Quarter-finals - Highlights Snooker: Welsh Open Highlights

Good evening. We started the day with four former champions and one

rising Welsh star among the eight men loping to make the final --

semifinals. Let's start the quarterfinal round with two men who

have lifted the trophy before, the 2007 champion Neil Robertson against

2012 champion gin -- Ding Junhui. Ding levelled up at 1-1. Ding was

kept in his chair in the third frame as Robertson come peopled a break of

140 for a 2-1 lead over the world number 12. Robertson has won two

major titles this season and he's looked in good form throughout the

week here in Cardiff. The Australian went on to take a 4-1

lead over Ding before this happened in frame six.

Oh, these balls are absolutely perfect. Like, freely available into

both corners. Obviously Ding Junhui won't be thinking of going for a

147. Ronnie would be, straightaway thinking 147 here but it's more

important for Ding to stay in the match.

Maybe Ronnie would go for a 145 instead. Already had the 146. Eight.

How funny would it be if someone did come along this week, no-one make a

147? Might do it himself, Ronnie. He's still in.

I read an article that one of the leading makers was offering 60,000

to Ronnie if he got one so he could give some of it to charity. I don't

know if that's a true story. Anyway, it's key for Ding to get a

frame-winning break so it takes a lot of pressure off him. He doesn't

want any nitty-gritty frames at the minute, like to win frames easy to

get into it. Has plenty to do. If you can win it in one, there's not

as much pressure. It's when you have 40 points each, playing the colour

ngs -- colours, it puts pressure on you. If you can win it one visit,

there's no pressure. You probably saw the queue ball

bounce. It's not too bad. Thought it wasn't going to get there. As the

queue ball travelled watch how the white ball bounced F the cue ball

had ran one or two more inches. I think he's pok OK to go around the

back of the black with the black into the same pocket. Yes, he is.

So much so he can hold it for the opposite corner. A little cannon

here and he may start thinking about the 147. If it goes well.

As long as he hits some ball. The two that are touching just above the

black. Doesn't have to play this pace normally when you go into a

bunch like this. You play them quite pacy. But because they're split

apart, you don't have to be bouncy. Bound to go in the opposite corner.

Going a different way to what I was thinking but he's still on a red.

Can he get on to a black now? But I don't think so. 32. Yes, and I think

if he was 4-1 up in this match and not 4-1 down, he'd be playing the

right corn were a lot of right-hand side to swing it back down for the

black. I think the fact he's 4-1 down, I'll be very surprised if he

doesn't play up for pink or the blue. Well, he has. He's played the

side shot back for the black. So I think it's fair to say he's got the

maximum. On his minds. -- mind. Ding one of the few players that's

more 147 in tournament play. He's had five already in tournament play.

I think all told it's 13 now. Once again he could play a cannon here or

one of the Reds or just play for the loose one. Doesn't matter which.

48. Just might be the - might still go

on to lose this match but a little bit of a confidence booster to get

Ding's season back on track should he go on to make a 147. You always

need something to knock yourself into gear.

He's undoubtedly one of the game's great billers and I don't say that

lightly. There's only four or five great, great builders in the game.

He's within of them. -- one of them. Yes. Without giving him

commentator's curse, the balls are absolutely perfect. There's nothing

on the side cushions. Obviously once he's potted enough so

as Neil Robertson can't win this frame, Neil Robertson will be in his

chair cheering him on. Needs to be high on this, and he is.

That's a great shot. If he had been low that would have been end of

maximum but he's got high. 64. I think there's two of these Reds to

pot. Can he get through the gap to pot the red which in turn will open

the two Reds. He'd love to get the one through the gap because it will

open the other two Reds. But heel take that one. It's OK for the

black. Doesn't want to risk anything yet. He's not over the winning line

yet, with this frame. More red to frak the frame safe.

Then he can play a risky shot if necessary to get on to the black.

A little bounce, he's on the one in the middle.

72. The art of break building m always

get the right angle on the next ball. Make it easy to get on to the

black in this case. Now, ideally he'd love to get on two Reds here

but on and off the cushion. If he can get the gap between the red

that's between the other two treads he'll take that first. That's what

he's played for. That's opened the other two Reds and now he doesn't

have to play any kiss, doesn't have to play any cannon now to make a

147. That was brilliant the way he played that shot. 81.

Yes, if anything Neil will be cheering him only now. He knows he's

lost the frame. Landed a little straighter on that

black. He would have liked but he's played it ever so well. He's back in

perfect position. 88. This is now turning into a real great chance.

89. He's short this time. He can play

for the red. Tore two Reds in at the left centre or he can may -- play

the more trickier shot, play with the tracer down right-hand side and

swing past the two Reds. But it's not a nice shot to play and

definitely not at this stage. Now, opted for the easier option,

making the black easier but it's made the red a little more tricky.

He's back in perfect position once again.

APPLAUSE A little bounce. That's a poor shot.

Goodness me. OK, he's on the one in the middle but it's not the right

angle. 104. Yes, his face tells the story there. He's got to dig down on

this, go round the back of the black probably. Come on, Ding!

It's there! Well played. APPLAUSE

that's the first difficult shot he's had to play in this break. That's

how good this break has been. That's the first time he wasn't perfect on

a ball. This Cardiff crowd, they may feel

they've been slightly cheat ud ot of a 147 earlier in the -- chatted out

of a 147 earlier in the week thchlt now is an unbelievable chance. Don't

--. This now is an unbelievable chance. Don't be straight. A little

shake of the head. He's got a slight angle. He can't get close to the

yellow but needs to get loads of side on this to widen the angle.

Spin. Yeah, couldn't get close to the yellow. Kiss!

APPLAUSE 120. If he had plotted -- potted the

black on the left-hand side it would have gone wide were the queue ball.

Come on! Well done.

APPLAUSE The white is not hard enough,

though. He's gonna have to be faced with another shot. Doesn't have to

do anything with the cue ball, just pot it plain ball. You'll come down

two cushions and naturally be on the brown. The crowd, as you can see,

are smiling and hoping. Those two Chinese girls in the front row have

all fingers crossed. Get in! Well played, Ding! Didn't

have to do anything with the queue ball.

APPLAUSE . 125.

Down white. Needs the white to slow down. Slow down! 129. Oh, dear! It's

never easy, this game. In and out of ball, not guaranteed to be perfect

but it will have some sort of shot on the pink. Oh, Ding, get close to

it. Do you play in and out or do you

just roll it in? That's the choice he's got.

Oh, dear. 134. This pink for ? 12,000. And a 147.

If the pink goes in, I'm sure he'll pot the black.

It's there! It's there! What a fantastic shot on the pink! Ding

Junhui had every chance of making his sixth maximum many competitive

play. Absolutely wonderful! What a

fantastic break! Neil Robertson offers his hand in grass. The crowd

are standing. They love it here in Cardiff. Ding Junhui back in the

match with a 147. He still trails, though, by four frames to two. What

an amazing break and he wouldn't lose position in that break. First

class. APPLAUSE

Yes, Ding giving the crowd what they wanted and that 147 putting him

joint third on the all-time list of tournament maximums thachl's level

with last year's champion John Higgins. But it was a bittersweet

experience really for the tournament because -- China man because the

world number three Robertson took the next frame to secure a 5-2 win

and a place in the semifinals and Ding's disappointing season

continuing in Cardiff. First frame we both missed a couple of trickyish

pots but after that both settled down really well. He made a flawless

break of 120. Which I thought was actually a better break than the 147

he made in terms of the queue ball and everything. And I responded var

well with a total clearance myself, 140. Won the next dram with a 07-odd

as well. 3-1 up and pretty much playing flawless snooker really.

Yeah, just controlled the match after that, 4-1, and obviously he's

made a wonderful 147 to go 4-2 there, and it's quite dangerous

because he would have had the crowd on his side then and it was

important I could shut out the match in the following round. For me make

147 doesn't mean money. While players make money for their lives

and I think I do the happiness. It's bitter record. Yellow, big

pressures. Green was OK, brown OK, blue, pink is big pressures. Last

black. Easy. Let's take you to the match that

Wales was watching with interesting. Michael White, the new rising star

of the game here was facing the world number 9 Jared Allen for a

place in the semifinals. Allen took the first frame, let's go into the

second with White at the table leading 61-29 and Allen needing a

snooker. Well, you just cannot believe that.

Cannot believe that. He's not only given the foul. It will now be a

free ball. Free ball. Just cannot believe that's happened.

Obviously he's gone for the pot on the red. He's missed it by a long

way, but he can play that shot 100 times again and get a different

result. It's not so much the foul. It's he's left the free ball. Well,

Jared Allen, he might just elect to play this brown off this back

cushion. Know heg can now win. -- knowing he can now win. Brown.

Well, can Michael get the edge of this red? If he can, that's a bonus.

I think he can. That wasn't a great shot by Jared Allen but neither was

that by Michael White. -- Mark Allen but neither was that by Michael

White. Now, this is a thin snick in the middle but it is on.

Had a pot black, pink or blue then to be able to win the frame. Brown

would have tied but the queue ball well left of the black.

These balls are pretty well set. A little short there. Had -- little

closer to the yellow. It was again a little bit short. You

can cut it in to the middle or take it in the corner.

Corner it is. It's a little more difficult pot.

So, this was the game for all intents and purposes, looked like it

was going to go to Michael White. Mark Allen is three pots away from

pinching this frame and extending his lead. This will be a right body

blow for Michael White. 22.

He played that positively. He's just lost the cue ball a little bit so

this pink's gonna - he'll have to take it and pot it and pace and take

the white ball off three cushions. In goes the pink. Off the three

cushions. The cue ball travels. APPLAUSE

Can't play it much better than that. Steadied himself on the black and

you could see how much it meant to him with a little fist pump at the

end. Michael White will be devastated. He should have levelled

up and didn't. Mark Allen leads 3-0. It turned into disastrous evening

for White was Allen went 4-0 up. We'll join frame five with Allen at

the table trailing 6-0. Unlucky there. He's put it on the

centre. Pot's OK, but position's not gonna be simple with those three

ball killers on the spots, got to avoid all them.

Well, it's the last thing he wanteds cast one of those ball killers, more

or less full ball. Eight. Good shot there. That covered the

pot and angle, with the Reds on the right-hand side of the table. Plng

He's caught that much too thick, but he's - I don't think he's left

anything on. He can get past the blue. He'll be taking this pot on.

APPLAUSE One.

Yes, it was struck to perfection, the long pot success of both

players. Michael's is still above 50, so isn't too bad but Mark

Allen's is quite good. 78%. He'll be looking at this - this is now his

frame and match-winning opportunity. To have a little cannon there,

disturbing them three reds. It's all about keeping tight control

and keeping his nerve. Yes, he won't be happy until he

moves that red away from the right-hand corner pocket and black

then go in both pockets. Then there'll certainly will -- be a good

chance. Just checking for the spots. 30.

... Perhaps the only one available. I don't know about you Darren but I

always found in tournament if you get four in front, the next -- 4-0

in front the next fwram is so important. It doesn't seem as though

it should be. But you know what I mean. All of a sudden the guy could

get a second wind by winning a frame and all of a -- of a sudden it's

4-3. Yes, they start pegging you back one by one. There is a lot to

be said about this interval. Most of the players would be more than happy

to play best of nines with no interval. 28. It can work against

you, and it can also work for you. Care to say Michael hasn't had a

good run on the balls but he hasn't played his best snooker either.

Possibly might -- possibly a lot of disappointed spectators up here,

hoping the Welshman will get through to the semifinal. The last Welshman

standing on his own one leg at the moment.

64. This is his highest break. Hasn't

been many big breaks in this match. Table hasn't played at his best, as

spin not taking part on to the cue ball. Everything has gone well in

this one for Mark Allen. So disappointing for Michael. He missed

earlier in the year with expectations. Played so well against

John Higgins and others in this tournament. We would have -- we

would have loved him to have won the Welsh Open. He's got plenty of time,

though. But at the moment it's disappointment for Michael White.

Mark Allen would be delighted. Beating Michael White by five frames

to nil. Yes, a great night for Mark Allen a

disastrous one for Michael White in the end. In his post-match press

conferences, he raised his objections to the fist punch we saw

from Mark Allen at the end of the second frame. Michael white said he

didn't like it, it was over the top, something he wouldn't forget for a

long time and he apologised for his performance for all those who came

to support him. Let's get the thoughts this of the man who did the

demolition job on Michael White Mark Allen. He was very unlucky to knock

the pink in. But you can't foresee it. It was great for me. He knocked

the pink in, I could win and left the red on the pocket. Deliberately

give it the fist, not directed at Michael just for myself to say to

him sort of thing, "You're under it now. I'm here to stay." Sort of

thing. He didn't handle it at all well. I think he's said in these

interview. I heave been there before, played in a semifinal at

Belfast, think it was one of my first semifinals and I crumbled. I

missed everything. One of the -- wanted the ground to swallow me up

and felt the crowd were disappointed in me. I'm sure Michael felt the

same but such a good player. He has nothing to worry about as long as he

doesn't dwell on the match. He'll be back very soon. Possibly bit of a

grudge match the next time those two meet. Let's take you to a real clash

of the tights -- tie tans, the world number one Mark Selby against the

man who has been making all the headlines this week, Ronnie

O'Sullivan. We'll join it 1-1, Selby at the table in the third frame,

just needing the black for a 2-1 at the table in the third frame,

just needing the black for a 2-1 lead.

That was a good save. 63. APPLAUSE

Selby then put his finger to his head. He realised he'd made a

mistake there in that break. He realised he shouldn't have needed

that black. Ronnie's not played this very well. Given he played the

double but to get the black right back at the table, he mis-hit it.

Mind you, what a pressure shot this is, dead straight.

Has he fluked it? He'll still be kicking himself. When he put his

finger to his head, he realised he'd made a mistake in counting.

I think Ronnie's gonna have to take this on.

What a remarkable pot on the back, and his opponent will be kicking

himself. Ronnie O'Sullivan would have been kicking himself for a

maximum but in the end Ronnie wins the game and leads 2-1.

Ronnie didn't stop there. He won frame four as well with a break of

61 and frame five with a 75 break to lead 4-1. We're going to join frame

6 from the beginning with Selby to break. Frame six, Mark Selby to

break. I always find it interesting to

watch the break. With all the players, you know, are different,

where they put the white. Some put it between the yellow and brown,

others between the green and brown, or closer to one of those colours.

They all like to play it differently. I think the key is

really you don't particularly want the ball to be tight behind a colour

because you know they'll regulation on the cushions and behind the back.

Ronnie was snookered on a couple of balls so had to play that. Much

rather break off and leave a safety shot off the pack to open the reds.

And -- And of course at this stage of the

tournament the players, you know, as we can see, you make one mistake now

and you're losing the frame whereas earlier in the tournament it suspect

quite like that. You know, you haven't warmed up properly but like

in any sport it's not about how good you are, it's how many mistakes you

don't make, not what you do make. Oh! Well, that looked in, Mark. Mark

Selby's starting to walk round then. Mmm.

That's the trouble if you get too close to the pocket, it will stay

there. And he played to the pace whereas normally they would come

away from the pocket. Don't know ow why it's not gone in, Ronnie's

played a poor shot. One. Blchk --. He's taken the green on by the look

of it into the middle. Needs the cue ball to slow down.

Five. He stroked that beautiful and it

still went too far. Taking the blue on now. He wouldn't have done this

early on. Oh! Only just within the middle of

the pocket. Beautiful. 10. Tell me one player that would have taken

that on. OK, he's 4-1 in front, so it gives him a little bit of room

but, boy, that was giving your opponent a chance to get back into

the match if he had missed it. He just wants to get out for another

Chinese, I think. He's had a few this week. I actually went in the

same restaurant last night. I won't mention their name because it's not

fair to other restaurants but Ronnie went in twice in the same day - for

afternoon tea and back in after the match.

25. There are some great players left in

the tournament that can beat O'Sullivan. But, boy, he's had some

sort of form this week, hadn't he? He really is -- hitting the ball as

sweet as I see it. When you consider he doesn't play many things now, and

allegedly talks about his exhibition play as practice. Even tried to say

he talks about his match play exhibitions as practice for this.

Just so mischievous, isn't he? You just never know what's going to

happen next. Well, it goes without saying after

that wonderful pot on the blue, this is now a frame of match-winning

situation, and Mark Selby has hardly done anything wrong in this match

and there's a chance that he could lose 5-16789 he's missed, I think,

two long balls. That's it. That's how good you've got to be to play

this game. The top-class players are playing. No mistakes snooker you've

got to try and do. 39. 40. 53.

Glances at the scoreboard to find out exactly what he needs to get

past the winning line. This will decide whether he plays into the

bunch or plays for the loose red. Probably play a slow canyon into the

bunch. -- cannon into the bunch. That's probably the end of the

match. 59. APPLAUSE

68. APPLAUSE

Round of applause from the crowd. 75.

They know there's enough for O'Sullivan sl to win this frame and

match. -- Ronnie O'Sullivan to win this frame and the match. 76.

. Are we going to see the first

hundred of this match? There's been a lot of big breaks and a flu

maximums possible. Didn't quite come off. 92.

This isn't really the most important part of this break. 98.

It was the first shots he played. He took on the green in the centre,

which is a tremendous shot, and then a long blue, all very risky.

APPLAUSE 105.

Well, that's what the crowd think of it. An exhibition of breaking from

Ronnie O'Sullivan. 107. Mark Selby's played worse than this

and won 5-1 in matches, but he's been outclassed a bit today. 114.

That's he said, a big frame, the fourth frame, when miscounted to

clear up. Mark Selby will regret that, only has regretted now -- it

now I'm sure but he'll be thinking about that for a while. 119.

APPLAUSE Moves the ball so easy around the

ball. -- around the table. 125. He'll take that. They're all

clapping. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

What a wonderful match, wonderful exhibition from Mark Selby. He beat

-- Ronnie O'Sullivan. He beats the world number one by five frames to

one. Yeah, Mark's a tough player. He's

had a good, steady season, probably not at his best form when he was

winning titles and that. But even when he's not at his best he's still

getting good runs in tournaments. If you find some form, you know, he'll

be back to win -- tournaments again soon. It's always a tough match

against Mark and I'm pleased to have got the victory today. Well, one

more result to give you then, and Joe Perry, the last man to book a

semifinals spot and it was relatively straightforward here as

well. A 5-1 win over 2015 runner-up Ben. Ben can be a real tough

competitor, you know, and, yeah, I was just pretty solid tonight.

Missed a couple O one scrappy frame to go 2-1 up and that swung

everything in my favour. Couple of games could have gone either way,

couple of good clearances again. Yeah, it's nice to win them games.

Whether I have more experience than Ben I don't know but for me

personally the experience of getting to a big semifinal, big crowd, I've

had that a few times in my career now so I wasn't faized by it. So on

my side it probably helped. Having gone from 128 to four players, this

is the semifinal draw for you. Neil Robertson against Mark Allen and

Ronnie O'Sullivan against Joe Perry. So, the Motorpoint Arena has seen

Ronnie race on through to the semifinals, we've seen a 147 for

Ding and a whitewash this evening for Michael White. Another dramatic

day in Cardiff with just the one table needed now for the final two

days. They don't mess about down there in the arena. So what's in

store then I wonder tomorrow? Join us from one o'clock on BBC Two Wales

when we will bring you the semifinal between Neil Robertson and Mark

Allen. Do sleep well but for now thanks for your company. It's

goodnight from all of us. I'm raising my game

and I WILL come out on top. Bring it on. Bring it on.

Bring it on. This time, we're aiming higher

than ever before. The Sport Relief season

continues with