday and the majority want to see Ronnie

O'Sullivan winning this tournament. After the match, Steve Davis sat

down with Ronnie to talk about his performance and his return to

snooker. Ronnie, the crowd were delighted to

see you back, did you enjoy it? Yes, it was a great crowd. And has ticked

then you to play in, especially when it is all. -- a fantastic venue.

Good to play in the environment. The adrenaline must have been pumping,

2,000 people in the room. Yes, I was very nervous, I have not played a

proper tournament since the World Championships so to play all your

first match since the World Championships, it was nerves

wracking. I settled down all right and towards the end, I felt quite

involved a bit. You're back has been playing cue up. It is better now but

I feel off-balance -- your back. Trying to get the cue and a straight

line is difficult. Take us back to the World Championship. A bit of a

shock losing to Stuart Bingham in the quarterfinals, how did you deal

with that over the summer? I don't know, I was a bit disappointed in my

own performance. I did not played great in my first two matches at

Sheffield and then Stuart Bingham played a fantastic last session and

I had a chance to go head early in the match and when I did not take

that, I could not shake him off. In the last session, I could not pot a

ball but he played well and he went on to win it. So the new season

begins all of a sudden and of all the players in the game in the last

couple of seasons, you have decided more than others to pick and choose.

What was going through your mind at the beginning of the season? Did you

have a game plan? Did you do it on an ad hoc basis, at the entry form

arrives and you do not fancy it? Did the back plate a part? The first

tournament I would have played in would have been maybe Shanghai, I do

not always relish going on long trips. So it probably would have

been coming back for Coventry. But I did do my back in a couple of weeks

before that so I would not have been able to play in that anyway and even

for the UK, I would not have been able to play. So I have not missed

any tournaments because I would only have returned for Coventry. This is

the first tournament I would have entered. Do you feel a bit rusty.

Terrible, to be honest! I have gone from playing really well and feeling

good. And I won the Welsh in 2014 and since then, my form is slowly

getting worse and worse. I have got a couple of results. I have not been

the most convincing over the last 18 months. I will have two sort that

out. Arguably, you have got your toughest opponent historically, he

has caused you problems, Mark Selby. He is a tenacious animal on the

snooker table. Perhaps not the type of player you are best suited to? He

is like that with everybody. I was working on the UK Championships and

watching his matches and everybody he played, he killed them. I noticed

about Mark, you never get a good opportunity among the balls, you

have to fight for a chance and he leaves you in awkward situations.

You never have a straightforward opening. He is tough for anybody to

play and probably the hardest match player, he is the hardest match

player on the circuit and probably the only player that does not have

to play his best to win tournaments. Everybody else, including myself,

John Higgins, it Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, on our game, we win

tournaments but otherwise, we run out of gas and get beaten by

somebody on their game. You are one short of Stephen Hendry's record for

the Masters, two shortfall the World Championships, is the record book in

your eyesight? The 1,000 century breaks has been mentioned. Yes, it

is obviously nice to get records. It would be nice to win this game. But

that is a long way away. It is good to be even thinking about having the

opportunity to come close to it. Is the game plan for the rest of the

season to play in as many tournaments as possible? Is it on

and ad hoc basis? We will have to wait and see. If I do not feel like

I can do myself justice and I have not been in the last 18 months, if I

felt I was playing all right and not getting results, you can take that.

If you do not get results and do not play well, that is difficult to get

your head around. So how will you make the 1,000 centuries not

playing? Would you like to just like it as an end result? No, just like I

said, you take it one by one and hopefully I get form back. If I do,

I do not care if I win a match again, as long as you enjoy the game

and it is just something to do sometimes all you get bored. What do

you do with your time? If you butcher balls all round the table,

it is mentally tough to deal with that. How do you make yourself enjoy

it? When you are a kid, you can play forever. All of a sudden, practising

is harder and if you do not play to the levels you could achieve like

Stephen Hendry, he knocked it on the head and he retired. Have you a way

of trying to have longevity in the game, how do you enjoy it if it is

not going well? I can only enjoy it if I play all right. I would rather

they well and lose than play bad and win, I am not like Mark Selby that

can forget and focus on a whim. It takes too much out of me. If it does

not go easy for me... Would you consider putting in more practice?

Less. Quality rather than quantity? There is no point struggling to be

churning out hours after hours, that is tortuous for me. If it comes

easy, I will play four, five hours a day because I am enjoying it. But I

am not one to grind out stuff, it has to come easy, I have accepted

that about myself. Yes, that is the type of player I am, I suppose.

Thank you. Whatever you think of Ronnie

O'Sullivan, you have to say over the last couple of years, something is

happening to him. When I have interviewed him in York or

Sheffield, he gives you so much, a lot more than other sports players

and you have to say from a sleeper perspective, it is fantastic to have

him back. Absolutely. A buzz in here yesterday before the match and out

in the Fourier, he brings a different dimension to other players

will stop at that is his persona. The way he can play -- to other

players and that is his persona. A bit like Higgins and Jimmy White. He

is the people's champion. It is sad in a way he does not enjoy it

because he thrilled so many people and they love watching him play but

he comes here and he peels down because he does not live up to his

own expectations basically because he sets up such high expectations.

-- he peels down. But is the discussion about Ronnie because

people often say, what is he like? I go, he is a really great guy, I love

watching Ronnie O'Sullivan play. They say, why do we not see him at

all the tournaments? Blessed with that much talent, why? We have so

many tournaments and he has to choose ones he wants to play and be

happy and that is what he does. I understand him saying you cannot go

into a snooker club and practice by hours a day, it gets harder as you

get older. He has to manage his time a lot better. If he does that, he

might prolong his career even more which is better for the paying

public and fans of snooker that we see more of him. But he has to

manage his time and pick and choose is tournaments. For the moment,

thank you very much. To remind you, this is a session interval, John

Higgins and Liang Wenbo. Let's cross to Steve. Great match at

the moment, two great players. Why, they have fantastic you action will

stop wind the clock back to the second frame after John Higgins made

the century brain -- break. Liang was left with a very difficult

opening red. On the cushion. Do not look at the pot and the balls, look

at his head. How still he keeps his head on a

very missable shot. Rock-solid on the shot and you see this in the

clubs, most amateur players make a mistake with too much head movements

during the shot. How'd you train yourself not to move your head?

First, what is happening? You have a shot, you get lined up and you look

like you are on the line and you pull back the cube but the effort

required to play the shot and the fact you are anxious means when you

go through, you move your head a bit -- cue. Up and down, to the side,

that leaves your body and takes your cue off-line and you do not deliver

your cue back to the point, you put side spin on it. The way for the

club way to stop this and it is a bit boring, but I am the King of

boredom, you train yourself to never move your head so you play like a

robot. When you play the shot, did not move your head before, during

and after the shot. The way you do that is by making sure you do not

move your head until the ball is either in the pocket or it has

wobbled in the jaws. So stay down for a lot longer on the shot. I am

not moving my head, I pull back the cue, I play the shot, I do not move

my head and I stayed down for a lot longer than normal. On the cushion,

it is even more important to make sure you have no body movement. Your

arm is free. You do not have so much solidity in the shot. Bold back the

cue, keep your head is still as possible when you play the shot and

should you miss it, still stay down on the shot until the ball hits the

cushion. Missed the shot, stay down and train yourself to not move your

head. Until the ball is in the pocket or it has missed. And you

will be more solid on the shot. But now return to the Masters

quarterfinal draw, we are entering the quarterfinals and this is how it

is looking. The reigning champion Shaun Murphy was dumped out on day

one by Mark Allen, he plays Barry Hawkins Buzz Saw of the challenge of

Joe Perry. Judd Trump has never won the Masters and his win over Stephen

Maguire has shut up a match between Neil Robertson or Marco Fu, winner

of the Masters in 2011. Mark Selby, three-time champion, thrashed Ricky

Walden last night and he will play Ronnie O'Sullivan after his win over

Mark Williams. John Higgins Liang Wenbo battling it out this afternoon

and one of them is the current usable -- Crucible champion. Who is

your money on? The pic has to be Ronnie O'Sullivan

against Mark Selby, they have had great matches in the Masters. A

number of games went to the last game and two different styles and

different characters but a fascinating encounter. Whatever you

are doing tomorrow, change it! Good afternoon and welcome to

Politics Scotland. Coming up... The latest figures show the economy grew

a little in the third quarter of last year that it is lagging the

rest of the UK. Moray council is proposing to bring