02/03/2014

:00:30. > :00:35.Good afternoon. It has been a fabulous week of snooker hee in

:00:36. > :00:40.Newport, I hope you have enjoy it at home. The crowd certainly have. We

:00:41. > :00:45.started with 128 player, and now we are down to just two and set for the

:00:46. > :00:47.perfect finale. There is no doubt that Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ding

:00:48. > :00:52.Junhui have been the best two players here this week, and now,

:00:53. > :00:58.they are going head-to-head to win the bet victor Welsh Open title.

:00:59. > :01:14.-- Bet Victor. Yes, I dream to play runny -- Ron

:01:15. > :01:19.you, he is always my hero, I never have any pressure on his face, I

:01:20. > :01:24.improved mist to go to that top level. I can be the same or close to

:01:25. > :01:31.him. I am pleased to be in the final,

:01:32. > :01:35.pleased to be playing someone I have great respect for hiss game. If I'm

:01:36. > :01:37.not in the tournament, like to see him do well, he is my favourite,

:01:38. > :01:48.will you him do well, he is my favourite,

:01:49. > :01:51.-- if you like. I know Hendry has win five before. I

:01:52. > :02:02.just go, keep winning. Not many players go beyond their mid

:02:03. > :02:07.30s or 30s and carry on winning, these times and the moments now when

:02:08. > :02:12.even gets good results you want to cherish them and you appreciate them

:02:13. > :02:19.a lot more, so for me it is great to be still having a go.

:02:20. > :02:24.Ding Junhui has had one or two close calls on his way to the final. Young

:02:25. > :02:29.players Ben Woollaston and Joel Walker took him to a deciding frame

:02:30. > :02:36.but he had the answers under pressure. The semifinal victory over

:02:37. > :02:43.Joe Perry mean he is one match way from five ranking tournament

:02:44. > :02:48.victories this season. Ding Junhui, what a player. And what

:02:49. > :02:52.a great technique. Doesn't suit everybody, we talk about players

:02:53. > :02:59.having very long back swings, he is a very sort of piston like action,

:03:00. > :03:06.but it stands him in God stead and slowly but surely he is maturing,

:03:07. > :03:10.his cue action is standing up. He is the most consistent player in the

:03:11. > :03:17.game. All you have to do is look at his record. He has won three ranking

:03:18. > :03:23.tournaments in a row and he is first player to do that since Stephen

:03:24. > :03:27.Hendry did it 22 years ago. I have to put Ding Junhui in his top three,

:03:28. > :03:31.he is good as anybody I have seen. Peter Ebdon told us to look out for

:03:32. > :03:38.him because of his break building. He has made multiple maximums,

:03:39. > :03:42.fabulous break builder. As far as fame is concerned you can't get any

:03:43. > :03:46.more famous as Ding. He has won a few tournaments in China, the people

:03:47. > :03:51.are behind him. He is maturing, the man to beat. It is surprising he has

:03:52. > :03:54.not won the World Championship. He has copped into ultimate

:03:55. > :04:00.professional. Everything in his game is perfect. Year he will win the

:04:01. > :04:04.World Championship. His emtransplant has changed. I remember watching him

:04:05. > :04:07.when he missed a shot or things weren't going well. He would go back

:04:08. > :04:12.to the seat. Slump in the change, sometimes he looked as if he was

:04:13. > :04:18.asleep. Those days are long gone and Ding Junhui now has one the best tem

:04:19. > :04:21.transplants in the game. -- temperament in the game. Ronnie

:04:22. > :04:28.O'Sullivan has been playing some of his best snooker this week, his

:04:29. > :04:31.victory over John Higgins in the quarter-finals summed up his

:04:32. > :04:34.extraordinary won of form since winning last year. His semifinal win

:04:35. > :04:35.over Barry Hawkins was the first time he dropped more than a single

:04:36. > :04:48.frame in any of his matches. Ronnie O'Sullivan is a genius, he is

:04:49. > :04:54.is a e-- is he good for the game? He has been great for if game.

:04:55. > :04:57.Following in the likes of Alex Higgins, Jimmy White, he is the man,

:04:58. > :05:02.if you like, that gets people in, crates -- creates an atmosphere,

:05:03. > :05:07.superb. As a -- has a few problems off the table, we all sit back and

:05:08. > :05:12.say, well, long on, if we were that good why would we not want to play?

:05:13. > :05:14.But obviously he has a few demons that occasionally come about, but he

:05:15. > :05:19.has been one of the greatest things that has happened for the game over

:05:20. > :05:25.the last few year, and kept the game in the spotlight where he belongs.

:05:26. > :05:27.For me, Rocket Ronnie has overtaken Stephen Hendry, I would say Ronnie

:05:28. > :05:32.O'Sullivan is the greatest player that ever picked a snooker cue up, a

:05:33. > :05:37.lot of it is down to that technique. Right handed, left handed. Doesn't

:05:38. > :05:44.matter which hand he plays with, you not fault that technique. Ronnie

:05:45. > :05:47.O'Sullivan is almost up there as John Higgins as tack anical

:05:48. > :05:51.knowledge round the table. When he is not right he doesn't try too hard

:05:52. > :05:57.on the safety department. When he does try he is unbelievable. In the

:05:58. > :06:01.break building department he is getting closer top Stephen Hendry's

:06:02. > :06:06.record. He made over 750 century, Ronnie is just over 100 behind the

:06:07. > :06:12.great Stephen Hendry, so there is plenty of years left for him to

:06:13. > :06:16.overtake that record. The thing is s is Ronnie going to be round long

:06:17. > :06:20.enough. Will he go on, will he retire? There is one thing at the

:06:21. > :06:25.back of Ronnie's mind and that is to equal or not better Stephen Hendry's

:06:26. > :06:29.modern day record of seven world titles. That is his goal and I think

:06:30. > :06:32.he can achieve it. If he wants it he can have it. As I said before, he is

:06:33. > :06:41.a genius. So, two top class players in the

:06:42. > :06:46.final today. O'Sullivan is more than ten years olden that Ding and that

:06:47. > :06:50.is reflected in the amount of ranking titles they have won.

:06:51. > :06:56.-- older. Both men have former winners of the

:06:57. > :07:01.Welsh Open, Ding lifted the trophy here just two years ago.

:07:02. > :07:05.Willie Thorne is my guest for the first eight frames of this final. I

:07:06. > :07:08.know we saw there you were almost running out of superlatives talking

:07:09. > :07:12.about Ronnie O'Sullivan, but you made me think he has played better

:07:13. > :07:16.this week. I have had the pleasure of commentating on working on finals

:07:17. > :07:19.in the last 20 year, this one I am looking forward to. You have two

:07:20. > :07:25.player, almost at the top of their form. And Ron yp has looked --

:07:26. > :07:31.Ronnie has looked fabulous, relaxed and confident. It is terrific to see

:07:32. > :07:39.him in this mood. It is sad but I have started tweeting. I tweet

:07:40. > :07:46.tweeted about his match. The break he made of the 67 to clear in frame

:07:47. > :07:51.seven was the best I have seen since Jimmy White, Alex Higgins, so

:07:52. > :07:54.fabulous. Ronnie has marched into the find with terrific performances

:07:55. > :08:00.but Ding has been put under pressure a couple of time by young player,

:08:01. > :08:07.how do you think he has responded? The one man against Joel Walker, he

:08:08. > :08:11.made 70-100-00. Ding has been taken to the last frame by Ben Woollaston

:08:12. > :08:16.and Joel Walker, if he plays poorly as that early on, Ronnie O'Sullivan,

:08:17. > :08:20.the way he is playing, could steamroller him. We know Ding will

:08:21. > :08:25.have to be up for this match. If you are not up, you will never be up.

:08:26. > :08:29.Exactly. Ding is a man for the big final, it is an incredible record.

:08:30. > :08:36.He has won four ranking titles this season. That hasn't been down since

:08:37. > :08:40.1990. He is the man in form Without doubt. Robertson made 87 century, we

:08:41. > :08:44.are bless at the moment in professional snooker to have four or

:08:45. > :08:49.five great players that are capable of winning any tour tournament. We

:08:50. > :08:55.have two finalists that are capable of winning the World Championship, I

:08:56. > :08:59.think Ding is definitely a World Championship contender without

:09:00. > :09:03.doubt. O'Sullivan, if he wants it, as long as he wants to keep winning

:09:04. > :09:07.he will keep winning. A terrific fine in prospect. It is time for the

:09:08. > :09:11.talking to stop, and the final to begin. Let us join our master of

:09:12. > :09:22.ceremonies Mark Johnston-Alan. What an atmosphere here in Newport

:09:23. > :09:28.this afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. For the final of the Bet

:09:29. > :09:32.Victor Welsh Open of 2014. First up a man who has been in four ranking

:09:33. > :09:41.finals already this season and won each and every one of them. He is a

:09:42. > :09:55.is in superb form. Please welcome from China, Ding Junhui.

:09:56. > :10:27.He is up against the best in the business. At the moment, this man

:10:28. > :10:31.appears to be in a league of his own. He is the reigning Masters

:10:32. > :10:34.champion and the reigning World Champion, he is of course the

:10:35. > :10:43.Rocket, Ronnie O'Sullivan. MUSIC: "A Man Should Better Himself"

:10:44. > :11:12.by George Lam. Two of the world's best players, an

:11:13. > :11:18.electric atmosphere, both men have huge followingings, it is time for

:11:19. > :11:25.the final of the Welsh Open. Your commentators Terry Griffiths and

:11:26. > :11:32.Darren Morgan. What a mouthwatering finale this is going to be to the

:11:33. > :11:39.Welsh Open. Having the customary photographs at the start. Big

:11:40. > :11:41.smiles. Probably two best players in the tournament. They have played the

:11:42. > :11:56.best snooker, that is for certain. It is what everybody wanted.

:11:57. > :12:09.Two great players of the game. Both in terrific shape.

:12:10. > :13:20.There is something special about being introduced in a final.

:13:21. > :13:28.Tall the reds are covered. He will want to look through to see if he

:13:29. > :13:34.can get through to the edge. But I think if he can it will be very very

:13:35. > :13:38.tight. He is down playing it, so obviously he thinks he's can get it.

:13:39. > :13:44.You can see he can just about get the edge.

:13:45. > :13:53.It was always going to be tight. Ronnie O'Sullivan four. That could

:13:54. > :13:59.be a free ball. He might just, that cue ball might

:14:00. > :14:01.have rolled on enough. I think the referee will have said no.

:14:02. > :14:13.Cue ball is going back. I don't see Ronnie questioning the

:14:14. > :14:15.referee at all his behaviour is impeccable out there on the table,

:14:16. > :14:34.always, Ronnie O'Sullivan. Some players have a look. Some will

:14:35. > :14:37.check the-re-is doing it correctly. At the end of the day the referee's

:14:38. > :15:13.decision will always be final. Gold Cup feel safety shot. He is

:15:14. > :15:19.going to want to try and keep everything nice and tight. Play his

:15:20. > :15:20.way into this final. He is not wanting Ronnie to get on the same

:15:21. > :15:34.sort of run as he had last night. This green hasn't come to the

:15:35. > :15:39.rescue. If he can get through to the corner. He is having a look to see

:15:40. > :15:45.in the vent to get it back on to the black, will it go back on to its own

:15:46. > :15:56.spot? You see the black goes but that red is just to the side.

:15:57. > :16:27.He has lectded to go down. He played for the blue.

:16:28. > :16:34.We normally say in the commentary box this isn't a great chance but

:16:35. > :17:17.not when Ronnie O'Sullivan is playing, just in case.

:17:18. > :17:26.That one didn't touch the sides. Nicely played.

:17:27. > :17:29.In an ideal world he would love to get this red from above the black.

:17:30. > :17:33.It would open that little area right up. We can see I think the red will

:17:34. > :17:45.just about go. To that corner pocket, so it is all

:17:46. > :17:50.about the position. Just played that with trace of

:17:51. > :17:52.running side. Change the angle coming off the cushion.

:17:53. > :18:42.He played it very well. Well, there is plenty of room there.

:18:43. > :18:48.He didn't just flick the red, he caught it quarter ball.

:18:49. > :19:04.So both players missed their first chance.

:19:05. > :19:09.I think Sullivan will ignore what happened last night. Hiss

:19:10. > :19:13.performance was of a very high standard. He won't go out with the

:19:14. > :19:15.same expectation, he will just go out and play, just disregard that

:19:16. > :19:19.and go out and play his best. It would be very difficult to better

:19:20. > :19:45.his performance last night. Think he has left himself low on

:19:46. > :19:51.this red on purr, so he can just move a couple.

:19:52. > :19:56.That is what he has done. -- purpose. Just didn't get quite in

:19:57. > :19:58.fully enough. He disturbed all the reds but he has come off the cushion

:19:59. > :22:20.quicker than he would have liked. That was slightly too thick to catch

:22:21. > :22:23.the baulk cushion. I don't think Ronnie O'Sullivan has an easy pot on

:22:24. > :22:28.though. Some days you can play a few safety

:22:29. > :22:34.shots and get away with it, and other days every time you play one

:22:35. > :22:45.you leave something on, no control over that.

:22:46. > :22:57.Is that thin enough? What a beautiful shot.

:22:58. > :23:26.If he hit that thick he could have left Ding something on.

:23:27. > :24:23.He has got a pot on this time. Very thin cut into the corner.

:24:24. > :24:32.I do feelsome someone gets in, it is going for a hard scoring opportunity

:24:33. > :24:34.due to the pink and black are tied up. You have to concentrate on the

:24:35. > :24:46.blue. So far, no-one has given an inch.

:24:47. > :24:50.They have had a few chances. How do these players get to the final any

:24:51. > :25:35.way? Well that has brought the black into

:25:36. > :25:40.play and he has left a red on. That is probably the easiest safety he

:25:41. > :25:52.has played for a while and he made a mess of it.

:25:53. > :25:59.He has to concentrate on the pot, just roll it in. Nothing with a cue

:26:00. > :26:09.ball. Automatically he will finish on the black.

:26:10. > :26:13.These pockets all week have shown, unless Tay are played to perfection,

:26:14. > :26:23.they are not going in. That was never going to go in, at

:26:24. > :26:25.whatever place he played that. He caught the cushion. Ronnie will be

:26:26. > :26:39.happy though. Here we can see straight on to the

:26:40. > :26:41.cush. Got the wobble. On a club table that might still have gone in.

:26:42. > :26:59.Not in the professional game. Didn't really expect this type of

:27:00. > :27:06.start to this final, because these two players are both very good in

:27:07. > :27:13.the ball, and the balls are not helping at the moment. O'Sullivan

:27:14. > :27:20.has overrun that. One of the reds, the two available

:27:21. > :27:25.into the left corner. He may play one in the middle.

:27:26. > :27:37.Oh, that was cheeky! Fraction of out position on the

:27:38. > :28:37.black. He does make things happen though.

:28:38. > :29:00.Check the cue ball off the cushion. Very good indeed.

:29:01. > :29:16.I don't knowry -- Ronnie didn't play that but he will take it. Nicely on.

:29:17. > :29:25.He doesn't apologise much, Ronnie, does he? I tell you, it's different

:29:26. > :29:32.from all the other players. You don't see him shaking his head very

:29:33. > :29:42.much when he misses the ball. Mind you, he doesn't miss many! He shook

:29:43. > :29:48.his head. It's one of the few commentators curses, as they say,

:29:49. > :30:02.but he did have a wry smile and shake, what was that? Maybe it's

:30:03. > :30:06.listening to your commentary. Once again, the school board is ticking

:30:07. > :30:13.along. O'Sullivan is 40 points in front. A little bit disjointed

:30:14. > :30:13.along. O'Sullivan is 40 points in there for both players. It could

:30:14. > :30:40.open up now with five reds left. He wants to take the cue ball at

:30:41. > :30:45.least up to wear the blue is, around that area. So that he would be

:30:46. > :30:51.leaving the red on the opposite corner. It's a tap shot, if you're

:30:52. > :30:58.dropping it in, this one. -- tough shot.

:30:59. > :31:06.Well, he had to take it on, but he has got away with it. Can Ding part

:31:07. > :31:13.of this red on the left cushion and come off one of the other reds?

:31:14. > :31:18.Looks like it. Just pointing his tip now to see where he wants to contact

:31:19. > :31:36.the red nearest to that corner pocket.

:31:37. > :31:46.It was always going to bring the black back into play. Get past the

:31:47. > :32:43.yellow, I think you can. It's a clear-cut opportunity now for Ding.

:32:44. > :32:50.With each pot Ding is making, he is clawing his way back into the first

:32:51. > :33:06.frame. Kerry said it wasn't the start we

:33:07. > :33:14.were expecting. Nevertheless, it's still been a little bit intriguing.

:33:15. > :33:24.A cagey sort of start from both players.

:33:25. > :33:34.I have to say, this now becomes a great chance of winning the frame

:33:35. > :33:38.from this visit. A couple of shots ago, you would have said that was

:33:39. > :34:47.not the case. He has just overrun back for the

:34:48. > :35:00.blue butties nicely on the yellow. -- that he is nicely on the yellow.

:35:01. > :35:07.Well, it looked, for all intents and purposes, Ding Junhui was going to

:35:08. > :35:15.take this first frame. That would've been a good steel. Additives, -- as

:35:16. > :35:23.it is, unless he misses something we haven't seen him this all week,

:35:24. > :35:30.Ronnie O'Sullivan will be retaking the frame. I won't say relieved, but

:35:31. > :35:32.Ronnie O'Sullivan will be retaking he will feel much better, because he

:35:33. > :35:50.knows he's They always say Ronnie is a terrific

:35:51. > :35:55.frontrunner. And that is true. Over the years, he has totally

:35:56. > :35:57.developed, even when he is behind, he used to drop his head a little

:35:58. > :36:12.bit. He now never gives up. In a very,

:36:13. > :36:16.very happy place. So, a little bit of a strange first frame but,

:36:17. > :36:23.nevertheless, very intriguing as Ronnie O'Sullivan takes it, 1-0.

:36:24. > :36:31.Willie Thorne is my guest in the studio. That was a cagey start from

:36:32. > :36:38.both players. I think Darren said it was a strange first frame. Ding's

:36:39. > :36:41.highest break was seven. He had a great chance to part one of the

:36:42. > :36:47.other. This one went down the cushion. He brought the two red and

:36:48. > :36:52.the black back into play and all of a sudden you thought Ding was going

:36:53. > :36:56.to pinch it. I think you broke down on 30 and then he missed the red on

:36:57. > :37:02.the cushion. If he plays it for the black, it's almost a unmissable. He

:37:03. > :37:06.has to play a little bit more aggressively and screw back for the

:37:07. > :37:09.blue to make the clearance easier. Unfortunately, these pockets, as

:37:10. > :37:13.they have been all week, are proving tight. We have been talking also

:37:14. > :37:14.about how tight. We have been talking also

:37:15. > :37:18.battle is going to be. We think tight. We have been talking also

:37:19. > :37:21.them as great break-builders. You think actually, the safety

:37:22. > :37:27.them as great break-builders. You could be key to determining whether

:37:28. > :37:30.Ding can beat O'Sullivan. They say it is going to be due because Ding

:37:31. > :37:33.will have to win that battle if he can. O'Sullivan is one of the best

:37:34. > :37:37.safety plays in the game at the moment, but the way he is

:37:38. > :37:42.break-building, I think the safety game is very, very important. Can he

:37:43. > :37:46.do that the way he's playing? It will be hard but Ding now to compete

:37:47. > :37:48.at apartment. This is the best of 17 frames. Ronnie O'Sullivan has

:37:49. > :37:57.already got one on the board. COMMENTATOR: A left-handed break

:37:58. > :38:06.off, Ronnie O'Sullivan, the second frame. He seemed to be playing all

:38:07. > :38:08.right with the right hand, to me. He's got this thing where he

:38:09. > :38:11.releases a little bit, when he breaks off his left hand. What can I

:38:12. > :39:39.say? You never want that cue ball to slip

:39:40. > :39:44.past that brown. No damage done, other than Ronnie

:39:45. > :39:52.gets his hand on the table quite comfortably. Plays the same sort of

:39:53. > :40:06.shot. Has he missed the green? He hasn't. It's advantage back to Ding.

:40:07. > :40:12.Trying to get this right on that back cushion.

:40:13. > :40:37.And that's very good. APPLAUSE

:40:38. > :40:52.Oh, the court the wrong road there, and he has not been lucky.

:40:53. > :40:58.-- he called the wrong read there. -- he caught the wrong red there. He

:40:59. > :41:01.tried to catch it thin but could not get through to it. He looks happy

:41:02. > :41:26.enough though. Ding would love to put 60 or 70 in

:41:27. > :41:31.here. Few chances in the last frame, especially with that red he

:41:32. > :41:38.missed. You need a frame on the border soon as you can in these

:41:39. > :41:42.matches. Both these players can run off three frames in no time with big

:41:43. > :41:51.breaks. But you would rather be three in front, that's for sure.

:41:52. > :42:10.That was an edgy one. He had that much harder than he needed to.

:42:11. > :42:14.Didn't really get too close. The black, the shot before, he could've

:42:15. > :42:16.played red back-up to the corner pocket, but elected to play that

:42:17. > :42:23.into the centre. His only saving grace is, he hasn't

:42:24. > :42:31.left Ronnie anything really easy. Trouble is, the

:42:32. > :42:41.And that's Trouble is, the

:42:42. > :43:06.confidently played that. Just dropped it in. Perfect weight.

:43:07. > :43:16.Not quite far enough but he still has the red in the corner. A lot of

:43:17. > :43:22.talk about Ronnie's silky skills, but is a great competitor at their

:43:23. > :43:28.now. He's very much like what Stephen Hendry is to be like in his

:43:29. > :43:55.prime. He knows what it's like to hurt his opponent.

:43:56. > :44:05.Barry Hawkins, last night, the semifinal. When you're in command,

:44:06. > :44:07.like that, it feels like somebody has put their hand in your pocket

:44:08. > :45:22.and pinched your sweets! He's got a very, very quick snooker

:45:23. > :45:31.brain, Ronnie O'Sullivan. Built in maps. What sort of shots were going

:45:32. > :45:37.to play next. He works it out quicker than most. I think that's

:45:38. > :45:46.what makes him so exciting. There's no hang about. Decision is made.

:45:47. > :45:50.Just get on with it. He has been blessed with this abundance of

:45:51. > :45:56.natural ability and talent. Obviously, it doesn't come on it's

:45:57. > :46:12.own. A lot of hard work, as well. Boy, don't it help?

:46:13. > :46:17.Plenty of competent players out there who can plug the gaps without

:46:18. > :46:32.lifting the pulse. O'Sullivan is not one of them.

:46:33. > :46:42.Gets 100% attention from everybody in this Newport Centre on every

:46:43. > :46:42.shot. It's fascinating to watch the spectators faces watching Ronnie

:46:43. > :46:59.play. Mesmerised. We have got a smile

:47:00. > :47:04.there from somebody. The first time he smiled from months! -- for a

:47:05. > :47:19.month. They can't wait to go back to the

:47:20. > :47:25.club and tried to do the same as Ronnie O'Sullivan. It could be a

:47:26. > :48:01.long day! APPLAUSE

:48:02. > :48:07.Sure they are Ding fans, still enjoying themselves.

:48:08. > :48:10.I'm sure they will be hoping, sooner than later, Ding will get a frame on

:48:11. > :48:37.the board. A chance of a first century break,

:48:38. > :48:42.then. A vital one. AUDIENCE GASPS

:48:43. > :48:52.Not to worry. A break of 91. He is 2-0 in front.

:48:53. > :49:01.Do you think Ronnie is a little bit too good here today? It looks like

:49:02. > :49:05.Ding is struggling. Yes, it does look like he's struggling. He had a

:49:06. > :49:08.couple of chances in the first frame and it looked like he was going to

:49:09. > :49:12.take that first frame until he missed a relatively easy read down

:49:13. > :49:16.the question. Obviously, he got punished for it. Ronnie cleared up,

:49:17. > :49:21.and only came very close to a century in that second frame. And

:49:22. > :49:27.you would have to say, his work is cut out but there is read into the

:49:28. > :49:32.left centre, he played it well. He did need to hit it that hard. He had

:49:33. > :49:35.a nice angle on the black. This is a little bit nervous for Ding. Just

:49:36. > :49:39.got to keep positive. Hope he little bit nervous for Ding. Just

:49:40. > :49:44.his chance. I'm sure, once he little bit nervous for Ding. Just

:49:45. > :49:50.frame on the board, he will make a tidy effort and will feel a lot more

:49:51. > :50:18.relaxed but, at the moment, he is striving for that frame.

:50:19. > :50:30.The type of shot he would have been expected to pot. O Sullivan is well

:50:31. > :50:31.aware he wants to give Ding on zero frames, but that's almost

:50:32. > :50:37.impossible. A bit of awkward cueing here. But it

:50:38. > :51:34.didn't affect the shot. Ding has made 350 centuries. Turn

:51:35. > :51:38.professional, 2003. We haven't really got to know him. He's been

:51:39. > :51:42.over here ten years but it's only in the last year or two that he's been

:51:43. > :51:48.able to speak in cash. AUDIENCE GASPS

:51:49. > :51:56.Now he's missing too many shots here. Unforced errors. Those are the

:51:57. > :52:01.ones that her 20 go back and sit in your chair. -- those are the ones

:52:02. > :52:30.that hurt when you go back and sit in your chair.

:52:31. > :52:43.Ronnie has got a couple of starters to the left-centre. Just looking

:52:44. > :52:52.there to see how quickly he can put the black back onto his own spot. He

:52:53. > :52:55.will already, in his mind, be thinking this is a chance to put

:52:56. > :52:59.another frame on the board. Just hasn't spotted a red yet. The way

:53:00. > :53:09.he's played this week, there ain't many opportunities that he hasn't

:53:10. > :53:21.taken. And made into frame-winners. A lot of work still to do.

:53:22. > :53:30.That's how confident he is, as well. He just decided to run through.

:53:31. > :53:33.Leave himself a bit longer on this thread than he would have liked. --

:53:34. > :55:16.red. I suppose the frightening thing, as

:55:17. > :55:22.well, for Ronnie's fellow professionals, he's a lot older than

:55:23. > :55:29.when he first blasted onto the scene as a very young man. He soon see

:55:30. > :55:33.playing better now than he was then. He certainly got more focus

:55:34. > :55:39.now than he did then. Much happier in his life. And he said the years

:55:40. > :55:44.and years, even when he was winning events, he wasn't happy. He could

:55:45. > :55:47.play better. He's always been self-critical of himself. All of a

:55:48. > :56:00.sudden, he's just playing magic stuff. They must all be worried. It

:56:01. > :56:52.looks like he could be picking up all the trophies.

:56:53. > :57:06.Nicely played again. A deft cannon into the pink to retain position in

:57:07. > :57:15.the centre. 91 in the last frame. 56 here. Still on the table.

:57:16. > :57:21.They say that top players don't go around snuffing out fires. They

:57:22. > :57:28.prefer to like them and that's what O'Sullivan does. Makes a

:57:29. > :57:29.frame-winning chance look like nothing and he first came to the

:57:30. > :57:56.table. Well, already the frame is safe.

:57:57. > :58:02.Will we see Ronnie this time make the century? Just failed last frame.

:58:03. > :58:11.If he's going to make one, he's going to have to pull off a good

:58:12. > :58:16.double. Well, it wasn't to be. I don't think Ding Junhui is going to

:58:17. > :58:21.get out of the seat. Saying that, I don't blame him for doing this. He

:58:22. > :58:29.hasn't had much of a shot in the last couple of frames. He wants to

:58:30. > :58:33.get a couple of pots and his belt. But he was a long way off with that

:58:34. > :58:40.one. There is value in him keeping on in this frame now. And just try

:58:41. > :58:45.to play his way back into a better feel.

:58:46. > :58:58.He needs some table time. It's a lost cause doing this

:58:59. > :59:03.because, unless he thinks he can win the frame, which is fair enough,

:59:04. > :59:08.he's still 61 behind, he needs three snookers. You can see he's not in

:59:09. > :59:14.the right frame of mind to be playing. Sitting in a chair, knowing

:59:15. > :59:17.he's not going to win the frame, that makes it worse. You wouldn't

:59:18. > :59:28.see O'Sullivan playing on. He is playing on, but he is potting

:59:29. > :59:35.then. Yes. And it looks like he has gone 3-0 up and he has had loads of

:59:36. > :59:40.table time, but I know what you are saying.

:59:41. > :59:44.I used to do it just to try and annoy my opponent a little bit. To

:59:45. > :59:49.Troy and get what ever I could -- try and get whatever I could get to

:59:50. > :59:54.put him off a little bit, so if it meant I could make the game go

:59:55. > :00:01.another 15 minute, as much as I kiddien't want to do it, I did it:

:00:02. > :00:05.Ding Junhui stays in if seat. Ronnie extends his lead, looking very

:00:06. > :00:11.impressive. He is now three frames ahead.

:00:12. > :00:16.It is one way traffic at the moment. Ronnie O'Sullivan into a 3-0 lead.

:00:17. > :00:20.Willie, is this a fair reeffection, does that reflect what we have seen?

:00:21. > :00:24.On the break building side Ding doesn't have his hand on the table.

:00:25. > :00:28.Ronnie has given Ding chance, he is in the balls with a straightforward

:00:29. > :00:32.black and this is black he wouldn't miss once a season, but because he

:00:33. > :00:36.is 2-0 be hype, because he is anxious he is playing against Ronnie

:00:37. > :00:40.O'Sullivan in imperious form, I he is a bit frightened he never looks

:00:41. > :00:44.like that unless he played Ronnie O'Sullivan. There have been lots of

:00:45. > :00:47.tweets about players are saying when O'Sullivan is there people are

:00:48. > :00:50.frightened of him. Hendry was the same the 90s and Steve Davis in the

:00:51. > :00:54.'80s. When you are the best player in the world and the number one

:00:55. > :00:58.player, even though Robertson is number one in the season people are

:00:59. > :01:01.frightened of you. You are almost 2-0 in front before you start.

:01:02. > :01:06.Dipping is a great match player, I mean he has played so well this week

:01:07. > :01:11.when he is behindful I am concerned it could be a run away at the

:01:12. > :01:15.moment, I would hate to see that because Ding doesn't deserve to get

:01:16. > :01:20.beaten easily, because he has been one of the best two in the

:01:21. > :01:24.tournament. If you right that players feel scared about Rob, how

:01:25. > :01:27.is Ding going to be feeling now when he is already three frames down? He

:01:28. > :01:31.has to look at the situation, there is eight frames in this session, try

:01:32. > :01:36.and win at least three, so at least the worst way it is 5-3 going into

:01:37. > :01:42.tonight. It is unlikely he is going to win the match if he is 6-1

:01:43. > :01:50.behind. He could win the next five frames so we might be talking out of

:01:51. > :01:53.school. At least get three of the last five frames.

:01:54. > :02:02.Ding would love to get one back to make it 3-1.

:02:03. > :02:09.You would think Ding would be desperate to win this frame, as you

:02:10. > :02:15.mention mentioned but so would O'Sullivan. He will know if he can

:02:16. > :02:18.go into the interval 4-0 in front it would be tough for Ding to come back

:02:19. > :02:24.from there. Plenty of frames of course, it is

:02:25. > :02:45.just that you get the feeling Ronnie could run away from you.

:02:46. > :02:54.There is nothing worse, Ding already a winner of four ranking events this

:02:55. > :03:00.year, ranked three in the world. Ronnie O'Sullivan picks and chooses

:03:01. > :03:05.his vents and is ranked 32. -- events.

:03:06. > :03:08.Is on paper, it looks like you would think Ding would be favourite, but

:03:09. > :03:25.obviously we although that is not quite the case.

:03:26. > :03:28.For Ding, you know, he is positive and up beat. He will probably be

:03:29. > :03:33.thinking how can somebody do this to me and I have won all these events

:03:34. > :03:36.this year and I am probably playing the best snooker in the world, but

:03:37. > :03:59.Ronnie, just a different animal. Obviously, even though they have

:04:00. > :04:05.played many, many times, over the past, I suppose everybody will

:04:06. > :04:11.remember 2003, they played in the Masters final at Wembley, that

:04:12. > :04:16.Ronnie O'Sullivan really gave Ding a lesson that day. Beat him 10-3. It

:04:17. > :04:24.was very emotional to watch. Very upsetting. Ding was very upset at

:04:25. > :04:27.the end. Ronnie played absolutely flawless snooker. And who know, does

:04:28. > :04:31.Ding still remember that match? I would have thought it is still

:04:32. > :04:36.there, still memories of that that what, and he is still scarred in. So

:04:37. > :04:37.way. -- of that match. Especially as each frame is going on, without

:04:38. > :05:08.reply. Just gone tar enough to make this

:05:09. > :05:11.green a little tricky. -- far. I don't think it was in the direct

:05:12. > :05:32.line, but just squeeze through the corners.

:05:33. > :05:35.Didn't hit it too hard. Could try and bring the rack into

:05:36. > :05:39.play, I think. -- black into play. A big round of

:05:40. > :05:44.applause but he is not in a great position there. We have to take the

:05:45. > :05:48.one into the centre. Otherwise he has to bridge over this red. Behind

:05:49. > :06:06.the cue ball. Try and get some spin on.

:06:07. > :06:13.Kiss the blue, but it hasn't made any difference, he had a nice kiss

:06:14. > :06:19.on the blue. I suppose the longer you stay on the

:06:20. > :06:21.table, like Ronnie has in this match so far, the more chance you have to

:06:22. > :06:30.get a good run in. 63% Ronnie has at the moment against

:06:31. > :06:43.37 from Ding. Difference is in that 63%, Ronnie

:06:44. > :06:48.has scored more. Ding's highest break is still 29.

:06:49. > :07:59.Total point points 247 O'Sullivan, 59 to Ding.

:08:00. > :08:06.He is a bit concerned with that one. It wasn't as straight as he would

:08:07. > :08:11.have liked. I am sure this pink is thinner than he would have liked.

:08:12. > :08:17.With all we have seen so far, shouldn't prove much of a problem.

:08:18. > :08:22.Back in good position. At the moment, he is just playing

:08:23. > :08:30.one chance snooker. Every time he goes in, he looks like

:08:31. > :08:35.he is going to clear up. How do you stop him? This is the

:08:36. > :08:40.question. Ding will be saying, sat in his

:08:41. > :08:49.chair. He has had a lot who think about.

:08:50. > :09:00.But what do you do when someone is right at the top of their game?

:09:01. > :09:02.Playing faultless. It can be a lonely place out there,

:09:03. > :09:50.I can assure you. Not a comfortable seat.

:09:51. > :09:54.O'Sullivan looks as if he feels more in control of how he wants to feel,

:09:55. > :09:59.instead of letting his feelings take control of him.

:10:00. > :10:04.He pointed towards the cue ball. He thought he may have had a bad

:10:05. > :10:39.contact. 49 points in front though. Unexpected chance for Ding.

:10:40. > :10:47.Maybe nudge the led away from the black, if he has the angle for that,

:10:48. > :10:50.he would still be on the other red. He is dead straight so didn't have

:10:51. > :10:53.the opportunity there. He has to bring that black into play, with the

:10:54. > :11:03.reds are, to win this frame. Not quite sure if he has the angle

:11:04. > :11:07.here to achieve that. The red that is just below the black is stopping

:11:08. > :11:09.him coming off the cushion, and dislodging that red away from the

:11:10. > :11:21.black. It doesn't look easy when you are in

:11:22. > :11:25.Ding's position, even if all the balls were open. Everything looking

:11:26. > :11:32.more difficult than normal when you are behind. Especially with someone

:11:33. > :13:06.like O'Sullivan who is such a good front runner. On He is played. Very

:13:07. > :13:12.unlucky. Good attempt, that. Leaving it a chance, of course. Couldn't

:13:13. > :13:35.cast the red full enough. Well, he has got a choice of colours

:13:36. > :13:40.here. He could play the blue and bring the two resin to play. At this

:13:41. > :13:48.stage, quite risky shot. Taking the yellow, playing for the loose red.

:13:49. > :13:53.Well, it wasn't the easiest from here. And he didn't miss it because

:13:54. > :13:57.he was forced into positional play. He just left himself a long red. He

:13:58. > :14:04.will be so disappointed with that. It really is tough, missing shots

:14:05. > :14:07.when you are behind in a match. It takes great courage to keep your

:14:08. > :14:12.thoughts together. Keep your mind clear. Everything is clouded when

:14:13. > :14:46.you get a chance. Every shot looks difficult.

:14:47. > :15:00.Both these players are played each other ten times before. Ronnie, 8-2

:15:01. > :15:06.in front. Ding's first win over him was 2007 in the Premier League. As

:15:07. > :15:38.we are saying that, Ronnie has missed a red, trying to power it in.

:15:39. > :15:55.What a big frame this is. O'Sullivan brought the black into

:15:56. > :16:17.play when that red Rt Honed. Row wobbled. -- red wobbled. .

:16:18. > :16:23.Played that nicely. That was going to be the vital one,

:16:24. > :16:29.he missed the red be the rest. He had a chance to win the first frame.

:16:30. > :16:37.Both players have missed a few on this cushion. Still in it though, 25

:16:38. > :16:50.points in front, Ronnie O'Sullivan. 35 left on the table.

:16:51. > :16:59.He maybe able to get through to this.

:17:00. > :17:04.This is an easier shot than the one he missed who on the cushion. It is

:17:05. > :17:16.a tough shot. -- than the one he missed on the

:17:17. > :17:21.cushion. He fully committed to that. Which is

:17:22. > :17:32.the right way. He needs it at this stage in the match.

:17:33. > :17:38.Ding had a big smile on his face there. Doesn't show a lot of

:17:39. > :17:49.emotion, but much more than he used to.

:17:50. > :17:52.So has got a shot at this red again. Not easy. You would fancy him in

:17:53. > :18:02.practise. Bit different out there.

:18:03. > :18:11.He has made the red now, can he convert this one.

:18:12. > :18:15.He would be happy if he could get into the interval at 3-1 behind.

:18:16. > :19:11.Must take this chance. Controlled that one nicely.

:19:12. > :19:20.Looks very inviting. Four colours on their spots.

:19:21. > :19:24.15 points behind. He will need all four colours. Three, should I say

:19:25. > :19:47.no. -- now. Well, he caught that too thin and he

:19:48. > :19:54.still didn't hit it hard enough for the pink, so he may have to swing

:19:55. > :19:59.this round the table now. He has played it perfect.

:20:00. > :20:13.Stone dead perfect. What a great shot, under extreme

:20:14. > :20:18.pressure. That was Ding's highest break so far

:20:19. > :20:25.of this match, of 32. More importantly it gives him the first

:20:26. > :20:29.flame but O'Sullivan leads by 3-1. His cup of tea will taste all

:20:30. > :20:33.sweerkts just for that frame, he has one on the board so trailing at 3-1

:20:34. > :20:36.to Ronnie O'Sullivan at the interval. It has been fascinating,

:20:37. > :20:42.that he just is missing a lot of balls you would expect him to get in

:20:43. > :20:47.his sleep. Is it the Ronnie effect if sw had a mental disintegration.

:20:48. > :20:50.It was his fourth attempt, there, really to finely close out that

:20:51. > :20:56.frame He won't be having a couple of tea. He will be in the practice

:20:57. > :21:00.room, but the thing is, he will be delighted he has a frame onrd board.

:21:01. > :21:04.They will be so disappointed the easy chances missing, on this yellow

:21:05. > :21:07.here, he is trying to make sure of yellow. He is not trying to get

:21:08. > :21:12.position. So he is trying to roll it in. That is a shot he would get 100

:21:13. > :21:16.out of one one -- 100. He gets another chance here, this red has a

:21:17. > :21:19.slightly poor angle, so really running it in round two cushion,

:21:20. > :21:24.would have been an easier shot than that, but he is trying to play

:21:25. > :21:28.everything too perfect. He is tense, he is, has a lot of pressure on him,

:21:29. > :21:31.the fact he is playing a man in great form, but that could be the

:21:32. > :21:35.turning point. Because Ronnie O'Sullivan has not missed very much,

:21:36. > :21:39.but when he has, he still has got Ding missing everything. It could be

:21:40. > :21:43.important. When a player seems to be struggling as much as Ding is at the

:21:44. > :21:47.moment, how welcome is an interval, just to put a break on the momentum

:21:48. > :21:50.of the match? Perfect time for Ding. Ronnie wouldn't have been

:21:51. > :21:54.governmentered about interval. Ding is walking in behind us to have a

:21:55. > :21:58.practise now, try and get a bit of rhythm going because he is getting

:21:59. > :22:02.up tying. He looks at the back arm, he is in theroom chair, not, as

:22:03. > :22:08.smiley as he has been, but he is still in the match. 3-1 is no

:22:09. > :22:15.problem. We discussed, get out this session, 5-3, 4-4, don't be 6-1

:22:16. > :22:18.behind. Still a long long way to go. The Welsh Open falls toward the end

:22:19. > :22:22.of professional snooker season, current season got under way last

:22:23. > :22:26.summer and it will finish with the big finale at the World

:22:27. > :22:29.Championships in Sheffield next month. Let us have a look now, at a

:22:30. > :24:34.summary of the season so far. Th. It has been a busy few months.

:24:35. > :24:42.Let me show you a graphic of the list of the winners of this season

:24:43. > :24:46.ranking tournaments. Ding dominates it. You will notice that all of the

:24:47. > :24:52.events have been won by overseas player, so if he can win today

:24:53. > :24:57.Ronnie O'Sullivan would be the birth British player to win a ranking

:24:58. > :25:02.tournament if he takes the Welsh Open title. Very unusual. I didn't

:25:03. > :25:06.realise that had happened throughout the season. Ronnie is not playing in

:25:07. > :25:10.every vent but to think a British player has not won a tournament this

:25:11. > :25:13.year, when you think of the talent in Wales, Scotland and the talent we

:25:14. > :25:18.have in England and Ireland as well. There is a lot of great players so

:25:19. > :25:22.it is surprising, it shows how big the game is worldwide. Is that a

:25:23. > :25:26.reflection of how the power has shifted to Asia? We thought the

:25:27. > :25:30.influx would come from Thailand. Many years ago China wasn't a place

:25:31. > :25:34.we used to play, we played in Thailand a lot then the Chinese came

:25:35. > :25:39.into it, I mean it is so big in China, it is huge, so, it is not

:25:40. > :25:44.beyond the realms of possibility we will have World Champions come from

:25:45. > :25:48.China. They love it. Six events are played there. Neil Robertson has had

:25:49. > :25:52.an incredible season as well. The world number one, and closing in on

:25:53. > :25:57.100 centuries in the season s now that is a remarkable achieve. When

:25:58. > :26:04.you consider that Ronnie O'Sullivan has only made 50 on centuries. Ding

:26:05. > :26:09.had 45. To think he made 87 in a season. Unheard of. Something very

:26:10. > :26:12.special indeed. There has been a new format to a lot of the tournaments

:26:13. > :26:17.this season s including here at the Welsh Open. We started the

:26:18. > :26:21.tournament in the first round with 128 players, and that real will

:26:22. > :26:27.gives a lot of young rank outsiders the chance to take on some of the

:26:28. > :26:33.top players in the game. But the new innovation has not gone down well

:26:34. > :26:40.with everyone. The principle of level playing

:26:41. > :26:46.field, 128, seeded draw, is the fairest principle in sport.

:26:47. > :26:49.-of-are peninsula irshould be in at the first round of every tournament.

:26:50. > :26:53.If you have earned your right to call yourself a professional snooker

:26:54. > :26:57.player you should have the same opportunities as everybody else. If

:26:58. > :27:03.you are a youngster coming through in snooker, it is a fabulous time,

:27:04. > :27:08.because pretty much you are going to all the venues, when you had to pay

:27:09. > :27:13.your graft and win a lot of match, qualify and now you can just be a

:27:14. > :27:19.professional and go straight the the venue and you are there. I wasn't

:27:20. > :27:25.the biggest fan, but the 128 is fair, when it comes dough the list,

:27:26. > :27:30.but I don't agree the devaluing of these media events.

:27:31. > :27:35.We are on a journey, in any journey there will be a few bumps in the

:27:36. > :27:39.road. Logistically it has thrown some problems at us. Taking 18

:27:40. > :27:43.players to a venue that is probably not big enough. There is too many at

:27:44. > :27:48.the venue, a lot of travelling, you know, if you are not do doing I

:27:49. > :27:53.wouldn't say very good, if you are not winning a lot of games, a lot of

:27:54. > :27:57.players will go skint because of expenses are high.

:27:58. > :28:00.Showing up for a tournament, playing one match and you still in the

:28:01. > :28:06.tournament but you don't play for five, six day, some time, that is

:28:07. > :28:12.quite hard to take, but, you know, that is not my, I can't change it.

:28:13. > :28:15.So I can just moan. Barry is trying and he is not quite right at the

:28:16. > :28:19.moment. But he has to try everything, I know they will get it

:28:20. > :28:24.right at one point but we have to grin and bear it at the moment.

:28:25. > :28:27.I know the players are coming from a different anglings because they are

:28:28. > :28:31.players that have been spoiled or pampered in the past. Those days are

:28:32. > :28:34.gone. I am personally against it to be

:28:35. > :28:39.fair, but you know, you have to look a the wider game for itself, and

:28:40. > :28:45.obviously Barry has his ideas, and world snooker have their ideas, I am

:28:46. > :28:46.just happy that I am not 21 and having to probably play my way

:28:47. > :28:52.through this year of snooker. having to probably play my way

:28:53. > :28:57.Everyone says we were protected which wasn't the case, ones that

:28:58. > :29:04.have been hit the hardest are the top 16. We feel a bit aggrieved or I

:29:05. > :29:07.do. That is the way, like Barry says we can get another job, can't we.

:29:08. > :29:13.But the trouble is if we get another job, there won't be a game will

:29:14. > :29:18.there? People are looking at it what suits me? And those people that

:29:19. > :29:24.think like that, I have nothing to do with them at all.

:29:25. > :29:29.Our opinion is what suits the game. You have so many tonnes now to do

:29:30. > :29:34.well in tournaments and earn money and gain experience along the way,

:29:35. > :29:39.you would never play at a venue like this when I was a youngster. I am

:29:40. > :29:43.lucky to have started playing when I did to have come into the game. It

:29:44. > :29:47.is probably the biggest it has ever been, like globally, and the amount

:29:48. > :29:51.of tournaments what are now, the chances what you get to play against

:29:52. > :29:56.your top 16, instead of having to qualify for an event, you can play

:29:57. > :30:06.in the PTCs, and I like being round them, you feel more comfortable and

:30:07. > :30:09.it has been a massive help. If you are a young up-and-coming player,

:30:10. > :30:13.the type of player the sport needs, we need a vibrant sport, not a sport

:30:14. > :30:18.of just the same old names, saying just the same old games, because

:30:19. > :30:22.that, frankly, was what it was like. It was not getting boring, it is

:30:23. > :30:26.getting tedious, and we are seeing the stories coming through for that

:30:27. > :30:31.we are seeing kids get their chance if they're good enough, despite any

:30:32. > :30:36.protests. There will be no changes. The format stays, because the

:30:37. > :30:43.protests. There will be no changes. shake-up for the what do you make of

:30:44. > :30:48.the new format? 99.9% of what Barry Hearn does works, so let's give it

:30:49. > :30:55.time. The top ranked players, few of the moaning, Shaun Murphy said if

:30:56. > :30:59.Europe professional snooker player, you don't play qualifies to get down

:31:00. > :31:04.to the last 72. If after two days, you have made the cut, you go home.

:31:05. > :31:08.I'm in agreement with that, to be perfectly honest. It seems like the

:31:09. > :31:13.cream is rising to the top and the best players are getting to the

:31:14. > :31:18.finals. Every tournament this year, all the ranking events, at least

:31:19. > :31:22.four at the top eight are in the quarterfinal stages. OK, the young

:31:23. > :31:26.players a chances now. We have seen Joe Walker this week for the what a

:31:27. > :31:31.rather fresh air he was. I had never seen him play before. It just shows

:31:32. > :31:36.you the system works. The new tournament format really has opened

:31:37. > :31:39.up the game and it's made a lot of young players, even more keen, than

:31:40. > :31:46.ever, to become professional players. We went to meet two fine

:31:47. > :31:55.young Welsh amateur players, who both have dreams of making it on the

:31:56. > :32:01.professional circuit. Snooker is one of the fastest-growing professional

:32:02. > :32:08.sports in the world. Played in over 90 countries, by hundreds of

:32:09. > :32:17.thousands of players. It is watched by over 450 million viewers in 78

:32:18. > :32:19.different countries. In 1978, when Steve Davis and

:32:20. > :32:21.different countries. In 1978, when professional, there were two

:32:22. > :32:26.different countries. In 1978, when to play in. Now, under Barry

:32:27. > :32:30.Hearn's new regime, there's over 32 tournaments to play in four

:32:31. > :32:35.professional players. There's never been a better time to be an

:32:36. > :32:39.ambitious young snooker player. These two young players are top

:32:40. > :32:42.Welsh amateur is already mixing it with professionals dreaming of the

:32:43. > :32:47.big-time. Dwayne Jones, from Mountain Ash, and Jamie, from my

:32:48. > :33:01.hometown. I have been Welsh under 21 champion,

:33:02. > :33:09.Welsh amateur champion, IBF world six champion. I have become the

:33:10. > :33:13.under 16 's, 19 to 21s Welsh champion in the same year. And I

:33:14. > :33:19.finished number one this year on the European amateur list. I started

:33:20. > :33:24.playing snooker about eight years ago. My favourite player is Neil

:33:25. > :33:32.Robertson. I started playing snooker when I was about nine years of age.

:33:33. > :33:36.My idol is Ronnie O'Sullivan. People think when you have the name amateur

:33:37. > :33:41.next to you, it's pretty poor, but the standard is very strong.

:33:42. > :33:46.Especially with a lot of the invites coming to the ranking events.

:33:47. > :33:50.Professionals play amateurs in the tournaments. It is tough but,

:33:51. > :34:02.hopefully, we can progress in the professional game. What does it cost

:34:03. > :34:05.playing on the amateur tour? About ?7,000 -?10,000 playing the amateur

:34:06. > :34:11.game, and if you do get on the professional circuit, around ?15,000

:34:12. > :34:15.-?20,000, so it's a lot of money, to be honest, but I have got a great

:34:16. > :34:19.sponsor. CJ Williams from the Isle of Wight. He has been bullied with

:34:20. > :34:24.me so far and long may it continue. Do you find with a backing from your

:34:25. > :34:31.parents and sponsors, it puts more pressure on you to become

:34:32. > :34:36.professional? -- brilliant. When I was paying for my own tournaments, I

:34:37. > :34:39.had more pressure because I felt like I needed to do something to

:34:40. > :34:44.make it worthwhile instead of turning up and losing in the first

:34:45. > :34:47.round. Whereas, now I have a sponsor, I feel it's a little

:34:48. > :34:51.easier, the pressure has been taken off my family and myself

:34:52. > :34:55.financially. And I'm sort of on a free role, but it's a nice kind of

:34:56. > :35:01.pressure, instead of a bad pressure. When you are playing in

:35:02. > :35:05.these qualifiers, is a type different from Welsh amateur

:35:06. > :35:09.tournaments? Definitely. I do find it's a better buzz playing in the

:35:10. > :35:13.world ranking events. You feel special, like a professional. You

:35:14. > :35:17.can turn up on Sunday morning sometimes, it's not quite the same,

:35:18. > :35:19.but are definitely in the ranking events, I do feel like a

:35:20. > :35:24.professional for them it's really special. Hopefully if I can get a

:35:25. > :35:27.professional ticket, I will be there every weekend. Let's hope these

:35:28. > :35:31.young amateurs want to enjoy successful careers and we have

:35:32. > :35:39.another Welsh player at the very top of the professional game. We wish

:35:40. > :35:42.them all the best as they tried to make it as professional players. I

:35:43. > :35:46.guess this is what Barry Hearn wants, to see guys like them have a

:35:47. > :35:48.chance tournaments like this, to make a for themselves and maybe

:35:49. > :35:53.become professional players. I've make a for themselves and maybe

:35:54. > :35:58.seen a lot of coming up, Mark Selby played my club from the age of 12,

:35:59. > :36:01.and it wasn't until he got to 20, he thought it was good enough but he

:36:02. > :36:05.kept working and working in working. I have the chance playing all over

:36:06. > :36:10.the country, and those young players have a chance of becoming

:36:11. > :36:14.fashionable one day. How hard is it for young players like that to make

:36:15. > :36:17.the breakthrough? You have got to work hard. You don't get anything in

:36:18. > :36:24.life if you don't work hard. They need to practice with a top players

:36:25. > :36:28.in the area for the Matthew Stevens, and Mark Williams. Just practice the

:36:29. > :36:32.people that good. I'm sure they are watching this final at the Newport

:36:33. > :36:35.Centre this afternoon. Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ding Junhui are

:36:36. > :36:41.making their way back into the arena now. After a little break on the

:36:42. > :36:46.sidelines. O Sullivan leading 3-1 after the first four frames. Ding

:36:47. > :36:51.looked quite out of salt early on but he got a frame back and how

:36:52. > :36:58.crucial could that be? -- out of sorts.

:36:59. > :37:03.COMMENTATOR: Thank you, Ashley. Ronnie looks relaxed in the

:37:04. > :37:12.mid-session interval. Reading the paper. Had a sandwich and a cup of

:37:13. > :37:16.tea. I did not see Ding Junhui. I think he went to the practice room

:37:17. > :37:22.and knocked in a couple of balls. Just to put those misses to bed. He

:37:23. > :37:28.will have been happy at the interval, 3-1 in 74-0 behind.

:37:29. > :37:33.Interesting, before Ronnie walked out into the arena, he took the cue

:37:34. > :37:40.ball off the referee and played another shot to that left centre,

:37:41. > :37:44.just to see if it turned off and he found the pocket. An order to

:37:45. > :38:13.himself. It was a missed shot. It's been a bit of a different

:38:14. > :38:19.Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first four frames, to what we saw in the

:38:20. > :38:29.semifinal match last night. But, well, Ding's highest break so far is

:38:30. > :38:35.32. I suppose you could say he is lucky he has got a frame on the

:38:36. > :38:40.board. Ronnie, if he doesn't analyse his own play, he will have been

:38:41. > :38:45.happy with the scoreline going into the interval in the final, just the

:38:46. > :39:14.sort of start you look to have if you can manage it.

:39:15. > :39:22.A couple of enthusiastic supporters clapping that shot. I don't think

:39:23. > :39:29.Ronnie was too happy with it. He hasn't left anything on, but...

:39:30. > :39:38.Wasn't the best safety shot he has ever played. The only reason I say

:39:39. > :39:44.that is because Ding Junhui could get his hand on the table

:39:45. > :40:28.comfortably. To be fair, he should have done a lot better with that.

:40:29. > :41:09.Ronnie has taken control. If he could have got through to the

:41:10. > :41:17.red at the left corner and played it, as it is, he has to play safety.

:41:18. > :41:19.This is going to have to be thin. The cue ball down the side of the

:41:20. > :41:36.table. That's OK. One red has blocked the

:41:37. > :41:42.path to the other one. A bit fortunate there, Ding Junhui.

:41:43. > :41:50.Yes, this is shaping up to be rather lengthy frame at the moment.

:41:51. > :41:59.Becoming tied up. If one of those threads would come in the black into

:42:00. > :42:47.a difficult position, -- reds, but rather it's a safety exchange.

:42:48. > :42:53.Ronnie would like to play off the red below and right of the pink, but

:42:54. > :43:04.he just can't get quite through to it.

:43:05. > :43:12.From where he was, that was a superb shot. Just the faintest little clip

:43:13. > :43:16.on that yellow. It may have rebound off the baulk cushion and rebounded

:43:17. > :43:21.off it. As you can see, this is a dead straight long red for Ding.

:43:22. > :43:23.Certainly not worth taking on, really. But this one, however, is

:43:24. > :43:47.also shot to nothing. It's just whether Ronnie has got

:43:48. > :43:48.more angle on this. If it's dead straight, I can't imagine he will

:43:49. > :43:59.play it. The one just to the outside red,

:44:00. > :44:05.that would be more comfortable cueing. He would be clattering the

:44:06. > :44:10.reds, so I think he's going to play the long straight one. He has got a

:44:11. > :44:14.look slight angle on this so he will deal to pinch the pocket a little

:44:15. > :44:19.bit, which she does. And that was about as good as it could get.

:44:20. > :44:30.Didn't get through that well? Perfection.

:44:31. > :44:37.Yes, that will please Ronnie because he had to elevate the butt of the

:44:38. > :44:41.cue there because the other was on the way. Normal cueing for him. That

:44:42. > :44:46.was a real test of the way. Normal cueing for him. That

:44:47. > :44:49.action. Passed the way. Normal cueing for him. That

:44:50. > :44:59.He would have loved to have been on this blue better.

:45:00. > :45:05.That's how confident he is at the moment, though. Look how long he has

:45:06. > :45:12.left this red. That was a well struck shot again. Cueing through

:45:13. > :45:19.the ball so good. I mean, this is no gimme. He hasn't got to do a lot

:45:20. > :45:28.with the cue ball. Make sure of the pot. Standing over for the black.

:45:29. > :45:46.That just shows you the frame of mind he is in. Another great strike.

:45:47. > :45:54.Here is a big decision for Ronnie. Does he pot the black with force and

:45:55. > :46:06.scatter the reds? Possibly what he will do, the black will part into

:46:07. > :46:07.the right corner. -- pot. That's probably tidied up now. But hasn't

:46:08. > :46:11.worked out well for Ronnie. This will mean the cue ball going

:46:12. > :46:25.into other balls. He's not happy. I don't know about

:46:26. > :46:30.you, but I don't know why... Mind you, he has cut that thin at I

:46:31. > :46:36.didn't think he had the angle on that. He court the other red there.

:46:37. > :47:49.Obviously, he thought he could. A chance now for Ding Junhui.

:47:50. > :48:00.Ronnie just reflecting on his overall performance.

:48:01. > :48:09.He has had the opportunity to dominate the game. Ding are

:48:10. > :48:14.certainly hasn't performed well this afternoon by his own very high

:48:15. > :48:20.standards. He sees his opponent, Ronnie O'Sullivan, making the

:48:21. > :48:26.mistakes he is currently making, it will give him a lot of heart. He

:48:27. > :48:31.could win the frame from this opportunity. It won't be easy, of

:48:32. > :48:36.course. He could reduce his arrears to a single frame. He will begin to

:48:37. > :48:40.feel he's back in this match with every chance of winning. Yes, I

:48:41. > :48:48.couldn't agree any more. Ronnie O'Sullivan was potentially one-shot

:48:49. > :48:56.to going 4-0 in front, and, OK, he still played very well. Breaks of 91

:48:57. > :49:03.and 70. He was on 49 and missed a relatively easy red the left-centre.

:49:04. > :49:07.Ding pinched a frame. All of a sudden, if he was to pinch another

:49:08. > :49:15.one, get back to 3-2, a huge difference.

:49:16. > :49:23.It looked like, at one stage, this match could be over before it

:49:24. > :49:31.started but, all of a sudden, it is match back on. Just nicely going

:49:32. > :49:35.about his business. He has got another couple of red in the open.

:49:36. > :49:57.Before he has got to start looking at developing anything.

:49:58. > :50:07.The black will go back onto its own spot. After he pops it here. --

:50:08. > :50:15.pots. I'm not sure if any of those red below the pink up portable. --

:50:16. > :50:58.pinks are pottable. Are great chance here for Ding to

:50:59. > :51:06.cannon the middle of those three reds Wychwood would shunt them

:51:07. > :51:17.towards the right corner. Just didn't catch it fully enough. Now,

:51:18. > :51:23.does the red pot into the middle pocket past the blue? He's having a

:51:24. > :52:03.closer look. A thin cut and pretty risky with that red into baulk.

:52:04. > :52:13.That is a fantastic pot. It deserved a better rebound from the pocket,

:52:14. > :52:16.the middle pocket. I'm not sure Ding would have potted that earlier on in

:52:17. > :52:23.this match. I would agree with that again. It was looking desperate for

:52:24. > :52:28.him until he pinched that fourth frame, but, all of a sudden, he's

:52:29. > :52:32.finding a little bit of confidence. This blue is not a gimme either.

:52:33. > :52:37.Straight into the heart of the pocket. All of a sudden, Ding Junhui

:52:38. > :54:20.has found his cueing. A big bounce off discussion. That's

:54:21. > :54:23.going to be very tight, I feel. Well, first expressions tell me he

:54:24. > :54:36.can't get through to the potting angle with this. And there we can

:54:37. > :54:40.see it. No way. If one of the reds was further away you could have

:54:41. > :54:48.played a slight swerve, but too much of a risk at this juncture in this

:54:49. > :54:56.match. Already 41 points to the good. Good safety is the order of

:54:57. > :55:02.the day. But he is going to do well to get the cue ball back up in the

:55:03. > :55:04.baulk. He will have to do come off the one red and roll onto the side

:55:05. > :55:09.cushion. That's about the best he could do,

:55:10. > :55:45.really. This is going to be a very important

:55:46. > :55:49.safety battle. It's an enormous frame in the context of this match.

:55:50. > :55:55.For both players. Trying to re-establish their authority. And to

:55:56. > :56:01.get right back into this final. And that is a super shot from Ding. He

:56:02. > :56:09.could've snookered Ronnie on the reds. A safety. Yes, he's looking at

:56:10. > :56:17.the side cushion. If he tries to come thin of these reds, it'll be

:56:18. > :56:22.the thinnest of contact to miss those jaws. He will want to see if

:56:23. > :56:24.there's a plant in the right corner. This need to be thin. Well,

:56:25. > :56:36.that's a new one. I will have to remember that one,

:56:37. > :57:15.Dominic. What a great shot that was. Well thought out.

:57:16. > :57:20.Ding had a little look at the plant as well, but it can't be on because

:57:21. > :57:29.Ronnie would have played it. A couple of shots ago.

:57:30. > :57:36.There we can see, nowhere near. He would love to come thin of these red

:57:37. > :57:46.and get the cue ball on the yellow and brown.

:57:47. > :57:51.He has hit that a little bit thicker than he would have liked and that's

:57:52. > :57:58.why the registrant close to the right corner. His only saving might

:57:59. > :58:01.be Ronnie might be bridging over the green. Awkward cueing. Otherwise, I

:58:02. > :58:24.fancy Ronnie for this. Well, 80% there, Ronnie.

:58:25. > :58:31.APPLAUSE I think it has just gone up

:58:32. > :58:35.slightly. His long potting last night was

:58:36. > :58:49.absolutely superb. I don't think you missed one.

:58:50. > :58:54.Position to the red next to the black is easier if you take the blue

:58:55. > :59:10.to the right corner. APPLAUSE

:59:11. > :59:17.It's imperative that Ronnie leaves himself an angle on the black to

:59:18. > :59:24.pitch into those three reds. Just clipped the top of those three.

:59:25. > :59:36.Should knock them all on nicely into this left-hand corner pocket.

:59:37. > :59:41.He put two reds together at the same time. They are covering each other

:59:42. > :59:56.now, so just a safety shot. A bit of a reprieve for Ding.

:59:57. > :00:37.A Cliff Thorburn shot that one, something he came up with in thele

:00:38. > :00:42.0s. I don't think anybody was familiar with the shot before that.

:00:43. > :00:48.There wasn't much wrong with the way that Ding played it. That was a

:00:49. > :00:52.superb shot from Ronnie. He did canon the yellow to the green

:00:53. > :01:25.previously, so a clearance from here won't be easy.

:01:26. > :01:37.He has the littlest of angles on. He is only going to want to be dropping

:01:38. > :01:42.the red in across the top cushion. He will want it dead straight. Ity

:01:43. > :01:53.he has the small smallest. He might have to play this. A bit of force.

:01:54. > :02:00.He has just dropped in, that shows you how tight the pockets have been

:02:01. > :02:03.playing this week. Just made sure the of the red. All he can do now is

:02:04. > :02:28.roll up to the black. Wants to try and come in behind the

:02:29. > :02:31.yellow, Ding. Even if he does that, there is every chance he could

:02:32. > :02:35.almost go in off, or off the other side of the yellow and pot the

:02:36. > :02:39.green, all these things can happen, but you can't legislate for those.

:02:40. > :02:42.If he did come in behind the yellow and kick it down the table, he would

:02:43. > :03:07.be guaranteed to leave distance between the balls.

:03:08. > :03:12.Good call Dominic. He has left this yell throw the right corner. But he

:03:13. > :03:19.is going to do well. He is going to have to play it perfect weight, to

:03:20. > :03:34.hold for the green. This is very thin.

:03:35. > :04:40.Haye had a free shot at that one. -- he had a flee shot that the one.

:04:41. > :04:43.Full-ball into the black. The green wouldn't move.

:04:44. > :05:03.Just take the position of the black. That is where we has played. He has

:05:04. > :05:13.played in behind the black as well. That is not bad. -- he has played.

:05:14. > :05:22.He has missed it completely and because hes so much check side on

:05:23. > :05:30.it... Checked off the cushion, and he has given Ding a shot at this

:05:31. > :05:38.green, not easy. Just wanted the clip the green then. How do do want

:05:39. > :05:43.to play that one? He has to be careful here, what decisions maybe,

:05:44. > :05:48.Ding, if that cue ball were to run off the smallest amount he would

:05:49. > :06:02.miss that green. It is such an acute angle. I can't blame him for having

:06:03. > :06:08.the cue ball replaced. This is going to have to go back

:06:09. > :06:15.exactly the same position. It is not far away.

:06:16. > :06:21.Are we going to see him play the swerve shot. He is trying to get the

:06:22. > :06:30.smallest of edges. That is nearly a fall ball swerve.

:06:31. > :06:33.There ist brown. Come to save him.

:06:34. > :06:44.Ronnie had an anxious look, well, he is going to do well to squeeze that

:06:45. > :06:46.past there. Think he hit the green a lot thicker

:06:47. > :07:06.than he would have liked. He took a risk there. That cue ball

:07:07. > :07:10.had been a centimetre short of the brown, it would have left an easy

:07:11. > :07:47.safety for Ronnie. One where he could have snookered Ding himself.

:07:48. > :07:52.Ding will be disappointed there. He hit that green a bit further over to

:07:53. > :07:59.the left, ass he look. A couple of opportunities here for

:08:00. > :08:00.Ronnie to possibly snooker Ding, but just doesn't need that green to

:08:01. > :08:10.canon the pink. The crowd then "Woo." Now he has

:08:11. > :08:32.Ding in a bit of trouble. The green is the key shot in this

:08:33. > :08:38.frame. I tell you what, though, for me Ding is the king of raise Orr

:08:39. > :08:41.thin cut back, make this is just a bit fine. I don't know if it is on

:08:42. > :08:46.at all. If it is on, you can be assured he

:08:47. > :08:51.is confident he will go for it. It is the cue ball, what is going to

:08:52. > :08:54.happen with that? You can see the cut wasn't on. He needs the cue ball

:08:55. > :09:28.to travel. Certainly Ding won't refuse this

:09:29. > :09:32.one. Only risk is he will be playing %

:09:33. > :09:47.the brown so he will be leaving the cue ball short of the baulk line.

:09:48. > :10:13.I don't know if that green will pass the pink.

:10:14. > :10:16.APPLAUSE What a good shot.

:10:17. > :10:28.12 feet between both balls. Shown us this week how God his

:10:29. > :10:36.safety department is. -- good.

:10:37. > :10:43.They go on about Mark Selby, John Higgins, but they have nothing on

:10:44. > :11:31.Ronnie O'Sullivan. He is top draw in every department.

:11:32. > :11:36.-- top drawer. The cue ball is too close to that cushion. He can't

:11:37. > :11:41.really get any side spin on it. It is a containing safety.

:11:42. > :11:56.He played it well. If Ding plays this well he can stick

:11:57. > :12:01.the again behind the blue, the white in behind the brown.

:12:02. > :12:07.Just got to get a thin edge. The tinge he doesn't want do is hit

:12:08. > :12:13.it too thick. He definitely didn't want to do

:12:14. > :12:18.that, miss cue. REFEREE: Ronnie O'Sullivan six.

:12:19. > :12:30.Well, well, well. Unbelievable.

:12:31. > :12:38.He will pay for that. One good shot from Ronnie. In goes the green,

:12:39. > :12:39.nicely on the brown. Well, well, well, what a steal this

:12:40. > :12:56.will be. Very usual to see a top protetional

:12:57. > :13:02.miscue. -- professional and that was at the wrong time. So in goes the

:13:03. > :13:19.blue, just needs the pink. In goes the pink so for all intents

:13:20. > :13:24.and purposes it looks like Ding was going to cut his arrear, but it

:13:25. > :13:29.didn't happen and Ronnie O'Sullivan leads four frames to one.

:13:30. > :13:32.What a hard fought frame that was, a real competitive rivalry between

:13:33. > :13:35.these two players but you may be interested to know that Ronnie

:13:36. > :13:41.O'Sullivan has quite a lot of affection for Ding Junhui, this was

:13:42. > :13:44.the end of the 2007 Masters final. Won by O'Sullivan during which Ding

:13:45. > :13:52.was upset and this moment was the start of a very special friendship.

:13:53. > :13:57.Like Ding, ever since we, you know, I know his family, his mum, his dad,

:13:58. > :14:01.when I go to China, they are so nice to me, she cooks for me, the mum,

:14:02. > :14:05.and the dad gives me a gift when I get to China, that goes back to when

:14:06. > :14:10.I played him as Wembley and put my arm round him, so I have always had

:14:11. > :14:15.a kind of, you know if I am not in a tournament, it is like I always like

:14:16. > :14:21.to see him do well. That is lovely to hear about that friendship, isn't

:14:22. > :14:26.it, between two great player, one that spans the Continents and churls

:14:27. > :14:31.as. We I wonder when you were in your prime as a top prowho was your

:14:32. > :14:36.best friend? Denis Taylor, we used to tour together and the likes of

:14:37. > :14:40.Very go but we had the match room group. We opened the game in Hong

:14:41. > :14:44.Kong, Bangkok, we opened the game in Dubai so it was great to have so

:14:45. > :14:49.much rivalry and friendship tournament When you play a big mate,

:14:50. > :14:56.how does that affect the way you play the game Ronnie is not playing

:14:57. > :15:00.his best, but the fact Ding, it, the only problem that is disturbing me

:15:01. > :15:05.the fact Ding is having two or three chances a frame and as we see that

:15:06. > :15:09.miscue, he is seeing the match, 3-2, he would be delighted and I looked

:15:10. > :15:13.for all money he made his highest break of the match in that frame,

:15:14. > :15:16.but unfortunately didn't win the frame. O'Sullivan has a 4-1

:15:17. > :15:29.advantage. Indeed he does. I am just wondering

:15:30. > :15:36.if you were inside Ronnie's head, he may be thinking "I can play so much

:15:37. > :15:41.better than this. 4-1 ahead, am I likely to lose this final? " Of

:15:42. > :15:49.course Ding's good play can have a big say in that, but of course, the

:15:50. > :15:53.bigger the lead Ronnie manages to get here, the hearder it gets for

:15:54. > :16:17.Ding frame by frame. -- harder.

:16:18. > :16:57.A sigh from Ronnie, he missed that one straight away, but no harm done.

:16:58. > :17:06.Does he think, I was going to say, the way he was looking was he was

:17:07. > :17:11.going to play the pot and drop on the black. He will see if he can

:17:12. > :17:16.disturb any reds. He has that one thicker than he would have liked.

:17:17. > :17:19.The brown. It is coming to his rescue. And all of a sudden now, it

:17:20. > :18:38.has turned into a good safety P Could see a series of safety shots

:18:39. > :18:41.behind the black which will open the pack of reds

:18:42. > :18:46.If he could leave that cue ball somewhere in the jaws of that green

:18:47. > :18:51.pocket. That would cause Ronnie a problem, if you cover the two reds

:18:52. > :19:07.towards the Buck with the green. Doesn't fancy playing a shot like

:19:08. > :19:13.that though. He has got the cue ball right under

:19:14. > :19:20.this top cushion. Won't be digging down there, he

:19:21. > :19:25.might be forced into having, he can play-off this far red to the right,

:19:26. > :19:33.thin and put the cue ball down near the bottom cushion with the green

:19:34. > :19:37.covering the reds. He could have a go. It depends on

:19:38. > :19:42.how he is feelingful he is looking at the one nearest the yellow

:19:43. > :19:47.pocket. -- feeling. So lots of options.

:19:48. > :19:49.Last night he would have rolled the red straight into the centre.

:19:50. > :21:54.Today, though, is a different day. APPLAUSE

:21:55. > :22:00.That was a good un. Played it in such a way if he didn't make the

:22:01. > :22:03.cross double, he wouldn't sp leaving anything on. -- be leave anything

:22:04. > :22:12.on. He has got the black. The reds have

:22:13. > :22:25.split, he hasn't finished on anything real easy: But he has been

:22:26. > :22:33.potting everything into the centres this week.

:22:34. > :23:03.Just made that look so easy. And that was such a difficult red.

:23:04. > :23:12.All of a sud season now, this looks very good for Ronnie.

:23:13. > :23:35.A lot of reds in open play. What a difference that is going to

:23:36. > :23:40.make, that miscue. 3-2, 4-1. Momentum seemed to have swung to

:23:41. > :23:52.Ding Junhui. All of a sudden, swung back to Ronnie.

:23:53. > :23:59.Ding Junhui. All of a sudden, swung Pretty to watch when he is among the

:24:00. > :24:06.ball, just effortless. Yes we saw the best of Ronnie last

:24:07. > :24:13.night, standard of play was just absolutely incredible, really.

:24:14. > :24:21.Of course had Ding won that last frame, he would be be a single frame

:24:22. > :24:25.behind, there would have been more press on Ronnie and Ding would have

:24:26. > :24:29.felt more confident. The way things are at the moment, Ronnie just

:24:30. > :24:31.doesn't feel under any pressure, certainly not score board pressure

:24:32. > :24:38.any way. Consider we have had, well,

:24:39. > :24:44.five-and-a-half frames I suppose many this match so far. Ding had

:24:45. > :24:46.only managed to make breaks of 32 and 55. So it is hardly surprising

:24:47. > :26:10.he has fallen behind. Two more reds and colours to go

:26:11. > :26:15.further clear. He has left that one short, slightly. If you do make a

:26:16. > :26:20.mistakes and you come to the table 60 points behind you don't want reds

:26:21. > :26:26.positioned where they are here. Pink and green safe I think there is any

:26:27. > :26:28.like I don't think there is any likelihood Ronnie would lose this

:26:29. > :26:37.frame from here. So frame ball coming up, to increase

:26:38. > :27:22.his lead to 5-1. Will we will seeing the first sent

:27:23. > :27:30.of this year's final? He did make a break of 91 in winning

:27:31. > :27:39.Clips that by a single point unless he can is who develop the two reds

:27:40. > :27:42.on the side cushion. He could leave a double on them. He has missed the

:27:43. > :27:58.canon. Never mind Ronnie O'Sullivan has

:27:59. > :28:02.done for than enough with that excellent break of 92. He goes

:28:03. > :28:09.further career in this match. He leads by 5 frames to one.

:28:10. > :28:21.So, only do, what does Ding have to do to get back into this match?

:28:22. > :28:26.-Dom. He knows he has to play better and he has to win some of the frames

:28:27. > :28:31.he is in control of. He really ought to have produced the arrears to a

:28:32. > :28:37.single frame at 3-2. Instead got beaten by Ronnie's tactical play and

:28:38. > :28:42.lost that frame, to go 4-1 behind and Ronnie made that excellent 92,

:28:43. > :28:52.and now he is 5-1 ahead, so he will have to win the last two frames.

:28:53. > :28:56.What a cross double that was. Ding played a good safety shot. Thought

:28:57. > :29:01.there is nothing on. Ronnie played that cross double as a shot to

:29:02. > :29:06.nothing, potted the black, clears up.

:29:07. > :29:09.REFEREE: Ding Junhui to break. Ding needs to make something happen, and

:29:10. > :29:24.something happen very quick. In an ideal world obviously two

:29:25. > :29:32.frames left in this session. Eight frames this afternoon. Nine

:29:33. > :29:37.frames in evening. Ding would love to win these two now, to go to the

:29:38. > :29:43.mid-session interval we would say, start the new session, only two

:29:44. > :29:59.behind at 5-3. It is going to be a big ask.

:30:00. > :30:07.Yes, because just sharing these two friends would mean Ronnie takes a

:30:08. > :30:12.six lead into tonight's evening session. I have dug a hole for

:30:13. > :30:17.myself but I think that would mean Ding would need to win 7-2 if he

:30:18. > :30:21.were to win the title, and, well, that is very unlikely against Ronnie

:30:22. > :30:32.O'Sullivan, especially in the fact that they wouldn't be any pressure

:30:33. > :30:35.on him. -- there. TERRY GRIFFITHS: Just had an anxious

:30:36. > :30:44.look with the cue ball. He needed it to miss the jaws, really.

:30:45. > :30:54.He has played the safety and Ronnie knows if he can get out of this

:30:55. > :30:56.session 7-1, well, you can't win the match in this

:30:57. > :31:01.session 7-1, well, you can't win the can certainly lose it. And then no

:31:02. > :31:13.chance of coming back for Ding, really.

:31:14. > :31:19.I'll would say six - two is very unlikely but at 5-3, still in the

:31:20. > :31:59.match. -- I would say 6-2. Now, he has left a red here for Ding

:32:00. > :32:07.in the right corner but very risky. Well, look at that. Five minutes and

:32:08. > :32:16.counting since Ding last potted a ball. -- 35.

:32:17. > :32:25.Yes, and you do feel that if he were 5-1 up he would have just gone for

:32:26. > :32:30.this read in the corner, so it just shows you how important it is with

:32:31. > :32:35.his turning this red down to play the safety. And now he will be

:32:36. > :32:41.wishing he had gone for it, because that just was not good at all.

:32:42. > :32:52.He tried to play safe and it backfired on him. Players would much

:32:53. > :32:56.He tried to play safe and it really give their opponent a chance

:32:57. > :33:05.on missing the pot than mess a safety up. That's probably the

:33:06. > :33:21.poorest shot Ronnie O'Sullivan has played all week in this event!

:33:22. > :33:36.What does he do now? There is a red in all, a so he can't play there. --

:33:37. > :33:45.in baulk. Not so sure about that one. I think you try to play the

:33:46. > :33:51.queue will close into the red but, as it has happened, he has left Ding

:33:52. > :34:07.cut on both reds, one to the left and one to the right.

:34:08. > :34:20.That is not going to go in. No problem for Ronnie even if he is

:34:21. > :34:26.snookered on this red into the right corner.

:34:27. > :34:38.So we have seen him play the cushion. He has Mr two bottom reds

:34:39. > :34:59.and is nicely onto the yellow. -- missed the two.

:35:00. > :35:10.Well, just look at that. Ronnie's long pot success at 88%. We are told

:35:11. > :35:20.that his breaks of 14 out of 16 in this match so far. -- that is. Just

:35:21. > :35:22.got hold of the cue ball too much there, leaving him parallel with

:35:23. > :35:37.this pink. Just potted so many balls this week

:35:38. > :35:41.into the middle pocket to from all kinds of angles, and, again, made

:35:42. > :35:57.that look very, very simple. Still got a lot of work to do,

:35:58. > :36:00.though. He wants to make this into a good chance. Played for the black

:36:01. > :36:11.there, just over it. I think we will see off this red, if

:36:12. > :36:18.he can hold the cue ball I think we will see off this red, if

:36:19. > :36:28.blue, he will be playing to get an angle on it to go into the reds.

:36:29. > :36:35.And he has played it for the blue, gone the long way around, around the

:36:36. > :36:41.houses, as they say! He has a little angle. He has a couple of choices.

:36:42. > :36:45.He can play for the loose red below the cluster or force this blew into

:36:46. > :37:00.the middle of Bob the side cushion. It would be a good pack to go into.

:37:01. > :37:06.-- this blue into the middle off the side cushion.

:37:07. > :37:15.I thought he would have gone into the cluster. Perfect from where they

:37:16. > :37:20.were. As it was, he left himself to low and has not made the best job of

:37:21. > :37:29.it, so we'll probably have to play a safety shops now. -- so he will. I

:37:30. > :37:34.wonder if he will play the green into the reds. That would put

:37:35. > :38:29.pressure on Ding's safety if he were to open them up here.

:38:30. > :38:38.Well, that one went wrong! He is having to swerve a bit around the

:38:39. > :38:50.blue to get the job that red and he just caught it a bit thick.

:38:51. > :39:01.This is the best chance Ding has had for quite a while on that ball he

:39:02. > :39:06.has spotted. -- potted. 42 minutes. That is a long time. Especially when

:39:07. > :39:13.you think Ronnie O'Sullivan can reel off three frames in that amount of

:39:14. > :39:23.time. A long time to sit in your chair. He really needs to take this

:39:24. > :40:50.chance, try to get back into this match somehow.

:40:51. > :41:01.Well, did he have a slight kick there? He is having the cue ball

:41:02. > :41:07.cleaned, so... You can't see it from this angle but maybe he is getting

:41:08. > :41:10.it seemed to alleviate any chance of getting the kick. -- getting it

:41:11. > :41:20.cleaned. Nicely in the pocket, well played.

:41:21. > :41:55.Still in control. Well, if Ding wants to go on and win

:41:56. > :42:00.the frame from this opportunity, he will need all the reds with

:42:01. > :42:04.remaining colours, so he has a lot of work to do here. But he does have

:42:05. > :42:23.a lead ten points at the moment. That angle now on the pink... He

:42:24. > :42:30.will consider the blue. I think that is much better for him. He may end

:42:31. > :42:35.up having to play the red, the one near this left corner past the

:42:36. > :42:38.yellow into the right corner, unless he feels he can drop the pink and

:42:39. > :42:51.can this red towards the left corner.

:42:52. > :43:00.Decided to play a much bolder shot instead, using the rest, stun and

:43:01. > :43:44.check side. A good shot from Ding, that.

:43:45. > :43:58.Just needs to slide past the black. Just needs to miss the black...

:43:59. > :44:11.Which he has. A bit thin on this red but he has got a shot at it.

:44:12. > :44:18.This red and a colour would stick him safe in this frame. But not

:44:19. > :44:22.easy. A locked dinner on this red than he would have liked. -- a lot

:44:23. > :44:41.thinner. Well, you got close to it but not

:44:42. > :44:47.close enough, and look where this red has gone. -- he got close. You

:44:48. > :44:50.are left-handed so I don't know whether you had this problem but

:44:51. > :45:02.they are so hard to hit thin enough. He just lost the cue ball.

:45:03. > :45:04.He was obviously concentrating on missing the cannon on the black to

:45:05. > :45:24.get to the pink but this is the red. Surely Ding won't have another frame

:45:25. > :45:33.stolen off him. Because from his point of view, that brown could

:45:34. > :45:43.hinder O'Sullivan. Wants to land about three quarters ball on the

:45:44. > :45:54.screen on the low side. He just has a bit of an angle. -- on the green.

:45:55. > :45:59.Well, he's got into that one and he is on the brown. Close than he would

:46:00. > :46:19.have liked! -- closer. All he could do was make sure. He is

:46:20. > :46:24.laughing. Is he going to be tempted? What a big shot this would be if he

:46:25. > :46:29.goes for it, and you know he is dying to go for it! But you would

:46:30. > :46:43.probably say the safety is the right shot. But he is in attacking mood.

:46:44. > :46:57.He got very close. Very close to both pockets. He will settle for

:46:58. > :47:02.that. Well, the good thing there from Ronnie's point of view, he

:47:03. > :47:03.fully committed to it. I'm trying to think of another player I know that

:47:04. > :47:15.would have taken that on. This blew and the pink would be

:47:16. > :47:45.enough for Ding. -- this blue. It is all happening for one, it has

:47:46. > :47:50.to be said at the moment. He has played a very clever shot, it has to

:47:51. > :47:54.be said. He can go for this pink knowing the cue ball is naturally

:47:55. > :48:00.going to come back around. He will have some kind of shot on the black.

:48:01. > :48:06.And the pink has gone in, so what a massive black this is now! Surely

:48:07. > :48:08.we're not going to see another frame stolen from the grasp of Ding

:48:09. > :48:28.Junhui?! Well, he has! You just can't believe

:48:29. > :48:32.it, can you? He knew in the context of this match that that was a

:48:33. > :48:38.massive frame. Ronnie O'Sullivan extends his lead and now leads 6-1.

:48:39. > :48:40.Well, that was the sort of frame that could break in June we's heart.

:48:41. > :48:44.Well, that was the sort of frame Again, Ronnie superlative when he

:48:45. > :48:49.needed to be at the end of that frame.

:48:50. > :48:58.We talk about shot to nothing but he had that previous frame where he

:48:59. > :49:03.made a break of 80 odd, and OK, it is a shot that is a safety shot in

:49:04. > :49:07.his own mind but the beauty is he then slots the pink in and potted a

:49:08. > :49:13.marvellous black. And even though Ronnie O'Sullivan is leading 5-1,

:49:14. > :49:19.his expression on his face knowing he had pinched a frame, you could

:49:20. > :49:24.see that expression as he left the building. Ronnie must be delighted

:49:25. > :49:28.with how it is going. We just have one more frame of the session and,

:49:29. > :49:36.well, 7-1, but that is a huge margin. If he has any sort of chance

:49:37. > :49:40.in this match he has to win the last frame. It is virtually impossible in

:49:41. > :49:44.a final against the likes of someone like one O'Sullivan that he could

:49:45. > :49:50.get back into the game. Ireland Stephen Hendry being 7-0 behind and

:49:51. > :49:54.came back to win The Masters. So it is possible and he is good enough to

:49:55. > :50:00.do it but the form Ronnie O'Sullivan is in, it is unlikely. But it is a

:50:01. > :50:07.guaranteed must that he has to win this last frame. To come through the

:50:08. > :50:09.round here on a couple of occasions and win all those frames, but now he

:50:10. > :50:31.really has a mountain to climb. Think Ronnie feels this afternoon's

:50:32. > :50:36.work is more than satisfactory. 5-3 wouldn't have been a bad thing but

:50:37. > :50:54.6-2 is a dream. 7-1 is a fantasy. It was unbelievable last night,

:50:55. > :50:59.where he pinched two frames from Barry Hawkins, which he had no right

:51:00. > :51:04.to do. Unbelievable clearance. Barry Hawkins could have been 4-3 up. Just

:51:05. > :51:10.couldn't get the frames on the board, couldn't convert.

:51:11. > :51:14.And we see again today he has pinched two frames Ding should have

:51:15. > :51:31.won. As we say that, he slots in another

:51:32. > :51:37.long pot and his percentage is creeping up all the time. He has had

:51:38. > :51:44.a smile there because he just meant to go past the blue spot. He could

:51:45. > :51:52.be snookered if the blue doesn't go on. Because the referee will put the

:51:53. > :51:55.blue as close as he can to its natural spot. And there we are. He

:51:56. > :53:27.is snookered. It's going to be very tough road in

:53:28. > :53:35.name -- tough for Ding to put out of his mind what has happened in this

:53:36. > :53:37.frame. A bit like Alangalang, who has suffered a huge chandelier

:53:38. > :53:54.falling on his piano. -- Lang Lang. Well, you would have to say, if this

:53:55. > :54:04.was Ronnie, you would fancy this is a very good opportunity but this is

:54:05. > :54:09.a big ask for Ding Junhui to knock this in. There do is to him. He has

:54:10. > :55:51.played it and it is still a positive way. -- fair dos.

:55:52. > :55:58.Well, you can see that cue ball's absolutely tight to the question, so

:55:59. > :56:04.this red Ronnie will attempt to the left is very tough. All about the

:56:05. > :56:28.pace and accuracy of the shot. He's just been on a total mission

:56:29. > :56:35.this week. I have had the pleasure of playing Ronnie on many occasions.

:56:36. > :56:45.I have not seen him play as well as this.

:56:46. > :56:53.So much in this match but overall throughout the week as well. He has

:56:54. > :57:00.already set his stall out for this year's World Championships. That is

:57:01. > :57:06.for sure. He's only a couple away from Stephen Hendry's fantastic

:57:07. > :57:12.record of seven. And the way he is going, you wouldn't put it past him

:57:13. > :57:15.in surpassing that total. I think for as long as he wants to be there,

:57:16. > :57:32.the talent he has got, he can. I'm sure Ronnie will go into the

:57:33. > :57:47.pack of reds this time. Superb angle on the blue. Where's that cue ball?

:57:48. > :57:52.It's OK. The black will still pot if he gets on it with the right angle.

:57:53. > :57:56.And then the red onto the right-centre that he is looking at

:57:57. > :58:02.here. Might just be able to run on for the black. I'm not sure if he

:58:03. > :58:25.really wants to play for the black, though, here.

:58:26. > :58:35.You want to just slide past there but if this pink passes... You can

:58:36. > :58:43.be sure he will go for it. But he hasn't got it! Could this be the

:58:44. > :59:03.lifeline he has thrown out a Ding Junhui? -- to Ding Junhui?

:59:04. > :59:08.It is just when Ding gets a chance, it is always halfway through the

:59:09. > :59:14.frames, it seems, and always facing a deficit. Like the last frame, if

:59:15. > :59:19.he were to clear all the loose threads, he would have maybe, I

:59:20. > :59:25.don't know, a ten, 15 point lead before tackling the two tricky reds.

:59:26. > :59:31.And, as we seem, he has been losing these close frames. -- as we have

:59:32. > :59:56.seen. Well, that just sums it all up. It

:59:57. > :00:05.was awkward cueing. You would expect him to pop that ten out of ten. Just

:00:06. > :00:14.hasn't been his afternoon, really. -- pot that. You have a tendency to

:00:15. > :00:20.stop trying to hard and the game gets very, very difficult. -- to

:00:21. > :00:26.start. It is a hard game anyway but when things are going wrong and you

:00:27. > :01:07.are pushing the boat out, it can be very, very frustrating.

:01:08. > :01:21.A fraction lower on this black and he wanted to be. Happy enough with

:01:22. > :01:41.that? This is frame ball. Ding now requires a snooker. I'm sure he

:01:42. > :02:18.doesn't feel he has been competitive in this match.

:02:19. > :02:27.So, just one snooker required. Will Ding attempt this tricky red? He

:02:28. > :02:34.would just love one more on the table.

:02:35. > :02:57.I don't think he played on this red to pot it, but he might have to. He

:02:58. > :03:07.played so he could... Get the red round the table.

:03:08. > :03:44.As it happens, he got forced into going for that red.

:03:45. > :03:53.APPLAUSE Very well played.

:03:54. > :04:03.Only one four point penalty required. Well, that looked as if it

:04:04. > :04:09.was going to be perfect. It is going to be a foul and a six.

:04:10. > :04:13.REFEREE: Ding Junhui six. He will tell him to play from there. So all

:04:14. > :04:17.of a sud season there is another little twist.

:04:18. > :04:24.Both players have had a little smile.

:04:25. > :04:45.-- sudden. There is lots of pressure out there.

:04:46. > :04:54.Struck that rather nicely Ronnie. Ding is going to take that on. Just

:04:55. > :05:02.a shame for Ding that pink is so awkwardly positioned. In that left

:05:03. > :05:05.hand side cushion. He will play it as a soft stun round

:05:06. > :05:13.the angles into the right corner. Oh, hit that badly, really.

:05:14. > :05:40.Certainly didn't play the snooker. Of course... The referee can call

:05:41. > :05:44.misses because Ding Junhui cud now win the frame, so -- could now win

:05:45. > :05:57.the frame, so we have seen a bit of a turn of events here.

:05:58. > :06:06.How close was he there? He has pushed that pink a bit closer to the

:06:07. > :06:15.pocket. And a full-ball snooker as well. -

:06:16. > :06:21.Ding Junhui will probably make him play from here.

:06:22. > :06:25.Just looking to see how this shot would be. But he has moved the pink

:06:26. > :06:29.into a very potable position. There we are. He is playing it from there.

:06:30. > :06:30.I think that is a God decision by Ding.

:06:31. > :06:45.-- good decision. If you have tuned into watching the

:06:46. > :06:50.cycling, I can tell you it will follow the snooker, if you want to

:06:51. > :06:59.watch it now, it is available on BBC Two HD, and on line.

:07:00. > :07:08.Ronnie will be pleased with the outcome of that escape.

:07:09. > :07:14.Amazing how this frame suddenly turned round, it would be ironic if

:07:15. > :07:19.Ding were to win a frame he didn't look like winning having lost two

:07:20. > :07:25.frames he didn't look like losing: That is a great shot.

:07:26. > :07:38.-- losing. It is all happening here. Hold on to

:07:39. > :07:53.your hats. So one good pot.

:07:54. > :07:57.Not to be the yellow. It is going close to the corner pocket. It slows

:07:58. > :08:12.up just in time. He is having a little look. Has to

:08:13. > :09:11.sure he doesn't catch it two thin that he collides with the black.

:09:12. > :09:20.Almost has the ten shin of a deciding frame about it, I don't

:09:21. > :09:25.know why. Oh great shot from Ronnie. He is pulling out these incredible

:09:26. > :09:29.long put pots look where the cue ball has finished. You could not put

:09:30. > :09:38.that better with your hand, the green into the right centre.

:09:39. > :09:41.In it goes. Just brown or blue required. For a

:09:42. > :10:00.7-1 interval lead. I think he had a kick on that. You

:10:01. > :10:04.never know. This is a pretty thin blue if he takes it to the left

:10:05. > :10:21.centre, playing it to the left corner instead. It is there.

:10:22. > :10:31.Rather surprised to see Ding come back to the table. Requires two

:10:32. > :10:42.snookers. #123450i6789

:10:43. > :12:48.In goes the pink. Hasn't been a good day for Ding Junhui. He has only

:12:49. > :12:52.managed a break of 55. But Ronnie O'Sullivan has made breaks of 70. 91

:12:53. > :12:57.and 92 and goes in to tonight's final session, with a commanding 7-1

:12:58. > :13:00.lead. P That is two-and-a-half hours of

:13:01. > :13:05.total dominance who from Ronnie O'Sullivan, extremely impressive and

:13:06. > :13:08.he is in a terrific position to win the Welsh Open In snooker you can't

:13:09. > :13:12.win the match in first session but you can lose it and that is what

:13:13. > :13:19.Ding has done he hasn't competed at all. He has tried his heart out. He

:13:20. > :13:23.has gave Ronnie too much respect. He tried to get involved in long

:13:24. > :13:28.battle. But you get shots all the time that Ronnie play, he played a

:13:29. > :13:32.great shot on the yellow. Most people's head would have been in a

:13:33. > :13:37.jam jarks he let Ding get back in the frame. This shot to nothing. In

:13:38. > :13:42.it go, but it he has finished perfect on the green. Now, that

:13:43. > :13:46.would, you, you would be sick sitting in your chair. He does that

:13:47. > :13:51.time and time again. He hasn't played as well in this session as

:13:52. > :13:56.his previous two matches but he is 7-1 in front. With others you would

:13:57. > :14:01.think it was luck but with Ronnie he meant it. Ding so far behind, he

:14:02. > :14:06.needs more than just to play well, he needs a miracle. It can happen.

:14:07. > :14:10.They do happen. But there has been matches that have been won from this

:14:11. > :14:14.far behind but against O'Sullivan in form, it is unlikely. Ronnie

:14:15. > :14:20.O'Sullivan in a terrific position here in this Welsh Open final, and

:14:21. > :14:23.you can see the conclusion of this year's 2014 tournament at 7.00 on

:14:24. > :14:27.BBC Two Wales this evening. That will be the final session of the

:14:28. > :14:31.2014 Welsh Open. Ronnie O'Sullivan needs just two more frames, can Ding

:14:32. > :14:33.mount an unlikely fight back? We will find out at seven, but until

:14:34. > :14:52.then, have a very good afternoon. Victoria loves them.

:14:53. > :15:05.SHE GASPS All you need is you to run,

:15:06. > :15:10.swim or cycle for Sport Relief.