:00:33. > :00:39.Good evening. Welcome to the Newport Centre for more action from
:00:39. > :00:43.the Welsh Open. This is a heavyweight clash tonight. Willie
:00:43. > :00:47.Thorne is in the studio and we will get his thoughts on the place so
:00:47. > :00:53.far. The best players have been booking their places in the last 16
:00:53. > :01:00.at all day. Neil Robertson booked his place in the second round with
:01:00. > :01:04.a convincing 4-1 win over Ian Burns. The Australian was not that pleased.
:01:04. > :01:09.Typical first round match. You are feeling your way into the
:01:09. > :01:19.tournament. I have been peaking too early in tournaments, and fading
:01:19. > :01:21.towards the end, so maybe I can start playing well in the semis.
:01:21. > :01:31.Mark Allen held off a spirited challenge from Marco Fu in a
:01:31. > :01:38.scrappy encounter. I was a little bit edgy out there today. I played
:01:38. > :01:46.OK. I did not feel quite comfortable. My form has been good.
:01:46. > :01:51.Hopefully, the nerves have gone. 2011 runner up Steve Maguire not in
:01:51. > :01:57.breaks of 89 and 100 in a 4-2 victory over Anthony Hamilton. He
:01:57. > :02:05.was not getting carried away. feel as though my game is close to
:02:05. > :02:10.being good. Close is not good enough for these tournaments.
:02:10. > :02:15.Matthew Stevens continued his impressive form to become the first
:02:15. > :02:25.Welshman into round two. He won the last three frames to defeat Liang
:02:25. > :02:25.
:02:25. > :02:31.Wenbo. I have played him the last couple of years and he has won one
:02:31. > :02:41.and I the other. I should have been 2-0 ahead. I lost that frame. I was
:02:41. > :02:41.
:02:41. > :02:47.behind, I thought I did pretty well, digging in. It is a good evening to
:02:47. > :02:52.Willie Thorne. You were commentating today. How would you
:02:52. > :02:57.assess Matthew Stevens' game? has played better and established
:02:57. > :03:02.himself as a top player. The best of seven frames is different. The
:03:02. > :03:07.players want to get a good start. Some of them tried too hard.
:03:07. > :03:11.Matthew is a class act and playing well enough to win the tournament.
:03:11. > :03:17.Terry Griffiths was in the studio and he spoke about Matthew Stevens.
:03:17. > :03:23.What puzzles is that he has so much potential and could have won more
:03:23. > :03:28.titles. I listen to Terry suggesting that he does not
:03:28. > :03:35.practise as well as other top players. What helps him is the PTCs,
:03:35. > :03:40.they are playing match play snooker every week. Because he is playing
:03:40. > :03:46.so much, he is playing well. I think he is waiting to happen and
:03:46. > :03:51.he could win a tournament this year. Very interesting that he came into
:03:51. > :03:57.the studio, acknowledging his problems. Missing a crucial pink in
:03:57. > :04:03.frame three. They both missed a pink in the middle pocket. When you
:04:03. > :04:09.play with any side on these tables, in the old days, side did not react
:04:09. > :04:17.as much. If you do not hit centre ball, it will deviate. A little bit
:04:17. > :04:24.of pressure, we saw Liang Wenbo, he was snatching a little bit. Winning
:04:24. > :04:29.breeds confidence. They have confidence this season. Tonight, a
:04:29. > :04:37.heavyweight clash with two former world champions and two former
:04:37. > :04:44.Welsh Open champions. You never forget the first time you win as a
:04:44. > :04:52.professional. It was at the Welsh Open in 1993, 20 years ago. I still
:04:52. > :04:57.have the draw sheet in my snooker room. It is on the wall. That and
:04:57. > :05:02.the World Championship are the only two I have. It is a good playing
:05:02. > :05:08.arena. Some you walking and the tables do not play great, but here
:05:08. > :05:15.the conditions are superb. That helps you. We have had great
:05:15. > :05:19.battles. He is probably one of the best players I have played, himself,
:05:19. > :05:24.Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry. He has a great knowledge
:05:24. > :05:28.and he has a great character, with great determination. He has the
:05:28. > :05:34.greater all-round game. He does everything right. You rarely see
:05:34. > :05:44.him having a bad game. He gives 100%. They are the ingredients to
:05:44. > :05:44.
:05:44. > :05:49.be a top player. Ken Doherty has been one of the best players I have
:05:49. > :05:56.played a. A lot of people talk about the top four players in the
:05:56. > :06:01.past 20 years. For me, he was always just coming up against maybe
:06:01. > :06:07.myself in big finals, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Matthew Williams, and
:06:07. > :06:12.although he won the first year, he lost finals, as well. He is a great
:06:12. > :06:17.player and competitive. Maybe my best years are behind me. Every now
:06:17. > :06:26.and again, sometimes you can spark a little bit and particularly in
:06:26. > :06:34.matches like that. We are friends. We have had great battles on the
:06:34. > :06:44.table. We hope another one, albeit a shorter match. He is someone I
:06:44. > :06:44.
:06:44. > :06:47.enjoyed playing because we play a similar game. I am looking forward
:06:47. > :06:53.similar game. I am looking forward to this. John Higgins has the upper
:06:53. > :07:03.to this. John Higgins has the upper hand. We will join it in the first
:07:03. > :07:41.
:07:41. > :07:48.WILLIE THORNE: He has had some running in this frame. But with
:07:48. > :07:58.cueing, Ken Doherty is shaking his head. What am I supposed to do? All
:07:58. > :08:01.
:08:01. > :08:11.Well played. That was a good shot. And he has the perfect angle to get
:08:11. > :08:35.
:08:35. > :08:45.He did not want the kiss on the blue. You can hit this off one
:08:45. > :09:17.
:09:17. > :09:22.He tried to put the cue ball behind the pink. He was not far away. This
:09:22. > :09:32.is horrible. Trying to play the brown straight up and down and used
:09:32. > :09:38.
:09:38. > :09:46.This frame has been scrappy but some of the safety play has been
:09:47. > :09:56.beautiful. That was a lovely shot. Do you risk hitting this thinly
:09:57. > :10:07.
:10:08. > :10:17.knowing it is bound to cannon into You would have to suggest that he
:10:18. > :10:18.
:10:18. > :11:31.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:11:31. > :11:39.were a potted the brown will win He played with the thin aside. He
:11:39. > :11:49.did not go for that. He could play the brown up and down. Try to get
:11:49. > :11:54.
:11:55. > :12:04.He hit that a little bit thin. He needed the brown to travel. John
:12:05. > :12:20.
:12:21. > :12:25.That shot was made so difficult. That was because of the black. If
:12:25. > :12:34.it had gone in, he was on the blue, but he has been fortunate to get
:12:34. > :12:44.away with that. You would have to say the run of the balls is going
:12:44. > :13:16.
:13:16. > :13:23.Heat a good chance, trying to hit it thicker to make sure he push the
:13:23. > :13:33.brown on the cushion. -- he took a chance. This is a chance for Ken
:13:33. > :13:59.
:13:59. > :14:09.He can drop it in and have the pink in the right corner. It will make
:14:09. > :14:16.
:14:16. > :14:22.He will play the more difficult pink. You would expect him to pot
:14:22. > :14:31.this. This has been one of the longest frames of the tournament so
:14:31. > :14:40.That was scrappy. The safety play was superb. Ken Doherty comes
:14:40. > :14:50.through and takes the frame. It was a good start. John Higgins
:14:50. > :15:29.
:15:29. > :15:34.It did look for one minute like he was going to go straight through
:15:34. > :15:38.the middle of them, land up didn't no man's land. He has had a little
:15:38. > :15:48.flick of the red and pushed the other one out. He has a shot at
:15:48. > :15:48.
:15:48. > :16:38.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:16:38. > :16:48.That is an excellent shot. A little unlucky to have travelled towards
:16:48. > :16:56.
:16:56. > :17:06.the baulk line, but the will is He is running out of loose reds now.
:17:06. > :17:09.
:17:09. > :17:14.He can drop on the one on the left- He is just having a little look to
:17:14. > :17:24.see whether he fancies it in the middle. If he doesn't, he will try
:17:24. > :17:36.
:17:36. > :17:41.and screw back and get on the pink REFEREE: John Higgins, 16. Just
:17:41. > :17:51.when you thought he was going to get into form in this match. Of the
:17:51. > :18:24.
:18:24. > :18:34.two, Ken looks the stronger in this That is not the best shot Ken has a
:18:34. > :18:41.
:18:41. > :18:45.He was a long way off with the pot. He thought the black was going to
:18:45. > :18:49.come to save him there, but it slipped past, so John Higgins has
:18:49. > :18:54.another opportunity to get back into this frame. I see an
:18:54. > :19:04.opportunity, he has one red over the pocket, another two quite safe.
:19:04. > :19:09.
:19:09. > :19:19.That is what he has tried, and he If he want to play the pot on the
:19:19. > :19:23.
:19:23. > :19:29.green, he has the perfect angle to Just trying to do that and nudged,
:19:29. > :19:39.he has not hit that very well at all. He is not at the races at the
:19:39. > :19:39.
:19:39. > :21:14.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:21:14. > :21:18.That second little kiss has left John Higgins and attempt. He can
:21:18. > :21:28.play it with a lot of confidence, where the green is come and play it
:21:28. > :21:31.
:21:31. > :21:41.That is more like it. Where is the cue ball going? It will go to the
:21:41. > :21:51.only place on the table where he cannot pot the green? Really. --
:21:51. > :21:51.
:21:51. > :21:58.I am not sure he can hit this slow enough to stay on the red. He has
:21:58. > :22:08.to hit it very, very thin. He needs it slow enough to stay at this end
:22:08. > :22:08.
:22:08. > :22:51.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:22:51. > :22:56.That was a lot more difficult than it should have been for John. I
:22:56. > :23:01.just can't believe what we're seeing at the moment. He is well
:23:01. > :23:04.off his game. Isn't it funny, of all the top players, when John
:23:05. > :23:09.Higgins struggles, he really struggles. He is not one of those
:23:09. > :23:14.players who can just hang on. It is weird, John Higgins is either
:23:14. > :23:24.brilliant or not so good. It is strange, I don't feel like he has
:23:24. > :23:48.
:23:48. > :23:58.If he had hit that any harder it I feel, barring a miracle, once
:23:58. > :24:01.
:24:01. > :24:05.The frame is nice and safe, Ken goes back to his chair. Ominous
:24:06. > :24:10.signs for John Higgins, he has had a few chances but not taken them.
:24:10. > :24:20.And let us show you what happened in the third frame. Ken Doherty is
:24:20. > :24:26.
:24:26. > :24:32.at the table, trailing by 10, and Ken has certainly eat snookered
:24:32. > :24:42.John, half ball, at least. He can swerve around this without any
:24:42. > :24:51.
:24:51. > :25:01.Ken has a chance here, one good pot for a chance of pinching this frame,
:25:01. > :25:04.
:25:04. > :25:14.as well. I reiterate, Ken's highest I cannot believe he has not gone
:25:14. > :25:14.
:25:14. > :25:59.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:25:59. > :26:03.for that. In this day and age, you Well, I just cannot believe that
:26:03. > :26:11.John has played that that way come and I cannot believe Ken Doherty
:26:11. > :26:16.has put him back. That was mid- table length, you would see it is a
:26:16. > :26:21.good chance of potting that red. By John played it at full speed...
:26:21. > :26:26.Bouquet, he has hit it this time, has he been lucky and got safe? He
:26:26. > :26:35.has done. If we're being brutally honest, Ken Doherty probably
:26:35. > :26:45.deserves that. The rule is designed so that, if someone does not make a
:26:45. > :26:51.
:26:52. > :27:01.I do not particularly liked the rule myself. I think it is too
:27:02. > :27:02.
:27:02. > :28:05.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:28:05. > :28:12.Ken is certainly playing the better safety of the two at the moment,
:28:12. > :28:16.but with him refusing that red a few shots on goal... Well, you do
:28:16. > :28:26.not refuse this one. He needs to get on to a colour nicely and he
:28:26. > :28:26.
:28:26. > :29:38.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:29:38. > :29:41.This is virtually frame ball. If he pots this, green, brown, blue is
:29:41. > :29:46.all he would need. You could see it all he would need. You could see it
:29:46. > :29:56.happening. He has refused to get a grip on this match on a couple of
:29:56. > :30:24.
:30:24. > :30:34.occasions when there were chances Considering Ken is 2-0 up, he has
:30:34. > :31:08.
:31:08. > :31:18.That was terrible. I have not seen For it is amazing. Ken Doherty will
:31:18. > :31:36.
:31:36. > :31:46.be kicking himself if he loses this John Higgins has not got control of
:31:46. > :32:06.
:32:06. > :32:11.The way he is playing, this is not It struggled in and John Higgins
:32:11. > :32:15.has yet to make a break above 30, but he has got himself back in the
:32:15. > :32:19.but he has got himself back in the match. He still trails.
:32:19. > :32:29.John Higgins capitalising on the missed green. Is the comeback on?
:32:29. > :32:56.
:32:56. > :33:01.We can find out in the next frame. I bet he cannot wait to play the
:33:01. > :33:09.shot with the way he has cued this afternoon! He might play the up and
:33:09. > :33:19.down. That was fantastic. He cannot believe how well he cued that,
:33:19. > :33:27.
:33:27. > :33:32.compared to how he has skewed the Now, suddenly, with a couple of
:33:32. > :33:39.reds out and the black and pink out, if he can get to the one to the
:33:39. > :33:49.right of the three, the next couple of shots... And it could have all
:33:49. > :33:49.
:33:49. > :34:52.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:34:52. > :34:57.This is the important shot. He feels the top red will pass into
:34:57. > :35:04.the left-hand corner. If not, he has the perfect angle to pay the
:35:04. > :35:09.cannon and that is what he has done and pretty well, as well. I go back
:35:09. > :35:13.to the point when Ken Doherty was in front and refused to bring the
:35:13. > :35:23.reds in play, and played negative. Sometimes you get what you deserve
:35:23. > :35:23.
:35:23. > :36:13.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:36:13. > :36:20.in this game and he deserves to Ken Doherty still has the green in
:36:20. > :36:28.position. Where the yellow is at the moment it is almost possible to
:36:28. > :36:33.get to the green. He is looking at the potting angle of the yellow. He
:36:33. > :36:43.needs the cue ball to pass the pocket by two feet. And then to
:36:43. > :36:46.
:36:46. > :36:56.have the chance to move the green Can he drop writing behind the
:36:56. > :37:25.
:37:25. > :37:33.He has gone in-off with it. He would have been looking for the
:37:33. > :37:42.chance to pinch this frame. It is all happening. Jan Verhaas went to
:37:42. > :37:52.put the yellow on the green spot! Ken Doherty can roll this into the
:37:52. > :38:26.
:38:26. > :38:33.left centre. We might see him That was such a great shot macro.
:38:33. > :38:43.He had to play it with so much right-hand side. To complete change
:38:43. > :38:44.
:38:44. > :39:24.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:39:24. > :39:27.He has been put through the mill If the scores were closer he would
:39:27. > :39:37.knock it up towards the green but he does not want to do that because
:39:37. > :40:07.
:40:07. > :40:17.This is a chance to bring the green He was nowhere near the yellow, but
:40:17. > :40:19.
:40:19. > :40:29.he moved the green. This is a chance for Ken Doherty. That was
:40:29. > :40:39.
:40:39. > :40:49.unbelievable, how far he missed Eventually, he is going to take the
:40:49. > :40:58.
:40:58. > :41:02.frame and he will be very relieved. I still think there is plenty of
:41:02. > :41:09.snooker left in the match. Kentucky tea is not playing his normal
:41:09. > :41:19.aggressive way at the moment, he is just trying to be too careful --
:41:19. > :41:21.
:41:21. > :41:31.Even with that he was thinking I do not want to go and off. He knows
:41:31. > :41:31.
:41:31. > :42:25.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:42:25. > :42:35.that John Higgins will carry on. -- That was a well executed shot By
:42:35. > :42:49.
:42:49. > :42:54.He snatched a little bit on that. He has given John Higgins a shot at
:42:54. > :43:04.the brown. If he can pot these four balls and pinch the frame, it will
:43:04. > :43:09.
:43:09. > :43:19.You can see how badly he is cueing. That was unbelievable how much she
:43:19. > :43:24.
:43:24. > :43:34.It is so hard, when you are as good as John Higgins, to work out how
:43:34. > :44:01.
:44:01. > :44:06.With that going in, barring snookers required, Ken Doherty will
:44:06. > :44:16.take a 3-1 lead. And he did. He needs one more frame
:44:16. > :44:16.
:44:16. > :46:30.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:46:30. > :46:36.to get a place in the last 16. He Even though Ken is winning, you can
:46:36. > :46:40.see he is not cueing great. It seems to be hard work getting the
:46:40. > :46:50.cue ball moving, that is when you are just not timing it quite right.
:46:50. > :46:50.
:46:50. > :47:51.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:47:51. > :47:58.He could play for it in the middle, I am not 100% sure at the two reds
:47:58. > :48:02.just below the pink quarter left corner. One of them does. If he can
:48:02. > :48:05.get a on it he it will make life easier for him.
:48:05. > :48:11.He can play a little cannon on it. People either pushed one of those
:48:11. > :48:21.to the corner or be on the one you suggested. Any of the two reds to
:48:21. > :48:23.
:48:23. > :48:26.That is the one, that opens the frame up, now he has a chance of
:48:26. > :48:31.frame and match. That is what I mean about attacking shots when you
:48:31. > :48:35.get in amongst the balls. You have to play to win the frame, and that
:48:35. > :48:45.is the first aggressive shot he has played all match, and that deserve
:48:45. > :49:07.
:49:07. > :49:13.to win the frame. That was This could be the last difficult
:49:13. > :49:17.shot he has to play, because he is slightly hampered with that red
:49:17. > :49:27.there. John Higgins can only look on, he knows that in a few minutes
:49:27. > :49:37.
:49:37. > :49:47.he could be on that long drive up Two more reds and colours, Ken
:49:47. > :50:03.
:50:04. > :50:10.Doherty could have an excellent He just about missed the kiss on
:50:10. > :50:19.the two reds and the black. Probably a good idea to play for a
:50:19. > :50:24.baulk collar, he only needs any Whenever you play at speed with
:50:24. > :50:29.side, you can miss them. Play it plain ball, slow, and I am sure he
:50:29. > :50:39.would have potted it. Once again, he played the negative way of
:50:39. > :50:39.
:50:39. > :51:30.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds
:51:30. > :51:35.You can see the red was not quite on, that is why he is playing the
:51:35. > :51:45.cross double. He has been a bit lucky there might. Goodness me, if
:51:45. > :51:51.
:51:51. > :51:57.You would have to say, even if John Higgins was to get a chance in this
:51:57. > :52:07.frame, the way the balls are it is very unlikely he is going to do it
:52:07. > :52:09.
:52:09. > :52:14.in one visit. He is going to need a Playing that way, he was always
:52:14. > :52:19.going to cannoned the black there. He was trying to stun off the side
:52:19. > :52:29.cushion for the black, but... It has been a strange match, this one,
:52:29. > :52:35.
:52:35. > :52:39.And then he locked -- knocks in a lovely little dinky red like that.
:52:39. > :52:43.Very strange. This could be one of those unusual locations where John
:52:43. > :52:48.Higgins leads an angle on this red to bring a red into play, knowing
:52:48. > :52:52.he could be on the black, as well. That is what he has done. It is
:52:52. > :52:56.unusual in snooker, but sometimes you have to do it. As long as it
:52:56. > :53:06.doesn't kiss it full ball or the white stops near the cushion, he is
:53:06. > :53:18.
:53:18. > :53:21.OK. He did hit it full ball, but he Mind you, this is all you need when
:53:21. > :53:29.you're not playing well. A little slow 1 down the cushion with the
:53:29. > :53:39.rest. You are either in the match or out of it on this one short. --
:53:39. > :54:01.
:54:01. > :54:11.Looks like he is out of it. Red, black, red to make absolutely
:54:11. > :54:24.
:54:24. > :54:34.It is amazing, he even finished straight on that, saw weight now
:54:34. > :54:35.
:54:35. > :54:39.know that John Higgins is going to He must be wondering what has
:54:39. > :54:46.happened, he just has not played at all.
:54:46. > :54:56.REFEREE: Ken Doherty, eight. Barring snookers, it will be Ken
:54:56. > :55:24.
:55:24. > :55:29.Doherty who goes into the next Well, eventually that excellent
:55:29. > :55:36.safety shot from Ken Doherty, they have a little laugh together. It is
:55:36. > :55:41.not a classic, but Ken Doherty is in the next round, a 4-seagull
:55:41. > :55:47.winner. The to is quite a long time since I a beaten him.
:55:47. > :55:51.It is a nice victory, I nice -- I must say.
:55:51. > :55:59.I always enjoyed playing those guys I grew up with, he is certainly one
:55:59. > :56:05.of the best I have ever seen. It wasn't... It wasn't, you know, a
:56:05. > :56:11.great open game. What do they expect from us two? We are two
:56:11. > :56:15.great tacticians, great student of the game in lots of different ways,
:56:15. > :56:19.particularly in the tactical side, so it is next to pit your wits
:56:19. > :56:22.against someone like him, who added up to.
:56:22. > :56:27.Ken is absolutely right, that is his first win over John Higgins
:56:27. > :56:33.since 2008. We build this as a blockbuster, it kind of turned out
:56:33. > :56:37.to be a B-movie, really. The thing is, Ken has not won a
:56:37. > :56:41.match on television for quite sometime. Ken is one of the
:56:41. > :56:46.greatest players of all time. Over the last three of three seasons he
:56:46. > :56:49.has been struggling. You forget how to win and try to be too careful.
:56:49. > :56:54.We saw lots of times during that match when he was trying not to
:56:54. > :57:00.lose their game, playing negatively. Indus day and age, at the standard,
:57:00. > :57:04.you cannot win playing like that. OK, Ken's won that match, but good
:57:04. > :57:12.old father he will have to play happier. What a bag John Higgins?
:57:12. > :57:16.Yesterday he was aggressive at the table. -- what about John Higgins'?
:57:16. > :57:24.I think he is in the top two or three players of all time.
:57:24. > :57:29.Sometimes, he gets into one of those moods. He can be unbelievable.
:57:29. > :57:33.It is an age thing, I think. You get to a certain age, when you get
:57:33. > :57:39.past the 35 mark, it can be tough to be consistent. He will still win
:57:39. > :57:45.some tournaments, but Ken will have to be careful in the next round.
:57:45. > :57:52.The that's look at the next matches. Sam Baird won his match against
:57:52. > :57:59.Gerard Greene. The scored some cracking bricks, as well, 76 and 73
:57:59. > :58:09.on his way to the final 16. -- some cracking breaks.
:58:09. > :58:13.Death Gerard Greene had knocked Ali Carter out, he would have gyp --
:58:13. > :58:19.won the German Open a few weeks ago. Passport to some Baird outside, he
:58:19. > :58:24.was really nervous. Very briefly, giving what you have
:58:24. > :58:29.seen so far, who is your money on? Or so far it has been unbelievable,
:58:29. > :58:34.Mark Selby. That is it for tonight, get a