01/03/2014 Snooker: Welsh Open Highlights

Hello. Today was the day when eight became four, here at the Welsh Open.

We had four terrific quarterfinal matches at the Newport Centre. It

looked like a mismatch as Joel Walker faced Ding Junhui. The

Conqueror of Mark Williams, Marco Fu, has made huge strides in the

last couple of seasons. Finally, John Higgins against Ronnie

O'Sullivan. I will have two bring my a game to

get through that Mark. People like Cameron Davies are icons of the

sport. I have had a great tournament so far. I have one in four matches,

which is good for me. As many matches as I can get is good.

Privately, I think I and the reason why Ronnie O Sullivan is playing

like this. He is probably thinking, I should be getting more world

titles than him. That's why he has not called down. -- not called down.

You really have two cherry every tournament -- you really have to

treat every tournament as if it is your last one. I'm hoping for the

right results. O Sullivan got off to the test start, taking the first

frame. We will pick up the action in the second frame.

There is no doubt that Ronnie O Sullivan exerts pressure on his

opponents out there. I think he is the only player in the

world that I feel I could sit down and watch him and not say a word in

the commentary box. I would agree with that.

He did not strike that very well and it may have cost him. He certainly

hasn't got any easy reds to take on. Beautiful. He does not hit the

ball, he caresses it. I think he has already sent a

message to John Higgins. If you play anything loose or leave him in

range, he is going to get punished for it. Ronnie O'Sullivan has been

in scintillating form this week at the Newport Centre. I do feel for

John Higgins to have any kind of a chance in this match. He will have

to play better than he has played all week.

John Higgins really needs to get started quickly. Ronnie O'Sullivan

is like a runaway train. The difference between these two

players is that O'Sullivan has a lot of evidence that he is playing well

this season. John Higgins hasn't. He mesmerises the crowd. It is so

quiet out there. This is O'Sullivan at his best. He

is 2-0 in front. Ronnie O'Sullivan continued to score heavily. Let us

go to frame six. Another long pot coming up. He will

have to fully commit to the one in the right-hand corner.

Pretty good. He is on the black. The bridging is going to be very

awkward. If he had his rich, he would have

made that ten out of ten. It never rains, but it pours.

Not an easy position for O'Sullivan. He is very good at clearing the path

for the black though. Ronnie O'Sullivan is in a safe

position to win the frame and the match.

It was not John Higgins's Dave. -- John Higgins's day. I was hitting

really well. It could have been better, but my mental skills are

good. I just carried on. Even when I made a mistake, there was no point

being down on myself. You have to stay positive to try and get the

right result. It was even more comprehensive in the match between

Barry Hawkins and Marco Fu. I did not expect to win 5-0. Marco played

well against Mark Williams yesterday. I expected a really hard

game. I had a bit of luck along the way and scored really well. I am

delighted to be in the next round. I just need to be on top of my game to

have any chance of winning tomorrow. So, what about the top of the draw?

Ding Junhui faced Joel Walker, who has never been to a ranking final of

a tournament. He has played that really well. A

good shot. The red above the lack to the left,

that should pass into this right corner. That is the one. What a

great pot. He is still looking very confident.

This is all about the positioning of the shot.

He looks as if he is gaining in confidence with every shot. He does.

If I was Ding Junhui, I would we worried. That is about as concerned

as he ever looks though. I know my daughter is watching the

snooker today in here. She loves it. She is backing Joel. She says she is

going to back the underdog. She would like to win the whole event.

That will embarrass her, telling her -- telling everybody about her

favourite player. Did she drive down here? Yes, it is best not to talk

about her driving, Dominic. Thank you very much! I have only just

finished paying for the last one. Back to the serious business at

hand. It is certainly getting serious now offered Ding Junhui. --

for Ding Junhui. That was a great shot Joel played to develop the

reds. Just two parts away from securing this sixth frame and taking

a 4-2 lead. -- to parts. I hope he does not let it bother

him, that the winning line is getting closer. I hope we can

continue in the same form he has shown in the last few frames. His

third break over 70. The last two could have been hundreds. It was not

to be. But he is now starting to look $1

million. Everything has become very easy for him. He does not like Q

power either. -- he does not like Q power. This would be lovely if you

could make a 100 break. His debut main television cable appearance, we

will say. -- table. This crowd is getting treated to a terrific

display by this young man. Then goes the red. It is like

shelling peas are there. -- out there. Well done, Joel Walker.

Terrific. He is not going to be bothered that

he has missed the yellow. He has given doing everything to think

about. He now leads by 4-2 with three left to play. Ding has it all

to do. The winning post was inside for a

walker. It seemed to knock him off his stride. Ding won the crucial

seventh frame. The world number two seemed to be thriving on the

pressure as he saved his best snooker for the eighth frame,

compiling a break of 139 to take the match into a deciding frame. Who

will make the semifinals? So it all came down to the crucial

ninth frame. That was very tough. Has he been

lucky? No. The first chance in this deciding frame for Joel Walker.

He will be relieved to see that red pass the pink. No shot for Ding

Junhui. He has pushed the red towards the

left corner. The cue ball is not right. You would say the pot is easy

enough. But it is about getting onto a collar. That is the problem with

this shot. -- collar. That was the problem. A great long part. He

needed to this the reds. Always going to be difficult.

He has missed that by a long way. Very aggressive shot. Two frames ago

I probably would have agreed with that. He has had to go for it.

Whether Riddle of reckless or not. If it had gone in, he would have had

a great chance. He has looked to try to win the match with that visit. He

has left doing with a relatively easy starter. He has played very

well the last couple of friends. -- frames.

Just about held position for the brown but it is not ideal. The pot

is miscible. Controlling the cue ball is not as easy as it could have

been. -- miscible. This is a big shot. Ding steeling himself for one

good positional shot. If this goes right, and about how the reds are

spread. -- look at how the reds are spread.

That was well played. Playing with the spider. An ugly attachment

really. But a necessity. Joel Walker will be fearing the

worst now. He has given it a really good shake. When things are going

great, the arena is a fantastic place to be. When they are not going

so good, it is the loneliest place. I remember Ronnie O'Sullivan a

couple of years ago, way ahead in the semifinal, his opponent was

making a comeback. He sat there and put a napkin over his head so he

could not see the rest of the match. Joel is taking his medicine. If he

does not get back to the table, he can be very proud of the display he

has given this afternoon. Yes, absolutely so. You cannot be a

19-year-old in the heat of battle against some illustrious names

without your share of nerves and pressure, and having it manifested

itself in your game, making the odd mistake that you probably would not.

It is part mistake that you probably would not.

been a great chance for Joel today. A lot of experience here this week.

That is, of course, if he does not get back to the table. It is

certainly not over just yet. Joel probably will not be feeling that

way. He will be very concerned now that he will not get back to the

table. Ding with all the momentum. He has made a break of 52 a couple

of frames ago, and a fantastic 139 in the last.

None of these open reds particularly easy to get onto for doing. -- for

Ding. Could this be Joel Walker's

Lifeline? He just overran the cue ball by about six inches. Could we

see another turn of ball by about six inches. Could we

this match? It has been toing and froing. You cannot play it much more

positively than that. He deserves to be on a red, the way he has played

that shot. That was a too horrific, to reflect pot and positional shot.

It probably deserves to win the match. Very good.

Yes, that black was possibly Joel's chance in this match, but he played

it with such boldness and conviction. It looks good to me.

That is 59 points, the lead. Still 75 remaining, but just a couple of

more reds and colours needed now for anal to take its place in the

semifinal. -- to take his place. Now that red has gone in for Ding,

it seems to be the final hole extinguished for Joel Walker. A

great shame for him. What a wonderful week it has been. He has

had some great wins. He beat Stephen Maguire in the last round. That must

have been the best win of his career to date, quite possibly. You have

got to praise Ding, the result he has shown in the last few frames,

two, from 4-2 behind. -- to come. A big century break in the last. 139.

He can make another big century here to close out the match.

In goes the pink for yet another century for Ding. A Judd Trump

special to try to finish off. Another great break from Ding Junhui

week -- Ding Junhui. He comes from 4-2 behind to win this match and

take his place into moral's semifinal. He wins by 5-4.

I'm proud of what I have done. I would like to have gone further.

But, it is, as you say, my first time on the TV. I didn't really

enjoy it after that. Fair play to Ding. He took his chances really

well at the end. It shows you how good a player he is. At 4-2 behind,

I should punish them. I have learned a lot and I will back stronger. Yes,

it was a tough game. Joel played well. You make centuries and 80 or

70 breaks. I don't think he played bad. And also, I did not play well,

didn't concentrate hard enough. I don't feel comfortable with my cue

ball control. Not good. In the semifinals, Ding will play

Joe Perry to beat Mark Selby -- to beat Mark Selby in convincing

fashion. It is the second year in a row that he has beaten Selby at the

Welsh Open. So much respect for Mark and what he

has done and the way he has done it. A true gentleman on and off the

table. Super player. A great win for me. I would love to get a ranking

event under my belt. A big one. And this one, all the players are in it.

This is the cream of the crop this week. It would mean everything to

me. Probably a lifelong dream as a snooker player.

Here is the semifinal draw. The workmen have already been busy

at the Newport Centre this evening, taking away the second table, now

that we're reaching the end. All eyes on centre stage for a semifinal

day tomorrow. I hope you can join us tomorrow afternoon. We are on live

from 1pm on BBC Two Wales. Good night.

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