0:00:28 > 0:00:58Blink and you will miss him. The Rocket. Ronnie O'Sullivan.
0:00:59 > 0:01:05Good evening. It is always a special night when Ronnie O'Sullivan plays
0:01:06 > 0:01:08in the Welsh Open and there was a big crowd here this evening. The
0:01:09 > 0:01:20world champion still the biggest draw in the game. Ronnie O'Sullivan
0:01:21 > 0:01:26is a genius. Is he good for the game? He has been great for the
0:01:27 > 0:01:31game. Following in the footsteps of Jimmy White and Alex Higgins. He
0:01:32 > 0:01:38gets people in and creates an atmosphere. He has a few problems of
0:01:39 > 0:01:43the table. We all sit back and say, if we were that good, why would we
0:01:44 > 0:01:47not want to play? He has a few Demons occasionally but he has been
0:01:48 > 0:01:51one of the greatest things that has happened to the game over the last
0:01:52 > 0:02:00few years. He has kept the game in the spotlight. Ronnie O'Sullivan has
0:02:01 > 0:02:04overtaken Stephen Hendry. He is the greatest player who has ever picked
0:02:05 > 0:02:09a snooker cue up. A lot of it is down to the technique. Right-handed,
0:02:10 > 0:02:19left-handed, it doesn't matter. You cannot fault that technique. Ronnie
0:02:20 > 0:02:23O'Sullivan is almost up there with John Higgins with regard to tactical
0:02:24 > 0:02:28notes. When he does try, he is unbelievable. In the brick building
0:02:29 > 0:02:35department he is getting closer to Stephen Hendry's record. Stephen has
0:02:36 > 0:02:40made over 750 centuries and Ronnie O'Sullivan is just 100 centuries
0:02:41 > 0:02:45behind them. There are plenty of years left for him to overtake that
0:02:46 > 0:02:52record. The thing is, is he going to be around long enough? Will he
0:02:53 > 0:02:56retire? The one thing at the back of his mind is to equal or better
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Stephen Hendry's modern-day record of seven world titles. I think he
0:03:02 > 0:03:08can achieve it. If he wants it, he can have it. Because as I said
0:03:09 > 0:03:14before, he is a genius. His opponent in the second round was Barry
0:03:15 > 0:03:22Pinches. The Rocket fired right from the start of the first frame.
0:03:23 > 0:03:50To fix this time. The first real mistake from Barry Pinches.
0:03:51 > 0:04:02That was very good cueing from Ronnie O'Sullivan. He stunned the
0:04:03 > 0:04:50cue ball perfectly. This is a great chance already in this first frame.
0:04:51 > 0:05:02This will open another red. He does not necessarily have to pay the
0:05:03 > 0:05:13cannons for a few shots. This will be the fourth black. Whenever Ronnie
0:05:14 > 0:05:23sees a chance to bring balls into play he will play at. -- play it.
0:05:24 > 0:05:49The balls are in a rather nice position at the moment.
0:05:50 > 0:06:01Just a bit lower on the black and he wanted. When you get to this stage
0:06:02 > 0:06:07in a break, it is best to play on to read better than one. As long as he
0:06:08 > 0:06:10gets past the pink spot he will be on one or another. He will be happy
0:06:11 > 0:06:34with that kiss. I just love the effortless ease at
0:06:35 > 0:06:41which he plays. He is playing with such freedom. It's very hard to do.
0:06:42 > 0:06:49I wonder whether he is thinking about the possibility of a 147. He
0:06:50 > 0:06:55started thinking about that after the second black. Ronnie O'Sullivan
0:06:56 > 0:07:06brings his practice came to the matchplay but -- match table but not
0:07:07 > 0:07:13many players are able to do that. He will be trying to finish high on the
0:07:14 > 0:07:20balls so that if he and hits it he will still have still have another
0:07:21 > 0:07:29on the black. Once again he will play for the red next to the green
0:07:30 > 0:07:36or the one in the middle. That is a bad shot. He did not need to kiss
0:07:37 > 0:07:46the blue. The one next to the green is no good to him because he can't
0:07:47 > 0:07:52get on the black from that. I tell you what, that is a fantastic shot
0:07:53 > 0:08:04from Ronnie O'Sullivan. How about that for cue ball control? Is that
0:08:05 > 0:08:13blue going to get in the way again? Is it possible to get back for the
0:08:14 > 0:08:15black. It certainly is. Great shot. Just a fraction too hard and that is
0:08:16 > 0:08:30a shame. This is the key shot. He has got to
0:08:31 > 0:09:03get really high on this black. What a shame. A fabulous break of
0:09:04 > 0:09:11104. Ronnie O'Sullivan looks in great form. Ronnie O'Sullivan takes
0:09:12 > 0:09:16the first frame. A brilliant start but his early
0:09:17 > 0:09:23momentum stuttered as Barry Pinches got a frame back. But then the world
0:09:24 > 0:09:29champion only needed one more frame for the city.
0:09:30 > 0:09:31Ronnie O'Sullivan breaking off in what he hopes will be the last
0:09:32 > 0:10:20frame. Not bound to get onto a colour if he
0:10:21 > 0:10:34pots this. Another chance for Barry Pinches. Ronnie is not happy with
0:10:35 > 0:10:37himself at the minute. Barry is not getting any old chance at the table,
0:10:38 > 0:10:42he's got a fantastic chance. But would you believe it he has fouled
0:10:43 > 0:10:47one of the reds at the back of the pack with his finger. We do pride
0:10:48 > 0:10:52ourselves on the honesty of the players and Barry immediately owned
0:10:53 > 0:10:59up to that one knowing it could cost him the match. Great sportsmanship
0:11:00 > 0:11:31from Barry Pinches. Loads of loose reds on. Ronnie does
0:11:32 > 0:11:44not go into them this time. He knows he can win the frame and match at
0:11:45 > 0:11:49this visit. It is a pretty favourable draw. He has avoided some
0:11:50 > 0:12:10of the top layers in the world like Mark Williams.
0:12:11 > 0:12:33He doesn't appear to be on the black. He might play for the loose
0:12:34 > 0:12:34thread. -- loose red. It is so unlike Ronnie not to go into the
0:12:35 > 0:12:54pack early. He will not be happy with his
0:12:55 > 0:13:01performance tonight. He has played a lot of poor shots. He will be
0:13:02 > 0:13:09pleased with the scoreline but that's about all. After that
0:13:10 > 0:13:23terrific start, almost a maximum break in the first frame, he has
0:13:24 > 0:13:31been struggling ever since. He has touched the red, though when he is
0:13:32 > 0:13:34pointing to with his finger, as he was attempting to make of the bridge
0:13:35 > 0:14:15to pot the easy read. It has not cost him the match, not just yet.
0:14:16 > 0:14:27That is a very acute angle into the minute -- into the middle. He made
0:14:28 > 0:14:40that look very simple. That was so tough.
0:14:41 > 0:14:52It is hard to see a mistake coming now. It is OK porting these raids in
0:14:53 > 0:14:55the middle but when you play with the deep screw like that to get back
0:14:56 > 0:15:06onto the black, it's a lot more difficult.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11Only two more reds after this black and two colours and he will have a
0:15:12 > 0:15:32victory by four frames to one. He has done enough but it was
0:15:33 > 0:15:41workmanlike rather than brilliant tonight. He will be happy with the
0:15:42 > 0:15:454-1 scoreline. It is not look like Barry will get into this match again
0:15:46 > 0:15:50now. He has got the feel of the table and the venue and he has set
0:15:51 > 0:15:56himself up well enough for the next round. The applause from the crowd,
0:15:57 > 0:16:25knowing that was frame ball. He did enough and Barry Pinches at
0:16:26 > 0:16:26-- is coming back to the table that it looks like Ronnie O'Sullivan is
0:16:27 > 0:17:44the victor. -- but it looks like. The crowd now hoping for some
0:17:45 > 0:18:47exhibition snooker from Ronnie. Barry will be pretty disappointed.
0:18:48 > 0:18:57He has had every chance in most of the frames apart from the first. It
0:18:58 > 0:19:15is just the occasion that got to him this evening.
0:19:16 > 0:19:24Breaks of 104 in the first, 50, 44 and 30, and finished the match were
0:19:25 > 0:19:29fabulous break of 58. Ronnie O'Sullivan gets warm appreciation
0:19:30 > 0:19:33from the crowd. Barry Pinches disappointed as Ronnie O'Sullivan
0:19:34 > 0:19:39storms into the next round. Barry is a top player.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45He's one of the best amateurs and has grown up and is a little bit
0:19:46 > 0:19:50older than me and I remember him being the top boy. He played as well
0:19:51 > 0:19:55as he could tonight. He missed a few and gave me a few chances and I was
0:19:56 > 0:19:59able to score a few. We both didn't play brilliant but I was pleased to
0:20:00 > 0:20:02get the win. I would love to win another Welsh Open. I've had some
0:20:03 > 0:20:06good tournaments here and I'd like to have a good run here. A long way
0:20:07 > 0:20:13to go but I always loved playing in this event.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Ronnie O'Sullivan wasn't the only big name in action today. Here's a
0:20:17 > 0:20:20round-up of some of the other winners and losers. World number one
0:20:21 > 0:20:27Neil Robertson breezed into the third round with a 4-0 demolition of
0:20:28 > 0:20:35England's Rory McLeod. He wrapped the matchup in fine style with his
0:20:36 > 0:20:3882nd century of the season. The first few friends there were no big
0:20:39 > 0:20:47breaks made but my overall game was very good and went 3-0 in the third
0:20:48 > 0:20:53frame and Rory made a really good century break. Really pleased with
0:20:54 > 0:20:55the way I finished the match. But there was heartbreak for Jamie
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Jones, who lost out to former world champion Graeme Dott in a final
0:21:01 > 0:21:07frame decider that went down to the black ball. Bridgend's Ryan Day also
0:21:08 > 0:21:14made an exit today on the losing 4-1 to Scotland's Anthony McGill, who
0:21:15 > 0:21:17will now play Judd Trump. He will be joined by Ding Junhui, who beat
0:21:18 > 0:21:22English than Jamie Cope 4-1 this afternoon. Ding has got four ranking
0:21:23 > 0:21:28titles already this season and looked in ominous form.
0:21:29 > 0:21:38Winning is always good. Two Welsh players making the short journey
0:21:39 > 0:21:45home but what about Mark Williams, the two times world champion? He'll
0:21:46 > 0:21:52face Tian Pengfei in his match and he started well. -- he faced. Your
0:21:53 > 0:22:21commentators are Willie Thorne and Darren Morgan.
0:22:22 > 0:22:32REFEREE: Foul and a miss.. It's all going wrong for Tian Pengfei. A
0:22:33 > 0:22:47little miscue there. A great pot. He played to catch the
0:22:48 > 0:22:48middle jaw and could have done with a cue ball stopping about six or
0:22:49 > 0:23:09eight inches less. He just cued straight over the top
0:23:10 > 0:23:18of the cue ball there. Not enough chalk on his tip. It's amazing how
0:23:19 > 0:23:21players always took their cue after a miscue. Why do they do that?
0:23:22 > 0:24:15Answers on a postcard. A little bit of drift there. Darren
0:24:16 > 0:24:25is talking about his cue. Obviously a mess but it won't be taken. -- a
0:24:26 > 0:24:30miss. It's going to be tough for Tian to get on a colour but he's got
0:24:31 > 0:24:37to start scoring. He must have touched it with his hand on the way
0:24:38 > 0:24:46back there. It is all going wrong for Tian Pengfei at the minute.
0:24:47 > 0:24:56Not going to plan for him. in this game he has miscued. He just
0:24:57 > 0:25:03didn't get his fingers out the way. It's all happening here! I don't
0:25:04 > 0:25:07think I've ever seen that before. I've seen it when they try a really
0:25:08 > 0:25:11deep screw and haven't got time to get their hand out of the way but he
0:25:12 > 0:25:14had plenty of time. That's just a lack of concentration. He was
0:25:15 > 0:25:17probably watching the white all-weather pack was splitting,
0:25:18 > 0:25:23rather than whether cue ball was going to end up. Whatever the case,
0:25:24 > 0:25:24Mark Williams is in the balls again. You'd be surprised if he didn't make
0:25:25 > 0:26:16at least 40 from here. Obviously, he's played for the plant
0:26:17 > 0:26:22just below the pink. It's not exactly on but he's just got to
0:26:23 > 0:26:29catch it about quarter ball. Nicely on the pink but the cue ball's gone
0:26:30 > 0:26:35very close to the two reds. He has got a room she can just roll his
0:26:36 > 0:26:43pink through. -- a red he can just roll has been
0:26:44 > 0:27:15Trying very hard to bring balls into play there but it hasn't quite
0:27:16 > 0:28:01happened. You'd expect him to win the frame
0:28:02 > 0:28:03now he's got the pink clear. He could win the frame at the next four
0:28:04 > 0:29:04reds, four colours. That used to be punishable but not
0:29:05 > 0:29:28any more. Frame over, trying to bring balls
0:29:29 > 0:29:36into place to make a century. Not had a great tally of centuries this
0:29:37 > 0:29:38season. He's made a magnificent 306 career centuries, which is up there
0:29:39 > 0:29:52with the best. He's a bit more bothered about
0:29:53 > 0:30:03centuries than he used to be. He needs to move the red out and
0:30:04 > 0:30:09hasn't quite got it. He can He needs to move the red out and
0:30:10 > 0:30:23get on that register try to move the other red out.
0:30:24 > 0:30:39Well done. He deserves a century now. What a shame. No century from
0:30:40 > 0:30:47Mark Williams. But Chan jump high will be distraught with the chances
0:30:48 > 0:30:50he's had and given away. The Welshman needed just one more
0:30:51 > 0:30:55frame for victory. Would it come with the fourth? We can see that
0:30:56 > 0:31:00now. Williams is at the table, trailing by nine points.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06WILLIE THORNE: Looks slightly thicker than he would do normally.
0:31:07 > 0:31:07Trying to force him into making another mistake, which could be his
0:31:08 > 0:31:36last. He struck that one very good. The
0:31:37 > 0:31:37red didn't go in but he's got the second prize. He did strike that are
0:31:38 > 0:32:06very, very good. This is not easy. Should land of one of the reds. Just
0:32:07 > 0:32:12skim off the cluster. There we have it. Very well played. One has been
0:32:13 > 0:32:16pushed out into the middle. If that red Hat and come away from the pack,
0:32:17 > 0:32:24it would have been tough but he's now got a chance to get the frame
0:32:25 > 0:32:29and the matchup this visit. The horror story for Tian Pengfei will
0:32:30 > 0:32:36continue because he had chances in the first frame and had chances in
0:32:37 > 0:32:56the last frame. A lot better player than we've seen today.
0:32:57 > 0:33:04For those who are watching Tian Pengfei for the first time today,
0:33:05 > 0:33:10he's had nine centuries this season. He's already had 49 centuries and,
0:33:11 > 0:33:11at the moment, it looks like he's going to be short of 50 but that's
0:33:12 > 0:33:24what happens sometimes. Got to the last 16 of three
0:33:25 > 0:33:32different tournaments. World ranked 58. He is possibly got a chance of
0:33:33 > 0:33:40not being on the tour because 64 is the key number, really.
0:33:41 > 0:33:46This is Mark Williams at his when he's in and around the black
0:33:47 > 0:34:26spot area. No need to play a cannon. The two
0:34:27 > 0:34:27reds are available, one into the left-hand corner, the other into the
0:34:28 > 0:34:40right. After a shaky start, he played well
0:34:41 > 0:34:44in the first round, but was very shaky in frame two. This has been a
0:34:45 > 0:34:47good performance from Mark Williams. He's going to be a handful for
0:34:48 > 0:35:22whoever he plays. This is frame ball and match ball. A
0:35:23 > 0:35:24good performance, really, apart from a little twitch in the second frame.
0:35:25 > 0:35:57He's scoring when he gets in. This has been very good from Mark.
0:35:58 > 0:36:04It's great to see him playing at his very best. Let's hope it continues.
0:36:05 > 0:36:10Not that I'm being too biased, mind! What a treat we've got for you
0:36:11 > 0:36:15on BBC Wales. Robertson coming up against Rory McLeod and then the
0:36:16 > 0:36:18great Ronnie O'Sullivan is coming this evening at seven o'clock. There
0:36:19 > 0:36:44won't be a spare seat in the house for that one.
0:36:45 > 0:36:57Very well played, Mark Williams. And this large crowd applaud another
0:36:58 > 0:37:18century from their hero. Will we see an exhibition shot here?
0:37:19 > 0:37:21The pink doesn't disappear but a very good performance from Mark
0:37:22 > 0:37:24Williams. He's got to go back to the drawing board. He'll be very
0:37:25 > 0:37:26disappointed but Mark Williams goes storming through into the next round
0:37:27 > 0:37:3984-0 winner. I was happy to win by that
0:37:40 > 0:37:42scoreline. I was happy to finish the match off well. Probably finish the
0:37:43 > 0:37:46match of better than I played for a long time. That's the kind of form
0:37:47 > 0:37:54I've been looking for and I managed to find it two frames in. Hopefully
0:37:55 > 0:37:57I can find it again. Well played, Mark Williams. Let's just complete
0:37:58 > 0:38:02our round-up of the day's other results. Shaun Murphy's good recent
0:38:03 > 0:38:07form continues and he's safely through to the third round after
0:38:08 > 0:38:13beating Craig Steadman. He'll play Liang Wenbo, who whitewashed Fergal
0:38:14 > 0:38:20O'Brien. A good day, too, for Stuart Bingham, who beat Thepchaiya
0:38:21 > 0:38:26Un-Nooh. 13th seed Ricky Walden is also into the last 32 after a four
0:38:27 > 0:38:33victory over Matthew Selt. Now we know the 32 names in the third
0:38:34 > 0:38:38round. -- a 4-2 victory. Tomorrow we begin our coverage with an absolute
0:38:39 > 0:38:44cracker. It's Mark Williams against World War I Neil Robertson. We're on
0:38:45 > 0:38:48air at 1pm here on BBC Two Wales. Join us then. That's for watching
0:38:49 > 0:38:51and good night. -- thanks for watching.