27/02/2014 Snooker: Welsh Open

Hello. Ronnie O'Sullivan is the big draw at the BetVictor Welsh Open

this Thursday lunchtime. You can really feel the excitement holding.

Wales on the player left in the tournament, Mark Williams, plays

this evening. This afternoon, we can promise you some fantastic

head-to-head matches. He is the most outrageous talent in the game.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has only dropped one frame in each of his previous

matches. The world champion will hope to live up another gear today.

Mark Selby is a former winner of the Welsh Open. His 2008 triumph was his

first ranking title. You would love to do it again. He plays Ali Carter,

another top 16 player who has lifted the trophy here. Can he reached the

quarterfinals? Excitement is never far away when Judd Trump is at the

table. His talent will surely bring more titles. He was a semifinalist

12 months ago. John Higgins is one of the greats of the game. The

Scotsman has four world titles. This is the fourth round draw. Stephen

Maguire plays Joel Walker. The battle of the former champions is

Mark Selby against Ali Carter. Mark Williams will play Marco Fu this

evening. Last but not least, Ricky Walden against Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Darren Morgan has been perusing the draw. Great to see you. Which games

stand out before you? I have to say Marco Fu tonight. Mark Selby is our

last Welsh Open. John Higgins and Judd Trump would be the other one.

Old guard against new guard. Let's look ahead to the match we will see

this afternoon. Ronnie O'Sullivan against Ricky Walden. How do you see

that going? Ronnie has gone out of the blocks like a rocket. Lived up

to his reputation. When he has gone off the boil. Ricky Walden is not

frightened of anybody. You would have to favour Ronnie. Ricky is in

the top 16. On his day, he could beat anyone. He plays very similarly

to Ronnie, to be honest. Very attacking player. He will fancy his

chances out there. There is no doubt that Ricky Walden is the underdog in

this match. If he is going to win, she will have to play perfectly.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is the smoothest in the game. Times perfectly. Deng

is flying at the moment. -- Ding. Neil Robertson never seems to miss

that kind of shot. I would have to go Ding again. He makes it look so

easy. John Higgins. Such a clever player. Marco Fu is pretty chilled

all the time. Judd Trump, I would say. Ten foot of screw power. John

Higgins again. He has won so much. Unbelievable under pressure. Steve

Davis has great knowledge of the table. I would go with Ronnie

probably. When he is on one, he seems to fly away with the match.

Unbelievably quick. I like the way Mark Williams goes about it. He has

so many shots up his sleeve. He seems to play the right shot all the

time. Ronnie O'Sullivan is the perfect player in many peoples eyes.

He has proved to be arguably the most talented player ever to pick up

a snooker cue. Five times world champion and five times Masters

champion. He has won twice here in Wales. It is time to get the players

out. Let's join our master of ceremonies. Our next player is an

absolutely fantastic form. Semifinalist in the World

Championships. Two-time tournament winner from Chester, please welcome

Ricky Walden. He will need to be in great form. This man is on his way

to become the best snooker player of the world has ever seen. Make some

noise for the incredible Ronnie O'Sullivan. The players are out

there. This is for a place in the quarterfinals. Best seven frame

match. To talk you through this one, Willie Thorne and Dominic Dale.

Good afternoon. I am sure this is a match you are looking forward to, as

are the packs audience here. Ricky Walden is capable of winning against

Ronnie O'Sullivan, as he has done before. But will he win today? We

will find that out over the next 90 minutes. Dominic Dale, how do you

call this one? Just by sure pedigree, I suppose you have to

fancy Ronnie O'Sullivan. Started both of his previous matches very

well with century breaks. One good thing I can see about Ricky Walden

is he has never been intimidated about playing Ronnie O'Sullivan are

so many players are. Where has the referee disappeared to? I have never

known that before. Perhaps he wants to get a new towel or something.

Ronnie has asked for a different type of towel. I don't think it is

wet enough. There is water on his table. Ronnie O'Sullivan to break.

And experienced referee, I am sure he has had these issues before.

As usual, Ronnie O'Sullivan breaks off left-handed. He goes through

spells where he plays an awful lot left-handed, but I think he is

pretty happy with his game at the moment.

Can't afford to mess and easy part like that against Ronnie O'Sullivan.

I noticed that he is using an ash snooker cue. You can see the green.

For most of the season, he has used maple. He obviously has found some

issue with it and has gone back to his ash snooker cue from previous

years. I am not sure when he made the change.

They have only played each other three times. 2006, then 2008. Then

2014 Masters when Ronnie O'Sullivan was on fire at the Masters. You

might remember when they won 6-0 and played I think the best snooker that

has ever been seen in a match. Perhaps he wishes he had gone into

the pink. I wouldn't say that was carefree,

but it does appear that he has covered that red with the yellow.

Could be a benefit to him. Ricky Walden will have to find a way to

cover it. He was trying to clear the pocket

but it has not worked. Good safety shot using the brown. Ronnie

O'Sullivan could probably play of the cushion.

-- off the cushion. If there is one thing Ricky did not want to do

there, it was to catch that thin. I think he might have got away with

it. Ronnie needs to pop this first read and get onto a colour. It is

possible it could be frame over. Always a sell-out audience when

Ronnie O'Sullivan plays. It is nice to see the way he goes about things.

His break-building is up there with the best of all time.

What has Ricky Walden done on a snooker table that Ronnie O'Sullivan

never has? Lord Dear. How long have I got? 30 seconds. I will just phone

Phil Yates. He has made a 16 red clearance. Only three or four

players in the game who have done that. You get a free bowl of your

opponent's miss. Are unclear only 15 reds? -- aren't there. Not after a

free ball. Slate overscrew. -- slight.

I think that is no good. He needed to finish high on the pink. If you

bounced it in, he could possibly just catch one of the reds very

thinly. If it is a plant, he won't even bother moving them. I think if

he bounced it in, he could flick the red away from the other end. Let's

look at the angle. Is he going to bounce it into an? Now, he will play

for the plant. This is missable. It is not absolutely dead set. But you

would expect him to pop this using the reverse plant.

At least the brown did not find its way into the pocket. Very useful 45

break from Ronnie O'Sullivan. There are 67 point available. Chance yet

for Ricky Walden. He is going to try and cut that in

the right-hand corner. Very good. He will be disappointed in the way

he played that around. Too much action in the cue ball and killed

the pace. He may have an alternative double instead into the

right-centre. That is a very poor shot from Ricky.

That should be the frame over. It is key to get a good start. Everybody

gets anxious in the situation. Ronnie O'Sullivan is such a genius,

but expects to play well. Sometimes he is too hard on himself.

He leads 1-0. Ronnie O'Sullivan takes first blood

in this one. What did you make of that first frame? He had a couple of

chances, but he seemed so happy. In his early years, he won the odd

tournament here and there. No one could understand why he wasn't

winning more World Championships. All of a sudden, in the latter

years, he is playing better than he has ever done. How do you think

Ricky will be feeling? He had a chance early on to get in and messed

what he would probably consider to be read he normally get. Yes, but

although he was in amongst it all the balls were tied up. It is still

a short sprint. Every frame is important, but even more so in the

best of seven. Ricky Walden's break off was a

little short. Ronnie's attempt at a long red was much too thick. He has

left this potentially easy opener for Ricky Walden. This is amazing. I

think that is probably the easiest shot that Ricky has missed for some

time. One thing is certain, you cannot beat Ronnie O'Sullivan

missing shots like that. Ronnie is checking to see if the black ports.

Chance for a maximum. It looks tight.

Five reds have come into play. Depending on the angle on the black,

it could be tough to get on the next red. The angle is not great. He

needs to be straight on this if he wants to get back on the black.

The highest break in the tournament so far is 142 by Shaun Murphy.

He just had too much of an eye on the cannon. Took his eye off the pot

on the black. Ricky Walden will feel very surprised to be back at the

table so early. He knows he has to make more of these opportunities

than he has done so far. Ricky is trying to speed up his play

to get some revenue and confidence going, but he has ended up on the

wrong side of the blue. His next red will be middle distance. If the pink

goes into the corner, he has pretty much nothing to do with the cue ball

except stun it dead. He could have done with screwing

back a couple of inches to have the automated in the corner. Both reds

are still available. Not guaranteed to get absolutely perfect on this

next red. It would appear that the pink is

tied up now. With the black at the baulk end of the table, will have to

rely on the loo for a while. -- rely on the blue.

Will he risk playing for the one Abbey baulk end? -- the one at the

baul end? Is he going to try and flick the

pink out this time? It is so hard to get the speed right

on that shot. He played that both times pretty well. Both times the

ball ended up in the same position. Amazing, that.

I don't know if he tried to stand for the blue, there. If he did, he

made it, although it is very difficult to judge. No obvious

damage done. It is one of those shots were you

could play a very hard and both reds go to the end of the table. I

suppose an 8-point lead, it doesn't sound a lot, but with the balls

where they are, it isn't too bad. He will probably attempt this pot.

That is a great shot. It is unfortunate that he has ended up

dead straight on the blue. If he wants to continue the break, he will

probably try to rule in the brine, which is very tough. -- role in the

-- brown. He can really get the cue ball in a good position here. --

can't really. It was always going to be hard playing at that way, not to

leave a red. What kind of angle will he have on these colours? He can

probably do it of the yellow. He could do out of the blue, although

the blue might be a bit too thin. The yellow is a big target. It is

almost like tenpin bowling when you have both sides of the pain you can

hit. Brilliant! I was commentating on the previous

match, and I noticed that the balls along the top addition are playing

pretty tight, so he will have to be accurate with this. That was

perfect. If he is to straight on the blue, it makes it difficult to go in

and out of baulk. I think he is quite comfortable playing the red

from middle distance. He is just making sure he doesn't want to get

the rest out. The only chance for Ricky is on the shot. If he gets

good position on this, Ronnie will go on to take the frame. And he

hasn't, he kept that badly. This is the chance for Ricky. The blue is

unmissable. -- missable. He hinted nicely. That is the type

of shock that layers practice day in, day out and stop always good to

practice the sort of shots that come up frequently in matches.

Yes, in goes the pink. That is enough for Ronnie O'Sullivan. Well

played in that frame. Ronnie O'Sullivan increases his lead comic

he now leads by 2-0. Maybe not vintage Ronnie O'Sullivan,

but still very, very good. Comfortably doing enough to take a

two frame lead. He is playing well. When he gets in, he looks $1

million. Ricky Walden would be upset. He was a little bit thinner

on this red than he would have liked. I think he played for our

baulk colour. That was the chance to put a frame on the board and settle

down. 1-1, it would've been a different -- a different match.

Ronnie knocked in the long red and it was a different match. We have

seen a couple of times this week that Ronnie has started off like a

rockets, but then tailed off a bit. Ronnie has this knack at the minute

of winning frames that he shouldn't. No big bricks in this match. 45 is

the biggest so far. It issues, you don't need to be bidding down

centuries to win these frames. He is getting points on the board just at

the right time. If you asked any player out there, they would say

that they would rather get two breaks of 40, than one of a hundred

in a frame. If you are consistently getting breaks of 40, you will win

more than you will lose. Dominic, how do the players on the circuit

feel when they play Ronnie O'Sullivan? I imagine it could

inspire some, and crush others. G: that is a great question. Some

players are intimidated and he cannot you flat with big break after

big break. I don't think the way he plays intimidates the top players.

Looking at his record in the World Championships in the last couple of

years, when you play him, you expect him to play well. It does bring the

best out of a lot of the other players, because they know they have

to play well to beat him. Ronnie already has a great chance in this

third frame. Things are not going well for Ricky at the minute, hour

they, Willie? Not at the minute. That didn't work out too well for

Ronnie. A lot of players would screw into the pack when it is like this.

He has left the blue on the red on purpose so we can bring the pack

into play. He wouldn't have had too much of an idea where the cue ball

would finish there. You would be entitled to feel a

little bit aggrieved sitting in the chair that he finished so well on a

red after such a bad positional shot. Will he preferred the long

pink to the far right corner? He has a lot less to do with the cue ball

if you place the pink. He is busy feeling very confident. Possibly by

the virtue that his opponent seems to be struggling out there a little

bit. Let's not forget how great Stephen

Hendry was in this position. Sometimes when you played Stephen

Hendry, you didn't get the shot. When Ronnie is in this kind of

rhythm, you can see him not making 40. -- can't see him. I had a chat

with Stephen Hendry not that long ago about Ronnie O'Sullivan. You

said to me that when he is at his best he is virtually unplayable, and

that is Stephen Hendry telling me that! Stephen was unplayable at

times. Ricky Walden has his back break

against the wall. -- right against the wall.

One big difference I have noticed, Ronnie in his first two matches felt

that the cushions were playing quicker than he expected them to.

Now we have gone down to two pupils, the table from Ronnie'sperspective

today is more to his liking, especially the speed of the

conditions. -- the cushions. Well, that is the end of the frame.

A possible chance for a clearance. Amazingly enough, key is anaemia 32

centuries this season. Neil Robertson has 87 centuries this

season. I wonder if Ronnie O'Sullivan will try to get 100

centuries in the season next year? Warm applause from this capacity

crowd here at the Newport Centre, watching a genius at work. Ronnie

O'Sullivan with another century break in his career. Storming into a

3-0 lead. It is hard to sum up. Obviously, we get brainwashed, in

the 1980s Steve Davis was the best player, in the 1990s it was Stephen

Hendry. Now it is Ronnie O'Sullivan. It is hard to pick who is the

biggest genius. Yes, when Ronnie O'Sullivan was stuck on four world

titles there was that disparity between him and Stephen Hendry. Now

he has five and we feel he is playing his best ever smoker. He may

in the next five years in a couple more world titles. I think people

are beginning to think that Ronnie O'Sullivan to be the greatest player

of all-time. Different styles of play, hard there? There are the

attacking players, great safety players. Ricky Walden has a lot to

do. He has to win all the remaining frames. I think he has a mental scar

from the last time he played Ronnie O'Sullivan and the Masters.

So, you doesn't just have this mountain to climb being 3-0 down, he

has that mental scar to deal with. I thought he might go for that,

feeling that he has nothing to loose, being 3-0 down.

Phone the police, he has played a bad shot!

Ricky informed would make 50 from here. He is one of the best break

holders in the game. -- break-builders. This is the part of

the game where he is at his best, at this end of the table. There are

three lists reds at the back of this pack. -- lists reds -- loose reds.

He could run through the pack, if he chooses. I don't think that was the

kind of shot that Ronnie would have played. Yes, Ronnie would have taken

the opportunity to bring the reds into play.

Has he spotted something? He is thinking about going into the bunch,

but he is worried about the pink becoming a plant. He is worried if

he plays the blue, goes into the pack, he will get that plan. He has

that concern, just play for the loose red.

He will be looking for an angle this time on the black.

I think the red to the extreme right will do.

I don't think he has anything easy. One into the green pocket, one into

the middle pocket. That is good from Ricky. That should

give him confidence. Ricky does not have much left to do

in this frame to finally get a frame on the board.

This puts him 62 in front. He has to be careful here. Maybe the red

nearest the pink might go, as well. This is excellent. He has been of

the table, 3-0 behind, to reply with a frame-winning great, very well

done. -- frame-winning break. We saw a century break from Ronnie

O'Sullivan in the pre-season -- previous frame. Can Ricky Walden get

one of his own? He will need one of the two awkward reds.

He tried to bring the red into play, but just failed. That is a shame for

Ricky Walden, but, never mind, that will be great for his confidence. He

still trails by 3-1. Well done, Ricky Walden. He is

making a game of this. He has had one chance and he had a great break.

He will be sitting in his chair over the moon. He will be thinking, if he

had won the second frame, this match could be tied. He is not out of it.

He still has a great opportunity. He just has to keep thinking positively

and hope that the chances continued to come. I taking chances, that is

one way to put pressure on Ronnie O'Sullivan. That is the only way,

really. If Ronnie gets a good chance, you can see him always

getting over the line. If Ricky Walden can pinch one more frame,

back to bed a bit of pressure on Ronnie. I think for Ricky Walden to

have any chance, Ronnie will have two start to miss. Ricky Walden

might have good memories of Ronnie O'Sullivan. The only time he beat

Ronnie O'Sullivan recently was when he won his first ranking title, the

Shanghai Masters. Maybe that will motivate him.

I think he is still scarred from the Masters tournament were he didn't

win a frame. If he wins this next one, he is right that into the

match. There was a bad break-off shot from Ronnie there.

APPLAUSE.. That is about as good cueing as you

can get. Behold the cue ball like that! You could play that ten times

and probably get it right only twice. -- to hold the cue ball like

that! Once again, these red -- reds are

perfect. He has slightly underhit that.

I think if Ronnie gets this and gets on a red, the game is over. Ricky

Walden can only sit and hope that he will end up on the yellow, because

that would be pretty tough, he would have to be reaching over the reds.

That red was just causing him problems, he knew it was in the way

to the black, but he just about got away with it.

Judd Trump against John Higgins next on this table, what a match that

will be! Once again, I think he might be a fraction below. Now, he

is OK. -- no. It's almost impossible not to enjoy

watching this man play. Just everything is so effortlessly done.

Yes. We have all enjoyed watching Ronnie's cue action over the years.

So milkal, so fluent. -- rhythm milkal. So fluent. He just gets on

with it. When it comes to the frame to win

the match, he seems to get even more hunger.

Some struggle to get over the line sometimes.

A little bit of tension comes but the great players just want to do it

in one visit. 65. So, red in colour.

Not perfect but holding for the pink.

Taking the pressure off the pot. Another Ronnie O'Sullivan

masterclass. He is playing so well against Ricky

at the moment. And Ricky looks in good form.

He's not been pushed in this tournament, Ronnie. He is looking

sharp. It will take a good man to beat him.

Oh, what a shame! Another masterclass from Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Warmly appreciated by Ricky Walden. He knows Ronnie played very well.

He is into the next round. Well the same score for Ronnie

O'Sullivan every match of the tournament. He is through to the

quarter-finals. Well played, Ronnie O'Sullivan. Another expensive win.

He didn't take long, did he? Obviously Ricky Walden will be

wishing it had goning loner. He did not do much wrong. He missed a red

he should have gotten. Ronnie has played flawless snooker once again.

As we were saying, there is something lovely about watching the

way he play, the action is so fluid. He makes it look so easy. As if it

doesn't matter out there. Whereas we all know it matters a great deal. He

has a knack of look looking as if it does not bother, bother him but

obviously it does. Everything he does, he make it is look effortless.

You will have no doubt played him as well, how will you compare the

Ronnie O'Sullivan of 2014 to the figure we have seen in previous

seasons? He alluded it to it earlier. In the previous years he

did have lots of success but for how good he was, he was hard on himself

and maybe did not get the results he should have. Now he is coming near

to his 40th birthday it is like a re reasurges -- reasurgence. Everything

he is playing, he is winning. It is unbelievable.

Now Ronnie will be with us in a few minute's time, but while he is on

his way, let me tell you about a match between Stuart Bingham. And

playing Joe Perry, the 16th seed who beat Matthew Stevens in the last

round. This went to a final frame decider. Perry had taken a 2-frame

lead. Bingham fought back, but it went right to the end. To the pink

and the black. This is Perry at the table. Leading this. The pink ball

dropped. That means that Joe Perry, the 16th seed is through to the

quarter-finals here in Newport. Yes, it is a Goodwin. I don't want

to make a meal of it. I felt I played the best stuff throughout the

match but somehow nearly lost it. I always look forward to playing the

very best players. That is why we are in the game. He was a tough

opponent. Probably the toughest in that he can win play. It is a game I

will look forward to. I will have to be looking my best.

And playing to win the Selby match as well. And now, the winner of our

first match this afternoon. I am told that Ronnie is with us now,

behind the set now. Congratulations, Ronnie. That looked comfortable. How

was it for you? Ricky has had a good season. He has won the ranking

event. He has been to the semi-finals of the World

Championships. At the latter stages of the tournaments, I want to

congratulate Ricky on another good season. Ricky can dominate the

table. I was pleased to get a win today.

This is turning into a good year for you so far? It has been OK. Yes, it

has been OK so far. And it looks comfortable and it

looks relaxed. Is that how it feels when you are playing? Today was. It

was one of my better matches. I felt I was playing more instinctively

rather than think being how you are hitting the ball and cueking. The

last two or three months I had not been cueking that great. Although

there -- cueking that great. I thought I would trust it. If it is

there, it is there, if it is not, it is not. Hopefully I played with more

rhythm today. Give us an idea of how you are

approaching the season, how do you choose which tournaments to play? If

I can getting running fitting around the tournament, I will enter the

tournament. If it means lots of travel and late nights, it is not

for me. I like my life. I like a bit of routine. I was shattered all the

time before. The five-day event would turn into a 14 day event

because of the travelling. The late nights and eating rubbish food. I

was living oen sandwiches for two or three years. I thought that is not

how I want to spend my life. So I decided to play on tournaments that

suit what I do. So I like to go running. I have been running here it

is great. . Preston will be ideal. Where do you go running? Outside of

the hotel. There is a nice loop. Four or five miles. That is how I

determine it. If they decide to spread the tournaments out, then I

am knackered, I am out, but obviously it is an international

game it is going worldwide. That does not suit me. I have to be aware

of that. You also have to look at the other

options. So I will plan a few events and I am just ticking over. You are

talking about the running. This is clearly more than a hobby. How

seriously do you take it? It is not that but I find if I am on the tour,

playing, travelling, eating everything. Then I start smoking,

then I am on late nights, I start getting fat. I am miserable. There

is no point being a successful snooker player but being miserable.

For me it is about having a healthy lifestyle. Looking after my body. My

health in general. It was not great. I found it difficult, the demands of

the tour. So my health is more important. It has to come first. If

I can fit a few tournaments around it, then so be it, but at my age you

want a quality of life. There is no point working all of your life to

throw it away. I like to feelgood in myself. So that is, running it is a

big passion. I am not a good runner, a great runner but I enjoy it. It

sorts my life out. Well it seems to be working well.

And to ask you who you are about to play? It will be an easy match! No,

this is as strong a field as you can get. Apart from Neil. I have been

looking at the names in the tournament, there is D, ng and --

Ding and Judd is playing back to his best. You can never Wright these

guys off. -- write these guys off. .

If I can play well today, hopefully I can play well for the rest of the

tournament and give them a good run for their money.

I hope so. Well that match was important for

Ronnie. It was lovely to hear Ronnie speak so sportingly about Ricky, and

the season he has had. Ricky is a player who is in the world rankings

there. Now this is about the race to reach

the World Championships in the crucible in a couple of months'

time. The top 16 get automatic qualification. Ronnie qualifies as

the champion automatically. So the top 15 get through. So that means

that they all have a battle there to finish in the top 15 to see if they

can make it through to the Crucible without playing qualifying matches.

So we are going to see how Ali Carter got on. He was playing Mark

Selby. Both 6 these --of these men have won before.

Mark Selby is at the table. It is not often that Mark Selby misses a

pot. He has not en with it. So, now, then. This could be a tonic

for Ali. He wanted to catch the outside of

the red, rather than the inside of it. Does he have a red on to the

centre? Well, that is just frustration from

Ali, banging the cue on the floor. He knew he could not afford to miss

that red. Well, Mark has every chance of

winning the match from here. These balls are well set for Mark

Selby. It looks as if the pink will pass to the left corner.

The black's available. Too straight to play for it though.

He was a little worried he would overrun that.

He is OK. It's a bit more difficult now.

Only one red really out in the open. If he gets the red below the pink,

that will obviously put the other two into play.

He could put his angle on the b lushgs e to get back down the table.

-- blue. Carter's had long bouts in his chair

in this match. He certainly hasn't played to his normal standards.

I see that Mark Selby has dominated the table time.

He will have lots to think about after this match, if he loses the

frame of the fact he has not got his rhythm going today.

He was perfectly on the black to play that.

If there is any lingering hope now left for Ali Carter.

He knows he has not performed well enough in this match.

But he was 3-1 down in an earlier match and came back to win. He can

probably take stock from that. That black was effectively frame

ball. It's not there but never mind. An

excellent break from Mark Selby. We will see him through to the

quarter-finals. Where he faces the winner of Joe Perry or Stuart

Bingham. Ali is a top-class player in the

world. So to get that win over a player of his class, really happy

about that. I could have played more clinically. I started to miss a few,

but Ali was not on his game. I seemed to take advantage of that. I

have good memories of Newport. I have gotten into the top 16 to get

into Newport and a few years ago I won my first title in Newport. So

good memories. Long may it continue. Mark Selby is to play Joe Perry in

the quarter-finals. Now, there is no-one more exciting a

player than Judd Trump. He has won three ranking titles in his career

so far. With his talent, he is likely to win many more.

His technique is superb. I don't know what it is about left-handed

players. They appear to get to the ball better than some. He plays

shots that only Jimmy White can play. When under pressure, he tends

to throw the queue at it. That is down to the temperament. That is

something, if he works hard enough on it will get #4i78 back to world

number one. I sometimes think he puts in one too many shots as a

crowd pleaser. Don't get me wrong, I am all in favour of entertainment

but don't push 9 boundaries too far and be true to yourself.

We know that Judd likes fast cars, going out late at night. To be

number one, to win all of the tournaments, to be the world

champion, his dedication probably has to be a little better. He plays

some of the most fantastic shots. One of the greatest potters in the

game, but occasionally his shot selection s little to be desired. He

spent two minutes over a shot on the blue. He took the wrong choice. Went

for the pot and missed it. John Higgins won the frame. He could have

been the world champion that year. Why he has not won the tournaments,

or more of them, could the shot selection or the fact he goes for

one more shot too many. I think he needs to create a bit of safety.

That gets the chances. We know how good he is. His record will improve.

He is a terrific talent, but the man he is playing today has really done

it all. John Higgins from Scotland. Currently ten in the world rankings

but look at that career, a four-time world champion, three times the UK

champion and winning this turnment in Wales three times as well. What a

player. So, these two have played each other. Eight times before. John

Higgins has won six of them. Meeting four times in finals but it was

Trump who won the last meeting, 4-0 in 2012.

So the players are now on their way out into the arena here at the

Newport Centre. This should abterrific match. A four-time world

champion, John Higgins, against a young man with aspirations of

greatness himself. Here are our commentators.

As we see the two players enter the arena. The best of the seven match.

John Higgins. A four-time world champion, but from another decade.

And then Judd trump. Higgins is probably the complete match player

but Trump is more in the Hendry mould. Likes to go ahead quickly and

aggressive. We could be in for a cracker here.

It is almost like the old and the new.

John Higgins, you will have to say, in some aspects is in the decline,

but still one of the best players in the world. Trump is hopefully to

continue his resurgence in the game. He has had a quiet spell over the

last year-and-a-half. Not producing the kind of snooker we saw a couple

of years prior to that when we thought he would take the world by

storm, but people have sussed him out. He was going through a spell

whether or not to play safe, play pot, but he is better now.

Well, it will take a while to get used to the pace of this table for

John. I don't think he has played on this table before. It came off the

cushion a little quicker than he thought. He is the best tactition in

the game. He knows his way around.

No damage done. He doesn't want to give four points

away. I was at one of Judd Trump's matches

earlier in the week. His safety play ove improved dramatically to what it

used to be. Short again.

There is not much of him, is there? Not much meat on the bone.

The one thing he does not want to do is overhit. He could dislodge one of

the reds. They are discussing how he can make

contact with one of the reds on the left as we look at it. It would be a

miss if he doesn't hit the balls. It would be a warning from the referee.

A frame awarded. We could look down the line at this

shot. I think that the blue is in the way.

Judd is obviously going to ask again if he thinks he has made the right

decision. You could hit the ball both sides,

but they have changed the rules. Because it is almost touching the

red, it is not out of possibility but the red could deflect and go in

the right-hand side corner. That's what he is looking at, to see

if that plant is on it is dangerous. If he is going to play it, he risks

on where the cue ball ends up. Stand by your beds if he plays this

at pace. That's what he played, but it didn't

work. The cue ball is not too bad. I couldn't have played that shot in

a month of Sundays! It is so easy to go off two cushions. He has played

for the side of the park. You could have played for the back of the

park, but it made it more interesting.

It only cost him one point. Not the best shot he has ever

played. He is a little bit awkward on the black.

There are some players that are colourblind. Peterhead than has

difficulty telling the brown from her red.

-- Peter Ebdon. Four. He will not get a better chance to win this

first frame. Judd Trump is relying heavily on his long potting, but it

hasn't come off so far. When the doors, he is devastating. -- it

does. Just a glance at the scoreboard, he

knows he is very close to the winning post. It would need a very

careless shot my friend not to get this first frame. -- shot now.

It is quite interesting to watch the different rhythm they have got

playing. John Higgins is quite quick when he gets down to the shot. Judd

Trump is a lot quicker. John Higgins, most of the time, looks at

peace with himself. Judd has a bit more action when he gets in. It was

a great final they played in the Crucible, one of the best. He also

beat him in Shanghai in the final, from 7-2 behind, he beat him 10-9.

It is hard to get those kind of things out of your mind.

Judd Trump would pot a lot more balls than John Higgins off what you

might call the recovery shots, when you're out of position. John Higgins

is a better positional player all right, so he doesn't get to play

that many of those shots. An unexpected mess on the pink. But,

it is enough to take the first frame.

So, John Higgins settles quickest in this first frame. Some offer us the

contrasting styles of these two men. Judd Trump likes to go for his

shots. He would have to say sometimes he plays some lunatic

shot, but when they come off they come off the lip than plastic. Very

fast and fluent. John Higgins is a little bit more calculating. He

plays the game as a dude be played. He is very tight in the safety

department. When he gets in, he scores for fun. How does the John

Higgins of 2,000 Ford team compare to the man who won his fourth world

title? In ability, nothing at all. At the moment he is going through a

funny sort of stage with his cues. He played with the same queue for

many years, and Nikkei is chopping and changing. I'm sure once he

settles into a piece of wood that he really likes, he will be back to his

brilliant best. Well, it is him to break off in frame two.

He certainly settle the better of the two. Jobs need to get a frame on

the board quickly, just to settle himself down. He is still not

settled yet. That was a terrible safety shot!

When your opponent can get his hand on the table, you know you will be

in trouble. Good pot! He has the angle on the brown, if he

wants to come down for the reds. He won't be turning this one down. That

was an excellent red. He has left himself a brilliant

angle on this red, he will be able to clear the black spot.

Judd Trump has been sitting idle a lot, Higgins has just made a break

of 60, so he has his rhythm. Does the Blackpool? -- black go? It looks

as if it will. It was the fact that he was playing

at three quarters ball but made a very tricky. -- that he was playing

its three quarters that made it very tricky. Beautifully played! A little

bit unlucky that the red has gone the other black spot. -- gone over

the black spot. The black is tied up at the moment.

He would like to get the pink back on the spot.

It is not easy to get this pink and avoid the obstacles back down to the

reds. If this red doesn't go, he has been

very unlucky. He completely misjudged that.

That was not good judgement. At least he has had his hand on the

table. When you play John Higgins you have to score, because you will

not beat him on the safety. He will not be happy with that. The

pack is available. Judd Trump cannot in this long red aggro. -- long red.

He is being very unlucky with these long shots.

He didn't try to get on the black, he was just concentrating on getting

the red. That looks OK. There is a gap

between the reds. If you get on the one nearest the right corner.

He struck that nicely. That shot takes a little bit of confidence.

Not difficult, but easy to miss. You mentioned the two bad losses that he

has had against John Higgins. Sometimes when you go into a match

and you have a bad record against somebody, you try to give it your

all to get into the match early. Of course, he has started like a fish

out of water this game, Judd. When he is talked about as one of the top

five or six players in the world, you would expect him to start better

than this. He has played that as well as he

could have played it. Excellent stuff! John Higgins is looking very

comfortable. He is 24 points in front.

You have probably watched him more than me. Allegedly he has changed

his Q3 or four times this year. I know he has been changing them, but

he is obviously searching for something out there. Maybe he thinks

that will inspire him. It might give him more interested pack this more.

There are lots of different reasons why a player might change his queue.

It is a bit like a golfer changing his potter. -- potter.

it is amazing that John Higgins has not been a regular winner of the

major tournaments in the last couple of years. He is an exceptional

player. Old age catches up a new eventually! He is not as consistent

as he used to be. Still, for me, one of the top players in the game.

A break of 66 to win the first frame, 60 three to win the second. I

am not too sure if Judd Trump can be a regular winner with his game at

the minute. What do you think you would have to improve on? His shot

selection at times has been a bit out of sync. In the last few years

he has been trying to turn a few of the reckless shots down, play more

safety, but I think he got a bit mixed up with that. He wasn't really

committed to either of the pots or the safety. If you look at Stephen

Hendry, he didn't have a safety game at all. We can criticise people like

Judd Trump, but the truth of it is, as a fan of snooker, I love watching

him play. He excites people by the way he plays. You never know what

you're going to get. So, you're saying, maybe don't change a game?

-- your game? It worked for Stephen Hendry. This is the big frame for

Judd Trump. That is what he has got to start to

do, not those in. -- knock. A bit like Ronnie O'Sullivan, they never

tried to put the cue ball out of play on those long shots. They have

the confidence. Those type of long shots normally

inspire him. So far in this match is housed Rick has been 16, which is

very unusual for Judd Trump. -- his highest break has been 16.

He has been very fortunate if he is on this one in the middle.

He had a look at the pink in the middle. He has missed red! He took a

long time to decide which kind of positional shot to play, but he

seemed to go down quite quickly. Certainly not his normal self.

He has to get a foothold in this match, and quick.

Once again, not finding the baulk cushion. You should always try to be

four or five inches away from the cushion in your safety game.

Beautifully played! Beautifully played! You can't strike the ball

better than that. He has an abundance of talent.

He has to make this chance kind. -- count.

Not on the black. You can see his reaction. It was the right shot to

play. You can never control what happens to the pack when you split

them up like that. This is a bit awkward. The reds are

so well spread, there are not many gaps. He might just drop the cue

ball onto the black cushion. How close was that? He would have

been on the black, as well. But, he has left Judd Trump in an position.

-- in an awkward position. This red on the right, he might pot

that and screw back into baulk. He is looking at the plants. He will be

looking at an aggressive shots, that is what like about him. The plant is

just off-line. John Higgins made the right decision

putting him back in to bat. Or all the reds covered? I think they are!

Perhaps this is the difference between John Higgins and Judd Trump.

If Judd Trump was playing well, he would get this blue. John Higgins

has always had a bit of a question about his mid-distance balls.

This is not really the type of match that suits Judd Trump. He seems to

struggle against players who have a good all-round game.

When you say that this is not a Judd Trump type of game, are you thinking

the same as me, because John Higgins makes so few mistakes? Well, he is

making mistakes today, but not as many as Judd. If he is not scoring

against some of the light John Higgins, he doesn't get into the

game, and he doesn't have a chance to find his rhythm. He has got in

quite a number of times, but his highest break is only 16.

It's twice we have seen facial expressions from John, as we never

normally do. Terry commented in the break, but

there is no problem with this red, surely?

Perhaps he overscrewed it by a margin, he would have been perfect

on the one nearest the pink spot. The cue ball travelled a fraction

shorter. I expect him to pot this and to get nicely on the mru.

-- blue. Maybe not... Maybe not... CEDWHITE

He can't get a position to save his life here.

There was one shot, there were four reds to get on, he didn't get on any

of them. You don't expect that from John Higgins. He is under pressure.

Sensing that there could be an easy victory if it carries on like this.

Well, I didn't expect him to miss that, but in its own way, this puts

pressure on you. He is expecting Trump to do something but he has not

done it. It is getting more and more

frustrating for Judd. And he doesn't want to do that. He

looked at this for a plant two or three times. I'm not so sure he

should take this up on this distance, but you never know with

Judd. It is risky but you feel if he takes

it on and gets it, it inspires him and changes him to a different

player. We criticise him all the time when he misses mem but when

when he gets them it is tremendous. This plant, he could get it, six out

of ten but the other four, is it worth the risk? He has to change the

potting somehow or other, as he is not in this game at all.

Well done! Terry fancied him playing the shot and getting . I didn't, but

didn't he play it well. Now I think he has every chance of

getting a frame on the board. We can see it play playing now, his

rhythm has picked up. There is a chance for him to get a

frame. You can play Higgins and be behind

but that is not the case with Judd, he has had chances. This is very

strong now. He would like to get this red out of

the way as John Higgins is very, very good at getting snookers. He

hasn't got it. Straight away, getting the pink out

of the way, it was in a bad position.

This is part of the safety game, of course, when you require snookers. I

spoke earlier on, John Higgins is one of the best, Steve Davis, Mark

Selby, they are the three best, no doubt about it.

He tried to knock the black safe. That has played.

This is swervable. A good attempt. It was a very

difficult shot. He played thin cut with a lot on the right-hand side.

He had to get the red safe, of course.

This looks good. That's one of the ways of stopping

Higgins getting a snooker. Snooker him.

I wouldn't say Trump is desperate to win this frame, but he would like to

get this red out of the way. Trump's turn for the good fortune.

John Higgins has not had a pot where you fancy a snooker. He has been

playing catch-up all of the time. That will help Trump's call. The

fact he has push pushed the black up the cushion. He could play the long

double here it is a big pocket where the yellow is. He can keep the white

at this end of the table. Just having a look at it now. Even

if it hits the cushion first, it still could go in off the yellow.

This is the real first chance that John Higgins has to possibly lay a

snooker. The balls are possibly nine feet apart, so not straightforward

by any stretch of the the imagination.

Just about as poor as John Higgins could have played it, but he may

have gotten away with it. You would expect him to knock this

in. If he was 33 there, there is

something on your mind when you are 36 in front and you know you just

need the red it is a different mindset.

This looks perfect. Oh, not quite hard enough! We are

talking about fractions there. How didn't that drop? White in hand.

Red available in the middle pocket. Trump didn't flinch.

No reaction at all. Nice to be young with a strong

heart! That would have been tricky to hit

if the red had rolled another couple of rolls. He has to bring that black

and yellow. John Higgins will get behind there, you can bet your life,

should he get a chance, of course. That was so close.

He kisses the yellow ball instead of the black but then he would have

been tight behind the black. That has affected the Khan Khans --

chances of John Higgins. Trump looks a little out of place.

When we talk about an all-round game, you see John Higgins can

score. He is excellent at the safety plays. At the snooker stage. Laying

them. He has the lot. If he had gone past the green and

gone behind if, it would have been a difficult shot. Another chance,

then. Amazing, the statistics on players missing a pot when they are

safe, but he hasn't this time. He thought it was over there but it

is not now. Funny that. He needed one snooker

with the red on. He potted the red and played a foul shot, now Johnny

needs two snookers. A strange one, but that is a great shot. Oh,

unlucky again! I think that John played to bring in the pink and

snooker him behind the black. Very good.

Probably his best work. The best thing to do. Snooker him.

Oh! It is a concession from John Higgins. A good frame. Very good for

Judd Trump. He is back in this game. 2-1, to Higgins.

A fascinating frame. The longest one of the match. Judd will be delighted

he is the on the board. We saw all sides of Judd Trump. He did get a

few of the long pots going to get him into the frame.

He did, after John Higgins was amongst the balls, perfect at the

start of the frame. He played a bad positional shot. It missed a blue in

the mild. Judd Trump settled down. Had a nice 40 break. He showed us he

is well capable in the safety department.

And Terry was talking about how a big, high-risk shot can be the thing

that inspires Judd. We had this with the plant that got him going.

I was along with W ishg ll here. I thought it was a crazy shot, but

after seeing how he played it, how easy it makes it, he is right,

Terry. He is fantastic to watch. You don't know what to get. He is a

mixed bag. When he is on, he is on but when he is off, he is off, but

that was a fantastic plant. It won him the frame.

We did see it all in the frame, but the good news is for the neutrals we

have a game on our hands. Judd Trump is one frame behind John Higgins.

Almost behind the brown, but not quite.

Of course that match was going, or looked one sided at one stage. All

of the neutrals in the crowd would enjoy Trump winning the frame.

Nobody like as one-sided contest in any sport.

One of the few occasions where John Higgins may be forced into playing a

red. Maybe it will help. But he is in a tough situation here.

There are three reds in a line. He could get a good white.

Somehow if you can rest on to the red below the pink. He is looking at

a line now. The other is to move away from the red at the top pocket.

If you hit it, you may at well leave it.

Trying to rest on the one below the pink. Too much side on.

For a minute it looked a great shot. Then of course a red dropped in. So

Judd has a chance to get right into the game. So unlucky for the red to

drift there. You never have an idea where all of the reds will finish

off at that speed. Another change there are Judd Trump.

He is taking his time with awkward situations. He used to rush into

everything and have a go at something without much thought, but

he has matured as a match player. Judd's big biggest asset is the

breaking department. As a 13-year-old boy he played in

all of the junior tournaments. Even then he was an unbelievable talent.

He used to come almost everyweekend to play in the junior tournaments at

Leicester with his father and brother.

It was only a matter of time before he became one of the top players of

the game. How far can he go? He was struggling

for a while in the qualifying rounds. , but once he came on to the

main tour, and he started to get to the bigger events, this is the first

event he qualified for here, the Welsh Open. He showed how good he

is. He likes the big matches. He is not frightened of the big stage.

I think he's the best young player that has come through in a while in

the game. Yes, there are not that many coming

through. A few from China and Thailand that look like being the

next big thing, but struggling to spot one from England at the moment,

or Great Britain to pull any trees up.

I think that Judd is 23, I think. About that age. He is still very

young. He seems to be around forever.

A good marker is that any of the top players would be worried about

playing Trump when he is playing great.

I think that the best thing that I can say about him is he is he may

not be as consistent as John Higgins but some say that consistency is

boring! Well two frames ago, I thought his play could have been

reckless but you said he should knock it in. It would change the

pattern of things, and it certainly has. Changed it completely! Well it

gave John Higgins something to think about as well. Didn't it? He was

having everything his own way. Let's see this shot again. This is

the plant that we were talking about. That changed the whole game.

John Higgins was in the balls and looked certain to score... Terry

mentioned he had to get on four reds and he didn't manage to get one.

That is when it changed. Now, you have to say that Trump is favourite.

He's hard to stop when he gets going.

You have to make sure of the reds. You know that John is one of the

best tack tirgss. One -- tactitions, but this man is a

genius. That is where snooker is required.

LINEBREAK will try to pot three reds and three killers when he can.

Obviously he prefers to play the black, but he is playing the more

risky shot. He is bound to be on the black with playing this.

And that's end of frame. He conceded to the table. That just

safes a bit of time to Trump. Largely to the break of 59. It

levelled the match at 2-2. Well this match is well balanced, but a major

shock over on table two this afternoon. This was the match wean

the defending champion, Stephen Maguire and a rank outsider, Joel

Walker, a 19-year-old, the 83rd seed for the tournament. The match went

to a deciding frame. Walker led for most, but a young man, he is 19

years old. 20 next month. A player who won a competition when he was 15

years old. He got coaching sessions from the great Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Well it is he, Joel Walker who has beaten Stephen Maguire. He now

progresses to the quarter-finals. What a brilliant result. Well, there

is a big shock. Manage Stephen Maguire, out. What a big day

for Joel Walker? He is a young man. 19 years of age. This fairytale is

continuing to roll on, as they say. Incredible. Probably the biggest

shock of the tournament so far, would you say? Probably. Obviously

Stephen Maguire in the first-round match struggled with the neck and

the back, but he could not get on the shot. He got through 4-p. He

played better yesterday, but that is a big shock, yes.

You think that Joel PROBLEM WITH SOUND

Well we will be looking forward to seeing him playing in the

quarter-finals, where he is to face either Donaldson or Wi. Now back to

the match this afternoon. Between Trump and Higgins.

It is nice to see new lads coming through the system.

I think Willie Thorne called these two the best match.

Narrowed Judd Trump has come back to life, he might be the slight

favourite. -- now. That could be good. That could be

very good. He was stretching them, but that was

pretty bad that short. It was up quite straightforward safety.

That is what you get if you play against John Higgins. Good chance he

will be in trouble with the next shot.

Now, what John Higgins would not give here for a 70 break.

The first thing John Higgins will be looking for here is bringing the

black into play. Pink is available. Just trying to work out what he can

do on the side of the table to give him a chance to win the frame. At

the moment, it would be very difficult unless he gets the black

into play. It is all very congested at this

end. He is trying to move several red away from the black spot. He

might need to stun this interview reds. Difficult angle.

It has to go behind its horns -- behind its own spot. The black needs

to be in direct line behind. Could get very messy now. He will try to

get top side of the blue. He is thinking three shots in

advance at the moment. Obviously a little tight and he

can't get the pink directly in-line. Fraction too hard with the cue ball.

It is difficult to get the weight right when you come off the cushion.

Is he high enough on this red? Perfect. Well played.

Unlucky. It hasn't worked. Decision time.

John Higgins has decided he has to stop the juggernaut who won the last

two frames. That was a brilliant shot.

The previous shot has cost him this problem. Nothing to go at no. After

clicking on a very brave shot of the black along the cushion, he is not

getting much reward now. In defence of John, it did fly off that

cushion. He overran it. If he plays a good safety shot now,

the 43 point lead could evaporate very quickly.

That is a good shot. He played that with a lot of backspin, enough to

keep people on track and to avoid the black. Beautiful. He has

choices. He can go into the reds of the green. -- off.

If he plays into the reds of the yellow, it is more difficult.

He has played for the one was red. I don't blame him. Played to

perfection. They would call him a shotmaker in golf.

Well, well. I don't know what it is about Judd Trump, when he misses

something you often think he has played it too quick. He put so much

effort on the previous shot on the green.

I did not see that coming at all. So careless.

Both players have had a chance in this frame. John Higgins is the

favourite. 44 points in front. Judd Trump will be mightily relieved

that he has not even brought out of the game after his last mistake. I

think he has got away with it. -- maybe. He could see enough of it,

but has hit it too send. Unbelievable. -- too

one of the beauties of the game of snooker is that every time you visit

the table it is a new decision you have to make.

John Higgins has again slipped out of position. I could never criticise

him because he is one of the greatest players. He is 52 points in

front and needs red, colour, red to be sure.

Just the red needed. No mistake there.

Judd Trump has stayed in his chair. John Higgins takes the lead.

I don't think the top players are scared. They are still the top

players. I don't think you need to be fit in Stoker. I would like to be

more fit, but I can't be bothered with it so I don't. As you get

older, you may be done he does much pressure as when you were younger.

Family things get in the way. I still practice as hard as most

people. I enjoy playing in a lot of tournaments. You enjoy it when there

is a good crowd. Playing in a PTC in Bulgaria and the World

Championships, you get the same buzz out of it. I think I have always

given my opponents to credit they deserve. Quite possibly, yes! I will

not argue with that. That is just the natural progression. It is what

happens when life goes on. They can mix, of course they can. Family life

should not take anything away from that. No, no. I am still as

motivated as ever. You have to try to win the big events.

Very interesting to see John Higgins been put on the spot they are. Quite

a few telling questions. They were tough to answer. Judd Trump has to

win the remaining frames. He is more than capable, but we will have to

judge his frustration over the next few shot. -- shots. He sometimes

plays attacking safety shots instead of negative ones.

If the reds were split far and wide, it would be more difficult. Judd

Trump has an easy safety shot to play just now. For two thin. -- far

too thin. Most of these frames have been

similar. A few safety shots to begin with. We have not had the big breaks

you would expect from these two good players.

He wants to take this red on. You can see it in him. His mind is

seeing to go for this, but he has the doubt in his mind.

There is a very easy safety shot to play.

One minute, 13 seconds. But is a long time for job trump to consider

what to play. Might be worth the wait. Excellent safety shot. A lot

of players would have played that straight up and down. He played the

aggressive safety shot very well. I did not expect him to miss that.

That could be the end. Judd Trump just has not been on his game so

far. Has potting rate is 60%. If the black does not go past the

blue, which I don't think it does, he is nothing. He is smiling to

himself, but he knew that was a great chance to win the match.

Not easy to get back into the baulk end easily.

Too difficult to try to work out a safety. That looks pretty good. John

Higgins is not the kind of player to play the screw as Judd Trump has

just done. That is fortunate. I don't like to

see, one on a fluke. -- won. That was done very positively. That

was missable. This is the second time he has lost

possession. Worrying times for John Higgins.

I can't believe he went for that. Here's an aggressive player, but

that was pushing the boat out. I don't think I have ever seen John

Higgins play a shot like that. Judd Trump will have two great his

teeth for a moment. Economic work on the loo at the moment. Might need to

use it seven or eight times. -- he might have to work off the blue at

the moment. If he had a chance to bring the

black into play, he would do. This will be a difficult read.

Now Trump jumped up in the air then when he missed that red. He knew as

soon as he hit it missed the pot. Moving this red will help, but he

has to get topside of the blue and bring the black into play at some

stage. He has just come far enough down the

table to have a good angle on the blue and get down to the reds.

Every point is so important now. If he can get another red and a

colour after this, he will be in a very, very strong position.

Very well played. Not easy to get the reds into a good potting

position. A few more reds and colours he is

getting nearer to the winning line. A low-scoring frame so far.

He knew that was a bounce. Once again, if he takes the blue on, it

is bound to kiss into the red, an the pink, the green and the black,

so why would he want to do that. Oh, that turned out OK. It was risky,

Terry, wasn't that? If you look back over John Higgins's career, there is

many times I have watched him, he does, when it comes to winning a

match in the last frame, he goes for the shots he would not look at in

other frames of the match. There is nothing wrong with that. OK, they

are a high risk but as Stephen Hendry used to say, if he turned it

down and played the safety and lost the match, he would not have slept

for three weeks! Not the kiss he wanted.

But he has taken this on. I don't see where the colour comes

from. He is 29 points in front. Probably knocked the blue safe now.

Trump is left-handed. He could possibly pot it, but he is a long

way off that stage. Trump should be pleased just to get

another opportunity. There is a good safety shot this.

It could cause John Higgins a bit of trouble.

You can only see one of the reds. He doesn't want to drop off the back

cushion on to the red nearest the corner pocket, as it would be

leaving red-on. I think he may have to do that. If

Judd can get on to a colour from the red, good luck to him.

If there is an angle on this, Trump could get on the pink. It's a tough

pot, though. This would be up there with one of

the greatest clearances of all time if he gets through this.

He is looking to pot the blue. What a great shot. Very, very

special. An amazing shot. And he has an angle

to the black to play. Not that he may want to do that here.

He may need the black soon. He took a risk, didn't he? Bringing

the black into play. How he has gotten back into this

frame is very, very good. The only way he can kiss the yellow

out after this colour, whichever he takes on, is to play the green but

it's a tough shot. He can pot the black, of course, play for the

yellow along the cushion but they are very tight pockets.

The only saving grace is that the brown is safe, but it is hard to

play a safety shot from here, Terry, isn't it? He knows he will put

himself in trouble now. There is no way he should take the

pot here, surely, but he can get in behind the green.

And he is certainly back in the frame.

It only the brown in the cushion, but earlier on, there were a few

balls out of commission. Just a fraction too hard.

Not quite sure what John played then. This is the fascination of

contrasting styles. You may think that Higgins has the best chance in

the safety battle like this but of course he can't pot like Trump.

Well, there is a chance. I didn't see him missing that, to be

honest. It seems difficult when the players

play with lots of side on these tables, the fast cloth. It tends to

push in a bit before the side takes. A lot of play, with lots of side,

you see the players more often than not, missing the pot thick. It means

that the side is not having time to move before it gets to the object

ball. There is a real good chance of

playing a snooker again in be liepd the -- in behind the green. This

looks good. This looks mighty good. Looks

A good attempt. It will be a free ball.

Now he has to play this at pace. He can't play it showily. He has to put

lots of distance between the cue ball and the object ball. He has the

distance, is it safe? That's amazing. Judd Trump made the right

choice. That is amazing, really. Higgins is in front slightly.

He made sure he played that plain ball. Normally, a player would have

played with a little to the side, but he played a very good safety

shot there, Judd. Higgins, I think, has played a

better one! This is really tough. You can only

play off one cushion. If the brown was not there, there could be two

cushions. Not an easy escape and 12 points behind. He has a bit to play

with. He can miss once or twice. He doesn't want to put John Higgins in

a safe position in this frame. This is where the miss rule can be

cruel. There is no advantage. Well done.

The pink could come to his rescue here.

Tough to miss a kiss on the pink with this on the green.

That's the chance gone for getting the brown out. .

There is the angle off the green, maybe bring the brown into play. He

is 14 points in front. He needs green on brown.

He didn't get the snooker but lots of distance between the two balls.

Good shot. He deserves to get a snooker there, he hit that well.

I wonder if John will play the green up and down, or try to have a go at

this? That's amazing. Even a kick to slow the green down and get a

snooker. Unbelievable, what happens on this table.

You like a bit of luck, don't you? But the green could have gone from

the kick. This could be trouble.

Checking the position of the balls. John Higgins requires the green and

brown to win the frame. Judd Trump needs the ball. It doesn't make a

great deal of difference, the brown, but it definitely was closer to the

cushion. You can see where the brown is

definitely a little closer. This is not ideal. They are shouting

across the table and there is a match on the other table in play.

It's easy to hit the green, but if he hits it four-ball, he hits it up

to its own pocket. If it is ball, he could hit it right over the pocket.

He is saying it is definitely not right.

That's fair of Judd Trump. It is making it harder for him to hit if

he goes to the left. I am very proud of our players in the professional

game. They always seem to be very sports sportsman-like.

That is actually not better for Trump but he is back in the place he

felt was correct. Of course, the referee's decision a final. How is

your luck? It doesn't look good from here.

I'm not sure if John can pot this on the side and get across to the

brown, now. It is thin-cut. The black is in the way of that

shot. I have never seen John Higgins play

such a careless safety shot such as that.

It is advantage Trump now, isn't it? He has a good chance of playing a

safety or a snooker. The winner of this match, of course,

goes on to play Ronnie O'Sullivan in the next round.

Now, this brown is in position where Judd may sneak it in past the pink.

Any other safety shot, unless he gets in behind it and pushing it up

under the table. 17 points in it. He cannot afford to leave any pot for

John. Now, is he playing the pot? He

certainly is. He certainly is. That is unlucky but has he got away with

it? Has he got away with it? That is incredible. I don't think I have

ever seen anything like that in my life.

All credit to him for taking that on. That was a big shot to take it

on. There is no way, unless it comes off

the cushion. If he hits it, he pots it, but I suppose all sorts can

happen here. He could hit the pink. Judd has to hope he does not hit

this perfect or it is game over. Can you believe it? Can you believe

it? ! It's amazing, this game. He pots the round to win and a

second later, he has potted the brown to lose.

The crowd would like another frame, I'm not sure about John Higgins.

One of the most amazing frames of snooker I have seen since

commentating. Judd Trump somehow got back into

that frame and that level at 3-3. Brilliant. What a fascinating frame

that was. Has safety play ever been that exciting, what a frame.

Well, John Higgins will be sat in his chair, spewing. Excuse the word.

He will be sick as a frog. He must have thought he was into the next

round with match against Ronnie O'Sullivan. Then he has lost a

frame. You just can't believe how, from a winning position.

But Judd Trump went for the brown, had a clip on the pink.

As we can see, and we are not seeing that shot but the brown that John

Higgins has gone in off again. Two bits of bad luck. Judd Trump went

for a ridiculous shot. Terry thought it fantastic. He fluked the snooker

and John Higgins got no shot to pot the brown and go in after, so

unlucky. Exciting and luck and chance playing

a big part in the frame. The momentum has changed a lot in

the match. John Higgins got the initiative,

where is your money now, Judd Trump got it back. If it is about

momentum, it must will be Judd Trump? John Higgins of old would

have put the match away a long time. He has had the chances but not

scored enough. Judd Trump will be thinking how is he still in the

match? So the momentum is with Judd Trump.

But John Higgins is so experienced. If anyone can keep calm in the

situation, it is probably him. Yes, but he has not been scoring, he

could score a nice big break, but it is everything to play for. One frame

for the next round of the event. Terry was talking about how John

Higgins has the killer instinct when he thinks he can win a match or a

frame, going for a risky shot, do you think he will have to really go

for it this frame to make sure he wins? I think he will try to play it

as tight and cagey as he can. He knows that the match should have

been over. Well, this is a thriller, enjoy it.

Well, it has been a great match. What a frame that was.

All you ask for is to get a final stage.

Nicely played. In the previous frame, Judd Trump played some really

good safety shots with the colours. Needs to be careful he doesn't fit

this two thin. -- hit this too thin. John Higgins years ago would have

potted this seven out of ten. Bit more difficult now and so it is not

even going to play. Whenever you see the reds on one

side of the table like that, it is not easy because that pocket is not

available. The number of blues that have cost

people matches over the years is incredible. He did not want to hit

the pink on the left. That was the key thing. Took his eye off the pot.

Even the best players in the world do that sometimes.

Judd Trump will be saying, I have had my chances. And a golden chance

it was. That cue ball has just flown off the

cushion. John Higgins is looking in the spear. He might still take the

yellow on. The cue ball has travelled three feet further than he

wanted. The pot is tough and the position is not guaranteed.

Good positional play from John Higgins.

John Higgins plays all the right shots. Totally different outlook

now. That was the importance of missing the blue. That one kiss made

all the difference. Now John has the pink in play, it is a very good

chance for the frame and match. This I think is probably Judd

Trump's last ray of hope. If this finished in between blue and pink,

it could be difficult. It is hard not to see him getting another 20

points from here which would put him virtually past the finish line.

That was a reprieve for Judd Trump. He played that shot terribly. John

Higgins has a very simple shot. He played that in such a way that he

has gone a little too far. Let's see if he can hold the cue ball from

here. 40 break. He is in front, but if

Judd Trump gets this red, you could go favourite. A lot of pressure on

this boy. Can he handle it? What a clever little shot that was to bring

those two reds into play. It is all about the red on the back cushion.

Neither player can complain, whatever happens in this frame. They

have both had golden opportunities. Judd Trump has now been given a

second. He cannot see the black which he

played for. The paint is still available. Nothing worse than the

image you have had of the shot you are going to play going all wrong.

How good a shot was that? He is on one in the middle.

The confidence of youth. Could not agree with you more. That was

awkward. Has to get the pace right on this shot. He could easily

snookered himself with the pink. He has got the pace perfectly.

Nobody can say he has not got the bottle. He has proved it over his

career so far. He is thinking about potting the pink and then bringing

the red into play. I would have thought the black would be better.

He is coming round again to look. It would be unlucky not to be on the

pink or black. What happens if he hits it full ball and the White

stays on the cushion? You could look at the positive side as well. Yes,

but things can go wrong. I don't think he has a perfect angle

on this black. At distance, that is very poor.

Great attempt to. He played that with a lot of left-hand side to

bring the bread into play. -- red into play.

Another chance goes by. Adds to the excitement in this deciding frame.

What an escape. That could not have worked out better. Another twist in

this match. I didn't see that coming.

He has looked at this. He has got it. That is not a fluke. He came

round to look at that shot. Now, he needs the gap. Has he got

it? What a shot. Well played. That was for the match. It is hard

to say whether anybody deserved to lose this match, but Judd Trump

knows he has had every chance to win it. He will be very disappointed not

to have cleared when he had that chance at his last visit to the

table. John Higgins will be delighted to have won the match.

John Higgins, the four times champion of the world, will play

Ronnie O'Sullivan in the last 16 -- in the semifinal.

That was an incredible game. John Higgins showed all his class. What a

fantastic victory for John Higgins. Superb. Willie Thorne said he

thought it there would be another sting in the tail and was right at

the end. Judd Trump played a fantastic safety shot. John Higgins

got out of the snooker, both balls could not have got in better

position for him, then he has done a beautiful clearance at the end. His

reward is to a Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarterfinals. What a superb

match. We have plenty to look forward to hear tonight. The last

Welshman in the tournament, Mark Williams, will play this evening.

That is our feature match at 7pm on BBC Two Wales. Yesterday he knocked

out Neil Robertson. To night he will play Marco Fu. We hope you can join

us for that. We will see you at 7pm. -- tonight. Goodbye.

Evan Davis examines why London is pulling away