Highlights - Day 3 Snooker: Welsh Open Highlights

Good evening. 2017 already a remarkable year at the Welsh Open

wrote a story of big names going out and rank outsiders having their

moment in the spotlight. 11 of the top 16 in the world were in action

today. Let's start with Neil Robertson against local lad Lee

Walker from Newport. It turned out to be a very tight and absorbing

contest with Walker fighting back from 3-1 down, to level it at 3-3.

Who would be celebrating at the end? This is the decisive final frame.

Can he hold himself together? Not personally intending to win the

frame at this visit but the way the reds are situated he could score

more than 30. He may have thought that when he was

in a chair in the last few frames that it was close to losing this

match and exiting the tournament, but now he's got his chance. When

you talk about small margins in sport, this is it, really. The crowd

enjoy the deciding frame is. It is a little bit more exciting. I'm not

saying the first frame wasn't, but...

As it turns out he's quite a long way short of the blue so he can go

into the baulk and come down for these reds. Has to miss the baulk

colours. Very well played. APPLAUSE

Put some back spin on to get between brown and yellow then with the side

spin of the cushion, takes the cue ball down there, on to these reds.

One of the best players in the world is in his sights at the moment. And

he is looking good. It has been quite amazing this

match. Neil Robertson will be thinking I have dominated, scoring

300 odd points without reply at one point in this match. He has got some

big breaks in this match, but it looks like he could be going out.

This is a chance to get a very high lead in this frame. A lot of players

would go round that first red and go into the bunch but he's not going to

think about that at this point in time, just make sure that he gets

40, 50 points in front. He is the old school type of

positional player, leaving it later on to split the pack, possibly.

It is looking a little bit tougher now with one loose red there, that

will go past the pink into the red Centre. Then he will have to run

around a few cushions. He's looking to play for the greater

the right of the pack into the top corner, but seeing if we can get on

it from the two cushions, and through. This would be his highest

break of the match so far, and what a time to get it.

He goes on to 41, back to follow, with a chance to go into the pack at

the perfect angle. Just those two on the left. He could plant the red

into the left pocket. Well, he did get a few out. Just below the pink,

I think, is available. Got to be honest, this is a perfect chance for

him to win this match. The only thing that could stop him is the

pressure that he will be under from here, to increase that winning

position. Could play the cannon into the three breads and just leave the

half all black. Neil Robertson will be sitting in his chair believing

that this is still going. Four reds and four colours away from going out

of the match. His heart was in his mouth there,

for a few seconds, with that little in off into the middle, a lot of

back spin and cannoning into that, you're not sure if it will come off.

-- into the red. Just hitting that bread were he

didn't want to hit it, moving down behind the bottom cushion -- that

red. He is only a few shorts away from victory. Doesn't look like

there's a lot of problems there for him.

One more good positional shot from this black to red and the frame and

the match is there for the taking, but he needs to get the white within

five or six inches of where it is now. But the angle he has got on the

black is not great. But this is the key shot. If he gets this right,

he's got it. The white Karla nowhere near where

he played, but he's got a result. Coming around this site, to the

pocket, to see if that goes past, it is very tight, had he has two other

reds he could take one, much more difficult pots, if you can see it,

to the centre. Big decision. So much to play for here. It would be a

tremendous victory for Lee Walker, 3-1 down against new Robinson,

having to sit out long periods of time over 300 odd points without

reply from the locker. Neil Robertson looked unbeatable, 133,

143, the 143 the highest so far in this year's Welsh Open. Decided not

to play the Reid, it will be a little tight in that bottom

right-hand corner. He knows the Reid is what he needs.

Indigo is the red. APPLAUSE . You may have to play a little down

into the pink or red, I'm not sure if you can just roll the blue in. It

is a massive target, sadly, the kiss on red or think, it's just a case if

you spot the blue. APPLAUSE

Very played, that was frame ball. And much Paul of course. -- match

ball. If ever a man looks bemused, you are looking at him. He scored

the best part of 300 points more than his opponent. Not on aggregate,

on the frames. He has to put a touch of left

outside on the cue ball to pot that, wanting to be each given left of the

two. Just throw it into the pocket, just moves the red of the natural

line. The sport-macro would be easy enough if the other red wasn't

impeding his cue info is I think he has changed his mind and went for

the top corner. One of the loudest applause we have

had from the crowd here this week. Popular young man, Lee Walker. How

good he is he feeling at this moment? Last five or six shots,

almost been perfect, but not quite. But no problems now he is 74 in

front. 59 left. It would be one of the best wins of

his career. He has beaten a lot of the top players, but in his own

country. It will mean a lot more to him of course.

Get Ronnie black, but not making any difference. Putting them anywhere.

-- getting on the Lakmal. Wonderful performance from a very pretty

snooker player, one of the best players in the world. -- very

gritty. APPLAUSE I'm not sure who he plays in the

next round, but take it from me, they will not be looking forward to

it. When the two previous frames on the

black, but what more can you do than win the last game with a century?

And there it is. APPLAUSE STUDIO: Very high quality. And a

couple of strange kicks and throws. Different shots, but all in all,

what an amazing victory for Lee Walker.

130, if this goes in. APPLAUSE Was there any doubt? Wonderful

performance from Lee Walker. He moves forward into the next round

after 4-3. Had I gone out for - one, which

looked quite lately, I would have come off and say I enjoyed the match

-- gone out at 4-1. But I had a lot of help, that black could have

finished anywhere, on the pocket another day and he wins, and maybe

it was just my day today. Luckily for me, it was. Things sort of went

wrong for me at the crucial times, you know, that's just the way

snooker goes. Sometimes you go on 1's way it is going for you,

sometimes against you, at the moment it is going against me but I am

playing really well, evidence today, so I just have to move on to the

next tournament and see what happens.

What a win for Lee Walker, ranked 87 places below the number seven new

Robinson. And bringing you up-to-date with how the other Welsh

players got on today. The big story of the afternoon

session, 15-year-old Jackson Page making the most of time out to cause

another shot, 4-3 win over John Castley.

I feel a lot more comfortable, more settled down, I feel better, and

that is why I feel I played better. The first much, I was nervous,

settle down more in the second. One Welshman guaranteed to go home

and this much and that was Jamie Jones from Neath as Dominic Dale

beat his compatriot 4-2 to make buying one for the first time in

three years. Jamie is always a tough badge for

anybody, a lot of experience, I have a lot of experience as practice

partner with them, and we played each other, but he is a great player

with a good pedigree so any win is good.

Another red letter day for Michael on course, as he beat English open

champion Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. -- another red letter day for Ryan Day.

I needed once smoker and I knew it was just one, maybe just two

snackers, -- I needed one smoker. I got a good one and in the end I

managed to clear the colours. Yes, it was one of those matches that

kept swinging each way, but just absolutely delighted. Still in the

tournament. But it was not the day for Ryan,

much too far in Cardiff as he succumbed 4-1 to Thailand's

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. I had a good run last week and it

has been a hectic spell, but I was just hoping to just get on with the

lane and keep on fighting but today was concentration, I missed a lot of

easy bowls, and I just think it got up with the in the end.

Turning our attention to the defending champion Ronnie

O'Sullivan, he took on the world number 31 Mark Davis in round two.

Ronnie was cruising at the start, seemingly on course for victory with

a lead of 3-0, but then lots of mistakes creeping in and Mark Davis

seizing his chance drawing level. We pick it up in frame seven,

O'Sullivan to play, no score. COMMENTATOR: Trying to play the best

of pages on this red, misted by a fraction, Mark Davis right in just

missed the edge of that red, he could have red this and much easier

start for Mark Davis. Easy to finish either side of the blue. The skin

clean for the black? -- will he risk playing for the black? That is a

great shot from Mark Davis. He obviously played that in the film

the knowledge that the only one he could have left was this red he took

one, a lot of pressure, but still great never the less.

This does not necessarily have to go in, he could play the two reds on

the right-hand pack, and leave the red at the back of the pack in the

opposite corner. Can you believe it? He's missed the

cannon. Somebody of Mark's class, that was a straightforward cannon,

he will be horrified. Or fight he didn't make that cannon. --

horrified he didn't make. All he is trying to do is cannon the middle

red to stay nicely on the red but rather than risking it, play it full

ball. Yes, if Mark doesn't go on to win

this frame and much, certainly it will hurt, that was a great chance,

but these things do happen, unfortunately.

He might be playing the pot, but bringing the red back into the pack.

It is Roddy's turn to get a good kiss. I've got a good kiss it was.

-- it is Ronnie's turn. At first glance, it could be more

troublesome than it looks, this, because if he glance into the pack

of red on the left-hand side, it could leave either red into this

left-hand corner, and if he was to catch one of the Luus to on the

right-hand pack of the reds, it could go into the right-hand corner.

But this Lee Whiteley the bout the cutting and sliding of this narrow

angle. -- but of easily worded. If the pink is available we can just

come off onto the other red, if it is available. Why did he not play

for the pink to the middle? Getting very twitchy out there.

Mark Davis will feel quite relieved that money hasn't got a good

position on a collar. He may still be tempted by the pink. He can see

why he might be playing a safety shot here.

Didn't move the cue ball sufficiently to get on an easy red.

Looking to run through for blue or yellow. Would certainly be covering

the red, should it draw and stay in the pocket. Missed it by the

proverbial mile could play that pretty confidently without knowing

he would leave anything simple. It looks reckless now but he was

trying to pot but to the middle but leaving the white on a baulk cushion

would have left nothing on but after that kiss onto the red, what a

chance this is if he gets onto the black with a chance this is if he

gets onto the black through this red. A chance to put Ronnie

O'Sullivan out of this Welsh Open. He was playing to cut the red and

cut it far too thin and would have been playing for brown or green but

because he hit it so thin, it careered into the red. He will be

horrified if he loses this match from 3-0. He lost a match earlier in

the season having been 5-1 in front of Mark King and lost 6-5. This

could be going from 3-1, to a possible 4-3 loss. He never used to

struggle getting over the line. I know there's a lot of pressure out

there. Believe me, that is. You would be disappointed if you

couldn't win the match from an opportunity like this, but plenty of

things can go wrong. You never think that when you are out there in these

positions. You always get hard on yourself if you don't get the points

that you think you should make from here.

He will feel that he has played his last shot in this Coral 2017 Welsh

Open. The lead goes to 33. He's going to

have to go into the pack at some stage but there are four loose reds

on so he can get past the winning line with four reds and four colours

out there. This was Ronnie's miss, and when he cannoned into the red,

his face dropped. This was Ronnie's reaction. He

couldn't believe he had hit the shot so poorly. It could have been his

last shot. A glance at the scoreboard, 49

points in front. Some early ticker tape came down there for the

possible victory. This is the key shot, if he plays the cannon now and

splits the reds it should be game and match over.

APPLAUSE Not ideal but he's on the red to the

middle and with the red in Baltimore finish in the wrong side of the blue

but that doesn't matter, with that red in baulk. Could take the red in

the middle rather than this one but he has decided to play this one. He

feels that it is a better position. This is an excellent performance

from Mark Davis. Breaks of 64, 45, 81, 45 and counting to make this a

match-winning break and he hasn't beaten him since, what year was it,

Dominic? 2001. 16 years of trying to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan, he won't get

a better chance than this. And on our graphic you can see that this

next red is frame and match ball. And now he can relax and go on and

try to make a century break but he knows that the match is over. He

will be very disappointed, Ronnie, he was 3-0 ahead, the ball was in

his court. But he missed some opportunities, it he played some

poor shots even there and allow Mark Davis back into this match. It must

be said he has played pretty well in these last four frames.

Well, he has missed the red, but Ronnie O'Sullivan comes out of his

chair to congratulate Mark Davis on an excellent win. He goes to round

three where Fergal O'Brien awaits. Mark Davis beats Ronnie O'Sullivan

4-3. Over the moon. Any time you beat it

running it is very special. I have not beaten him for a long time. I am

not alone in that. From 3-0 down it is a bit more special. I enjoyed it

up there. I missed a couple of easy balls in the first two frames, but I

never gave in, kept trying and I thought good from the start and you

never know what can happen. Even at 3-0 against Ronnie. You just play

one ball at a time and just dig in. A great win for Davis. The defending

champion joining a growing list of big names knocked out early. Would

the world number four Judd Trump be another one? He was up against Alex

ball Froch -- Alex Borg from Mole Valley has never reached the last 32

of a ranking event. We join it with Judd Trump 2-1 up, Alex Borg to

play, leading 24-17. He has hit it very thick. Hassey got away with it?

No. -- has he. You just get the feeling, Darren, if

Judd was able to get over the line in this frame it might suck the

spirit out of Alex Borg a little bit. That would be a Herculean

turnaround if Judd Trump was within one of the finish line. There's

still a bit left to do to get over the line in this frame. I wonder if

Jackson Page is watching at home in Ebbw Vale to see who he will be

facing live on TV tomorrow? Judd try to move the blue and black, found

the gap and has come down and obviously tried to do the same

again, trying to move that spread to make things a little bit easier for

him. I do agree with you. Alex Borg, even though he has played well and

potted well, from 3-1 down if he eventually loses this match, if he

played like he did in the first round, it would have been a

different story. He has played well, just hasn't quite made enough when

he has been given his chances. You would expect Judd to take these next

two reds. Obviously the pink is the nearest ball to them and it will be

a little bit awkward with this red on the citation. If he wasn't

awkward chewing over the blue and black he would fancy trying to pot

this red. -- cueing. And move the other one off the side cushion.

Awkward cueing, the rest, I think he will play the easier one.

Well, that was a great shot. He's left themselves some work to do,

which a the two reds he was going for. The cannon has worked in his

favour. He has moved the red, he has moved it perfectly, but the pink has

gone in and out of the middle pocket. What a lifeline this is for

Alex. This is unfortunate. He has had to play it with pace, he has

made the pot, but the pink hasn't gone in. And he has giftwrapped the

red to the Middle left. The tricky one is going to be blue

to pink. That's going to be the one, you would fancy him to pot the green

now, and the brown. But he's going to need all remaining

five colours. No, he's not, in fact. He's going to be able to drop the

pink crossed the cushion if he can get onto it, so it is about getting

onto the blue nicely to allow him to get as close as you can to the pink.

Just got to keep himself together. He hasn't really hit that great. It

just decelerated again on that last shot, didn't get through the cue

ball. What will help him, if he makes the blue into the left corner,

he could cannon black, half ball, which would naturally take him down

towards the pink. A lot of left-hand side he'll need to have on the cue

ball. There is the cannon, where is the black going? The trouble is now,

he is under real pressure with this pink because he knows he's put the

black over the corner pocket. Just needs to make sure the pink.

And what a great shot that was, Alex Borg could have been 2-1 up, but it

is level, 2-2. Judd took the next frame, let's go

into the sixth, Trump at the table reading 68-29.

Got to be careful here with the pink.

Well, wonder what Alex will do now, is drop the red passed the pink,

with the white onto that caution, still playing this frame. Just got

to be careful he doesn't fit this to heart. -- doesn't hit this too hard.

Going to require a nice little touch from him. Just with that red half

ball. He could play the red up and only table. There's no guarantees of

the snooker there. Just half ball off of the red.

I think he is playing it up and down the table, had he has done, I can't

believe the shot he has played there. He is lucky the red... I said

lucky, tight on the top cushion, but it has not. Judd Trump can click

this end. Why they didn't just drop the red into the pink and onto the

baulk cushions just beyond me, he was in the driver seat in this

frame. Especially, Darren, bearing in mind

that the two snuck a load him in the day to tie to take it to a recent

but it black. And as you said there was good opportunity to go for the

third. He is clinging on in this match by his fingertips. At the

moment, he can still only time the frame. -- tie the frame.

As the clock ticks on, we are approaching two I was, still not

knowing if we are heading to a decider or not.

All credit to Alex Borg. He has played a brilliant role in this

match, showing us the full array of it all fits decades of experience as

an amateur and professional -- all fits decades. Enough to earn the

respect of the crowd and Judd Trump but not enough to stop the world

number four advancing into the last 32. Trout comes through a really

awkward match and Alex Borg goes home with pride intact. 4-2 to jet

trump. What an encounter! When he went 2-2, I was worried, and

thought if he wins the next frame, it was looking like that was going

to go out. I was pleased to win that frame and in the last thing he made

some mistakes. We are both tired, waiting around all day, so it would

not be the best standard but please to go through. The draw is opening

up nicely for those of you in the top 16 who are still in the hunt for

the Welsh Open title so it is turning into a big chance this week?

Yes, normally when the draw opens up I go out, so it was nice to go

through that one and another game next, but when you've got that

pressure on you, it's often brings the new game and you have to go out

the Laxton plea to own game. Well done tonight. See you against

Jackson Page tomorrow. Thank you. STUDIO: Yes, a late night

at the table for Trump, finishing just before midnight, he will play

Jackson Page tomorrow, and a few other results involving seeded

players... A couple more big-name casualties

tonight. Marco Fu and Shaun Murphy are out.

So, incredible drama, lots of big names going home early, underdogs

having the day and a teenage wild card among four Wells player still

in the competition. It will take something special to beat that but

we give it another go tomorrow afternoon on BBC Two Wales, down to

the final 32. Thank you for To be in the Lords,

you have to be punctual...