:00:35. > :00:44.Good evening and a warm welcome to the opening day of the 2017 Welsh
:00:45. > :00:49.Open. Tonight, one of the modern-day stars against one of the legends of
:00:50. > :00:56.the game. First, though, plenty of first-round drama to bring you up to
:00:57. > :01:02.date with. He is one of the biggest names in World Snooker, but he is on
:01:03. > :01:08.his way home already. Stuart Bingham beat the former world champion,
:01:09. > :01:15.going through with a 4-2 win. I think I settled nicely, making a
:01:16. > :01:20.hundred in the first frame. When I got the chance, I felt like I could
:01:21. > :01:30.take it. In the best-of-7, it is tough. Tough for both of us, really.
:01:31. > :01:35.Just one of those things, yeah. No problems for another Welshman, our
:01:36. > :01:44.very own Dominic Dale through with the Ford nil whitewash of Zhang
:01:45. > :01:50.Anda. 4-0, couldn't be better. Didn't start the season to well, but
:01:51. > :01:55.to come back like that and win 4-0, I'm delighted. I am looking forward
:01:56. > :02:02.to the next match. The shock of the tournament so far, John Higgins,
:02:03. > :02:09.there will be no record fifth win, he was beaten 4-2 by Englishman Sam
:02:10. > :02:16.Baird. Any time he beat one of the top players in a major tournament,
:02:17. > :02:26.it is good. I am relieved, obviously, because I could have
:02:27. > :02:32.managed to win 4- one. Sam played good. Played some great pressure
:02:33. > :02:38.balls and did some good breaks to kick the game. Best-of-7 is a short
:02:39. > :02:43.sprint and I got off to the worst possible start, losing the first
:02:44. > :02:49.three frames. I managed to make it back to 3-2, but fair play to Sam,
:02:50. > :02:58.keeping it all together at the end. John Higgins heading home this
:02:59. > :03:02.evening. Dominic Dale, good evening to you, still looking for a practice
:03:03. > :03:07.table ahead of the second round. What a win for Sam Baird. How will
:03:08. > :03:12.John Higgins be feeling this evening as he heads back to Scotland?
:03:13. > :03:17.Disappointed for John. He doesn't practice as much as he used to do.
:03:18. > :03:27.If John gets through a round trip to an event, he is dangerous because he
:03:28. > :03:31.has had time on the table. If you don't start well in the short
:03:32. > :03:35.sprint... The result with pressure on him because he knows any mistake
:03:36. > :03:41.could be his last only just made too many mistakes today. He got a fourth
:03:42. > :03:47.Welsh Open win a couple of years ago, there would be a fifth. As
:03:48. > :03:51.Brigitte, relief! Yes, I lost three matches in a row at the start of the
:03:52. > :03:58.year, I didn't perform as well as I had been on the practice table. I
:03:59. > :04:02.played something like it today. I started to play pretty well and I
:04:03. > :04:08.speeded up my game a bit panicky to fruition. I was very pleased. The
:04:09. > :04:11.John Higgins exit, that was one of the big stories. Would we get
:04:12. > :04:19.another with one of the Welsh teenagers taking part? Belinda
:04:20. > :04:22.Bencic, 115 Welsh players starting the tournament to date, and hoping
:04:23. > :04:27.to make the most of his wild card entry. 20 years Wales has produced
:04:28. > :04:36.some of the finest players ever to grace the snooker table. Open to
:04:37. > :04:41.continue that glorious tradition is 15-year-old Belinda Bencic. I hope
:04:42. > :04:46.to be world champion and number of times, and just do what I always do.
:04:47. > :04:53.Everyone's dream is to do well at something. I want to be the best I
:04:54. > :05:02.can be. Jackson practices for hours every day and began playing at a
:05:03. > :05:06.very young age. About three. My grandparents got me a little table
:05:07. > :05:15.when I was younger and put it in my bedroom. When I was about six I
:05:16. > :05:19.started on the full-size, started in tournaments. He practices at the
:05:20. > :05:25.Mark Williams snooker hall. Mark Williams bopper club in 2010 with
:05:26. > :05:31.Jackson's manager, Simon Griffiths. He has a great temperament which is
:05:32. > :05:35.a potential for player. Nice, laid-back personality. It goes with
:05:36. > :05:38.the temperament of a good snooker player. Jackson regularly compete
:05:39. > :05:42.against players much older than him. Some might say that is a daunting
:05:43. > :05:48.prospect that the young teenager sees it as an opportunity to develop
:05:49. > :05:53.his game. It gives you a lot of experience. It is a key part of the
:05:54. > :05:58.game when you get to the higher levels, experience. A lack of
:05:59. > :06:07.experience can lose two games. It is a big help. He is only 15. His long
:06:08. > :06:12.potting is excellent, it reminds me of myself at that age. He has to
:06:13. > :06:17.improve on the safety aspect and things like that, but Jackson at the
:06:18. > :06:22.minute his winning nearly every tournament he plays in, even the
:06:23. > :06:25.under 20 ones. He is a massive prospect and improving all the time.
:06:26. > :06:32.If he can keep improving, he can achieve anything.
:06:33. > :06:41.Well, it was always going to be a day to remember for Belinda Bencic,
:06:42. > :06:47.the world under champion. He is the root of round two! And magnificent
:06:48. > :06:57.comeback win over England's Jason Weston. Victory in the deciding
:06:58. > :07:04.frame. I didn't play too well, a nice pink at the end got me over the
:07:05. > :07:08.line. I was really happy. I was 3-1 down, so to come back at first
:07:09. > :07:19.professional tournament and win is unreal. There is another Welshman
:07:20. > :07:29.joining them in round two, Lee Walker returns after a 4-2 win over
:07:30. > :07:35.research Park from Scotland. It wasn't a great performance. I just
:07:36. > :07:39.needed to win. I have lost my last few matches and when you have lost a
:07:40. > :07:45.few on the trot gets quite difficult. Really pleased to get a
:07:46. > :07:51.win. No joy for Agnieszka Radwanska from Newport. He is out after a 4-1
:07:52. > :08:00.loss. That leaves us with 13 Welsh players in the tournament. Yeah, it
:08:01. > :08:05.is frustrating. I know I can play a lot better than what I am. It just
:08:06. > :08:10.doesn't seem to click out there, I don't know why. It's not through
:08:11. > :08:15.lack of practice, and playing every day. Hopefully, it will come. I
:08:16. > :08:22.still have this season and next year. We will show you how another
:08:23. > :08:35.Welshman, Ryan Day, gets on later on. Belinda Bencic, what a story!
:08:36. > :08:40.Issy Bailey 15? He has a beard like James Roberts injustice! A great
:08:41. > :08:47.performance. To play on these tables, they are like class. It is a
:08:48. > :08:57.great performance. Great performance. Only 15. I am three
:08:58. > :09:00.times his age! The other teenager, Tyler Rees, he plays tomorrow. Let's
:09:01. > :09:06.move on to the action for tonight and the first meeting in seven years
:09:07. > :09:24.between the Robertson and the 54-year-old veteran Jimmy White.
:09:25. > :09:33.It is the first time they have met since 2010. Wales has always been a
:09:34. > :09:41.hotbed for snooker. Go back to Ray Reardon, Griffiths, Mark Williams.
:09:42. > :09:46.Fantastic players come from Wales. I have been coming here on and off for
:09:47. > :09:49.35 years, playing in small tournaments, big tournaments. I am
:09:50. > :09:58.glad it is Cardiff because of Jude was being city centre. I'm playing
:09:59. > :10:03.OK. My flat caught on fire ten days ago. I had to go to Germany and may
:10:04. > :10:08.head wasn't right for that. My game was in good shape so I have been
:10:09. > :10:12.practising. On Saturday I became a grandad again, which is wonderful.
:10:13. > :10:20.He was a bed early so everybody was a bit concerned, but he is doing
:10:21. > :10:23.fine. I'm OK, you know? If I can play my game, I can beat Neil
:10:24. > :10:30.Robertson, Ronnie O'Sullivan, whoever. He is a top-class players.
:10:31. > :10:35.One of the best in the game. If he is on his game he is very difficult
:10:36. > :10:39.to beat. If I thought my game wasn't there, I wouldn't play any more. I
:10:40. > :10:45.would go and play golf in the sun. The problem with me is I still have
:10:46. > :10:49.days when I can beat anybody and I still enjoy practising. I still
:10:50. > :10:58.enjoy doing the exhibition circuit. Why it is best -- well still there,
:10:59. > :11:03.I can't see any reason not to carry on. Let's go live to that game. It
:11:04. > :11:04.is the first frame, your commentary team is Darren Morgan and Rob
:11:05. > :11:18.Walker. Good evening. Jimmy White in his
:11:19. > :11:22.37th consecutive year on the tour. He still has the same hunger and
:11:23. > :11:29.desire as he did when he first picked up a cue, but it is Neil
:11:30. > :11:36.Robinson -- Neil Robertson who is here, on the balls with the early
:11:37. > :11:41.momentum. On a break of 43. We have been looking forward to this one,
:11:42. > :11:45.Darren, because of the slightly in different forms we have seen from
:11:46. > :11:49.Niall over the last couple of months and that Jimmy earlier this season
:11:50. > :11:53.and made his first ranking quarterfinal for over a decade. We
:11:54. > :12:02.thought there could be a chance of a tight match. I couldn't agree more.
:12:03. > :12:08.It is imperative for Jimmy White to have got off to a good start. In the
:12:09. > :12:12.Grand Prix last week, Neil Robertson in most of his matches started off
:12:13. > :12:18.like a rocket and played to rhetoric. Jimmy has a big task on
:12:19. > :12:24.his hands tonight. It is good to see him back in the main arena. He has
:12:25. > :12:27.lost a lot of weight, is practising hard and playing well. He is up
:12:28. > :12:34.against one of the true greats of the modern game.
:12:35. > :13:12.Jimmy requiring snookers in this frame, so Neil is almost certain to
:13:13. > :13:20.get over the line here. Good start, as you said, Darren. For Neil
:13:21. > :13:26.Robertson. 12 ranking titles and he has won the Masters. He has made a
:13:27. > :13:33.massive impact on the sport since his arrival from Australia more than
:13:34. > :13:40.ten years ago. Jimmy was an all kinds of trouble the, because the
:13:41. > :13:47.reds are open. He played it well, just five and too short. Got the
:13:48. > :13:51.right angles of the cushions, but let that nice easy red into the
:13:52. > :13:55.middle. It didn't look like a frame-winning chance when he came to
:13:56. > :14:22.the middle, but he has taken this very, very well.
:14:23. > :14:30.A break that Neil Robertson has worked hard for here. He beat Ronnie
:14:31. > :14:34.last week in the world Grand Prix, then lost the Barry Hawkins, the
:14:35. > :14:49.eventual champion, in the quarterfinals.
:14:50. > :15:17.It is a tournament with good history for Neil Robertson.
:15:18. > :15:26.Great way to start. APPLAUSE.
:15:27. > :15:37.Up and running with this first century of this year's championship.
:15:38. > :15:46.APPLAUSE. So, Neil Robertson came to the table
:15:47. > :15:55.with work to do to get the first frame, but he showed his class, a
:15:56. > :16:00.break of 102. He is asking the early questions of the world Winter. Neil
:16:01. > :16:04.has the advantage. 12 and a half minutes that opening
:16:05. > :16:10.frame, as solid start from Neil Robertson, as we have come to
:16:11. > :16:14.expect. He is known as the robot. That was a very methodical started
:16:15. > :16:19.the game. Perfect start, a century in his first frame. He is obviously
:16:20. > :16:25.acclimatised to the conditions. Tough for Jimmy. Best of seven, so
:16:26. > :16:28.he needs to get a free on-board as soon as possible. The only thing
:16:29. > :16:38.that never changes with Neil is the hairstyle. Neil hasn't performed at
:16:39. > :16:43.his best this season, really. His performances have been hot and cold.
:16:44. > :16:48.He looked to be playing very well in one match, then the next match and
:16:49. > :16:51.plays badly and losers. He lost 4-2 recently in the World Grand Prix
:16:52. > :16:57.Darts to the eventual champion, Barry Hawkins. He can't be as
:16:58. > :17:01.confident as he has been, so he will need to win a few matches, get the
:17:02. > :17:07.confidence back because he is one of the greatest break-builders that we
:17:08. > :17:13.have. When he is on form he is unbelievable. Ten years since he won
:17:14. > :17:21.here. As for Jimmy White, he has had some real bad luck lately. One thing
:17:22. > :17:27.and another that has gone on. He is hanging in, still has the hunger to
:17:28. > :17:31.keep competing, still travelling. He loves practising, loves competing,
:17:32. > :17:36.like me. Sportsmen love to compete and try to win matches. It is all
:17:37. > :17:40.very well putting in four or five hours on the practice table, but it
:17:41. > :17:45.is the matches we look forward to. He loves to try and pit his wits
:17:46. > :17:50.against the modern players, who test them all the time. Someone you know
:17:51. > :17:54.well? I have known him for many, many years. We're good friends. He
:17:55. > :17:58.is difficult to play against because he is one of the legends of the
:17:59. > :18:06.sport and you always want to impress him when you play him. I can make a
:18:07. > :18:13.at times. I think they are about to pots in the second frame. Let's go
:18:14. > :18:24.back and join Darren and Rob. Here we are. The break-off in the
:18:25. > :18:35.second frame. Jimmy now really needs to somehow find a way of getting in
:18:36. > :18:41.and settling down. Even though he is playing in his 32nd consecutive
:18:42. > :18:48.season, which is unbelievable in itself. He will still get the
:18:49. > :19:01.nerves, same as everyone else. He kept within easy start with this. --
:19:02. > :19:06.starter found this. -- and found this. You can't blame him for
:19:07. > :19:11.playing bat, he didn't get as sharp in the first frame. The Jimmy White
:19:12. > :19:17.of old would have never turned down that red. I think that has crept in
:19:18. > :19:22.this game over the years, he has learned to play more percentage
:19:23. > :19:45.snooker, which you have to have when you're getting older.
:19:46. > :19:52.It is incredible to think we are watching a man who has been plying
:19:53. > :20:07.his trade all over the world for almost four decades! And he as still
:20:08. > :20:11.as hungry as he ever was. Put into context how difficult that is, to
:20:12. > :20:17.maintain your interest, desire and willingness to practice so long? It
:20:18. > :20:26.is phenomenal that he has been around for so long. It is. He has
:20:27. > :20:33.refused to give up. A lot of players... Jimmy has decided he will
:20:34. > :20:41.not give up, not met the game get the better of him. He still loves
:20:42. > :20:47.the game, that is the thing. It is the fact that he still loves it, he
:20:48. > :20:53.put in the as a practice that you need to, he still loves it and give
:20:54. > :20:55.100%. Why not? And a lot of great players are probably finished before
:20:56. > :20:59.they should have because they stopped enjoying it all were
:21:00. > :21:02.prepared to put the work in any more. I take my hat off to him. It
:21:03. > :21:42.is fantastic. I think the fairy tale as far as the
:21:43. > :21:47.Jimmy White plans are concerned would be somehow if you made it back
:21:48. > :21:52.to the Crucible. He hasn't played on the hallowed carpet since 2006 and a
:21:53. > :21:57.little return to form this year, people might be starting to think
:21:58. > :22:04.that it could be possible. It is so hard nowadays to come through the
:22:05. > :22:08.qualifying process. The standard is so high, especially when it gets
:22:09. > :22:13.down to Judgment Day, the last round of qualifiers to make that last 32.
:22:14. > :22:29.Huge amounts of drama in the week leading up.
:22:30. > :22:42.Cagey exchanges here in the early moments of the second frame.
:22:43. > :22:54.Surely not, that can't be a plant. I think if it was, he would have
:22:55. > :23:02.played it by now. He needs to be careful here, because that red on
:23:03. > :23:09.the green pocket is the one that is bothering the pair of them.
:23:10. > :23:20.You can see, it is too much of an ankle and even reverse the rant. We
:23:21. > :23:27.could see a lot of little roll ups here, unless Jimmy can get the cue
:23:28. > :23:34.ball in behind the black. Well, that one has gone astray. That wasn't one
:23:35. > :23:38.of his best. I think he has left one with quite a few options here, both
:23:39. > :23:58.to the left and right of centre pockets.
:23:59. > :24:05.There you are, that just shows you how Neil Robertson is feeling. He is
:24:06. > :24:16.not going to take any chances. He had a 100 break in the last frame.
:24:17. > :24:20.He has left a relatively easy red beside the pink. That shows you how
:24:21. > :24:45.much respect he has for Jimmy White. That possibly almost indicates a
:24:46. > :24:52.tiny question on the confidence after the relatively indifferent
:24:53. > :25:00.form he has shown in the last while? Yes, like we said, the Grand Prix
:25:01. > :25:03.last week he started off matches at the Hundred mile Tanakh, then he
:25:04. > :25:08.missed one or two and went off the boil. In one of the matches he did
:25:09. > :25:12.well to get over the line, but every match was the same pattern, he
:25:13. > :25:18.started off great then faded out towards the end. He played a good
:25:19. > :25:22.safety, so Jimmy White is in a lot of trouble. You might be forced into
:25:23. > :25:26.taking the red into the right centre. I think he will have to go
:25:27. > :26:02.for this. That is quite unbelievable. He has
:26:03. > :26:08.had a couple of great chances, and it looks like he is going to have to
:26:09. > :26:12.play a safety again. This is good news for Jimmy, because it was just
:26:13. > :26:17.saying that the chants that Neil had on the centre pockets, that is
:26:18. > :26:27.something that Jimmy could have done to get 20 or 30 points and just
:26:28. > :26:37.settle himself dying. -- down. That is a great pot.
:26:38. > :26:50.He judged that to absolute perfection. Especially after that
:26:51. > :27:00.kiss on the green. He was out of position.
:27:01. > :27:11.This is another type one, which is why he is making absolutely certain
:27:12. > :27:16.he is happy and ready to go. He is frightened of the inn off as well. I
:27:17. > :27:23.think that weight -- that is why he is going to play the more difficult
:27:24. > :27:28.red, just beside the yellow. He played that very well, very
:27:29. > :27:32.confident. Now he is in prime position. This is looking very
:27:33. > :28:12.ominous for Jimmy. He hasn't had one good chance so far.
:28:13. > :28:20.Just a couple of shots away from this being a perfect opportunity. He
:28:21. > :28:30.will have to concentrate on the pink. Once the pink goes on at
:28:31. > :28:37.spot... He is having a little look to see how cities to the red. It
:28:38. > :28:45.looks directly below it. It is going to be close.
:28:46. > :29:05.This pink goes back on the spot. He is on the red just below it. He has
:29:06. > :29:20.missed the red! You don't see that too often from
:29:21. > :29:28.Neil Robertson! Just getting himself poised for another big break, having
:29:29. > :29:34.opened with a century, and all of a sudden the opportunity is there for
:29:35. > :29:39.Jimmy. The question is, can he take it? It would do wonders to settle
:29:40. > :29:44.him down and just take this thing out of Neil Robertson's early match
:29:45. > :30:09.momentum. A great chance, that he probably wasn't expecting to get.
:30:10. > :30:24.That was a very well controlled and played shot by Jimmy there. I think
:30:25. > :30:30.he had a little bit of a kick, the cue ball definitely took off in
:30:31. > :30:34.hitting the black. He is still on his reds. Both balls left the bed of
:30:35. > :30:41.the table, taking the pace out of the cue ball, otherwise he'd be a
:30:42. > :30:50.lot straighter on these reds. Not plain sailing for Jimmy. The pot is
:30:51. > :31:22.easy enough. He's going to have to get to the next colour.
:31:23. > :31:50.He is beaten some big names this season. Nothing Ali Carter out of
:31:51. > :32:00.the first round in India, beating Ryan Day in Scotland -- knocking.
:32:01. > :32:07.Joe Perry in the world qualifiers. And he will definitely believe that
:32:08. > :32:16.he can produce something here. Just rubbing his right hand into his left
:32:17. > :32:21.palm. Making sure he's absolutely happy to continue. Key moments,
:32:22. > :32:49.this, in the second frame. Little bit short, there. A nervy
:32:50. > :32:52.one, could have done with being straight on this although it
:32:53. > :32:58.shouldn't be a problem. Coming down for the black now. Some acute
:32:59. > :33:19.angles. Not touching the sides, straight in.
:33:20. > :33:30.Lot of people packed into this end of the arena. They'd love to see
:33:31. > :33:36.Jimmy level this one up and turn it into an intriguing contest. Many
:33:37. > :33:43.were looking forward to it when the draw was made for the 2017 Welsh
:33:44. > :33:50.Open. 22 ranking titles between them. ?8 million in prize money, 800
:33:51. > :33:54.centuries in their respective generations. Two Legends of Golf. --
:33:55. > :34:11.of the game. A lot further away than he would
:34:12. > :34:15.have liked. This is a little tester. Still rubbing his hands, Jimmy, so
:34:16. > :34:29.whether it's a bit cold, something not quite right with his hands.
:34:30. > :34:39.Well struck, very positively played. Dobey could have done with a couple
:34:40. > :34:43.of inches extra on the cue ball. -- probably could have done. He will
:34:44. > :34:50.have to play a similar shot to the pink, a little stun to miss the
:34:51. > :34:58.reds. He could play this from a bit of distance, or he could play the
:34:59. > :35:00.cannon. He played the same shot, and again he's going to need another
:35:01. > :35:16.good pot. Once again still rubbing his hands
:35:17. > :35:24.before getting into position. Something isn't quite right. Doesn't
:35:25. > :35:34.feel particularly cold in and around the arena.
:35:35. > :35:41.Pretty cold outside, though. Great stuff from Jimmy, the crowd
:35:42. > :35:46.responding. He is edging closer to the second
:35:47. > :36:23.frame. He perhaps wasn't expecting to get
:36:24. > :36:24.this opportunity back from Neil Robertson, but at the moment he's
:36:25. > :36:50.making the most of it. Still giving those hands a little
:36:51. > :37:04.rub. The next pot leaves Neil Robertson requiring snookers.
:37:05. > :37:19.Just a slight angle on this. The pockets are not big. He has rolled
:37:20. > :37:23.it in. Leaving himself a more difficult black, but if the black
:37:24. > :37:28.goes income you'd fancy him to clean up and make 100. A terrific effort
:37:29. > :37:37.from Jimmy White. Let's hope the black goes in. Just in, nicely on
:37:38. > :37:41.the yellow. Great response. Neil Robertson has had to sit in his
:37:42. > :37:47.chair knowing that he's had a terrific chance in this frame. Two
:37:48. > :38:02.chances, in fact. And he's made nothing from them. Jimmy's not going
:38:03. > :38:07.to complain. Sitting in his chair thinking he was 2-0 down, with Neil
:38:08. > :38:16.Robertson's start. This is very, very good.
:38:17. > :38:23.And this is the one. He did it in practice 100 times and he would pot
:38:24. > :38:37.it 100 times. So, then, with this relatively easy
:38:38. > :38:44.black it was Neil Robertson winning the first frame with 102 and Jimmy
:38:45. > :38:50.Frain levels up at 1-1 -- Jimmy White. Superb match.
:38:51. > :38:57.STUDIO: What a response from Jimmy White, he got the chance and he took
:38:58. > :39:02.it. We will be back for the third frame in a moment. Having seen John
:39:03. > :39:10.Higgins going out, another shot on cable two. Kieron Wilson, the world
:39:11. > :39:16.number 15, he has gone out against Sean O'Sullivan, who is number 86 in
:39:17. > :39:22.the world rankings. We've seen shocks and surprises here on day one
:39:23. > :39:29.of the 2017 Welsh Open. Kyren Wilson is out. As for this game, Dominic,
:39:30. > :39:33.shaping into a fascinating contest between White and Robertson. But
:39:34. > :39:39.Robertson, as the guys in commentary said, will be kicking himself. Yes,
:39:40. > :39:44.he had the reds at his mercy but unfortunately can the green, a great
:39:45. > :39:48.yellow to keep the break going. You thought he was full of confidence
:39:49. > :39:53.but he made a very uncharacteristic miss in that frame when he was set
:39:54. > :39:58.to go 2-0 up. Easy read to the corner pocket. Here it is again.
:39:59. > :40:03.Normally when you miss a shot like that there is the unconscious
:40:04. > :40:08.thought, maybe you are thinking about winning the frame on that
:40:09. > :40:14.visit and you can't get ahead of yourself because that is when you
:40:15. > :40:21.lose focus. Difficult to be at -- read Neil Robertson! Hard to know
:40:22. > :40:25.but he will be frustrated with that. Was he over relaxed? I think
:40:26. > :40:28.sometimes, and in Niall's case, because he's had a stop start
:40:29. > :40:33.season, he may have surprised himself by making a good start, a
:40:34. > :40:37.century break, and he would have been thinking about another one.
:40:38. > :40:41.This goes through your mind, even with the top stars and I'm sure
:40:42. > :40:48.that's just a lack of concentration. I don't believe it was a kick, and
:40:49. > :40:53.Jimmy must have been capitalised -- Jimmy capitalised. The crowd will be
:40:54. > :40:58.hoping for some more classic Jimmy White stuff. Let's hope this match
:40:59. > :41:01.goes all the way, both guys have shown some form and when the balls
:41:02. > :41:07.are there, they are making big breaks but it will be littered with
:41:08. > :41:08.some mistakes. A good game, this. 1-1 with Jimmy White to break in the
:41:09. > :41:40.third frame. Two frames and two century breaks.
:41:41. > :41:43.We are all square. As far as the opening salvos are concerned, every
:41:44. > :41:51.bit as intriguing as we'd hoped it would be when the draw came out.
:41:52. > :41:57.Jimmy White capitalising on those uncharacteristic errors from Neil
:41:58. > :42:01.Robertson in the second frame. It's early on but still the pot success
:42:02. > :42:11.rate from both players, absolutely first class. Jimmy having potted 29
:42:12. > :42:22.out of 30, Neil, 36 from 38. Top quality so far.
:42:23. > :42:32.Darren, another one that on a different day, with more confidence,
:42:33. > :42:36.Niall would have taken it on. Maybe, but if he'd played it slow, the
:42:37. > :42:40.White was always going to go close to the black. He would have to play
:42:41. > :42:45.it with power. If you get it right, it looks great but if you get it
:42:46. > :42:48.wrong, you could clatter everything. I would have thought that his
:42:49. > :42:56.confidence is a bit shaken with the last frame, the chances he had, and
:42:57. > :43:02.he lost. He will probably play very cagily again. Over the years, Neil
:43:03. > :43:05.Robertson has done that a little bit. When he's fully confident and
:43:06. > :43:10.playing great, he's fully attacking and fast around the table and when
:43:11. > :43:14.he loses a bit of confidence, he tends to go into his shell and get a
:43:15. > :43:26.bit negative and slows up a lot as well with his shot time. We might
:43:27. > :43:27.see that now. At the moment, they aren't slow by any means of the
:43:28. > :44:07.imagination. No mistake from Neil Robertson on
:44:08. > :44:12.that occasion. We marvel at Jimmy's longevity. Certainly the impact that
:44:13. > :44:19.Neil Robertson has had in the 12, 13 years that he's been based in the UK
:44:20. > :44:24.since coming over from Australia, almost extraordinary. You could
:44:25. > :44:29.argue, he's in the conversation for among the top half a dozen players
:44:30. > :44:38.the game has ever seen. 12 titles and he has done the Triple Crown.
:44:39. > :44:49.Made a massive impact on the game. Yes, without a shadow of a doubt. I
:44:50. > :44:53.think when he first come over here, it was fair to say that a lot of
:44:54. > :44:57.people thought he was a good player with a future ahead of him but I
:44:58. > :45:02.don't think a lot of thought he would turn into the player he's
:45:03. > :45:06.become. You can only put that down to his play on confidence, working
:45:07. > :45:14.hard at his game and content with what he's doing.
:45:15. > :45:23.Yes, and another one, thinking about my last comment: Mark Selby. A good
:45:24. > :45:28.player, I don't think many thought he would turn into the great player
:45:29. > :46:00.he's turned into. He's definitely one of the all-time greats.
:46:01. > :46:10.Mark had a great win at the Welsh Open, coming from behind to beat
:46:11. > :46:18.Ronnie. A year or two after Neill won the title, beating Higginson in
:46:19. > :46:24.a decider in Newport. Both men have produced the goods here in Wales.
:46:25. > :46:31.Child that match by a long way, he had to win the last three or four
:46:32. > :46:38.frames -- he trailed that match. Which he did. That was a very well
:46:39. > :46:44.done and confidently hit blue and all of a sudden it looks like normal
:46:45. > :46:50.service has resumed again. When he's in full flow and he's playing very
:46:51. > :47:13.well, this would be end of frame. Nine times out of ten.
:47:14. > :47:24.Again, not a very confident shot played there. Short on the red.
:47:25. > :47:30.There is a red to the right centre, if the pink went to the left centre.
:47:31. > :47:32.He may be tempted to play that one. Otherwise he'll take the easier red
:47:33. > :49:16.to the left corner. Walking around the table with real
:49:17. > :49:42.purpose now, Neil Robertson. Jimmy watching on. Just a feud signs
:49:43. > :49:51.of anxiousness. -- few signs. Did so well to take the second frame. Neil
:49:52. > :50:02.looks like he's regaining a bit of composure in this frame.
:50:03. > :50:10.He took a risk because he didn't need to do that. Unless he can get
:50:11. > :50:15.through to this Reid to the left corner, or the left centre, that was
:50:16. > :50:22.a real risk. Can't understand why he played that shot. Could have played
:50:23. > :50:29.down to the loose red. Why he didn't play for the left of the pack there.
:50:30. > :50:32.If it goes, it won't matter, no damage done. This must be really
:50:33. > :50:58.tight. No damage done, so the risk paid
:50:59. > :51:02.off. If he couldn't get through to the red that would have been a real
:51:03. > :51:23.mistake. Fear the worst now for Jimmy in this frame.
:51:24. > :51:40.Closing in on this third frame. And possible 130 plus break here. We've
:51:41. > :51:51.had two centuries. Would it be greedy to hope for a third in three
:51:52. > :51:57.frames? Great quality so far. You can hear a pin drop here in the
:51:58. > :52:07.Motorpoint Arena. All eyes focused here on table one. Plenty of action
:52:08. > :52:10.going on further down the arena. But this is a really intriguing contest
:52:11. > :52:14.between these two greats of the game. So far it's living up to the
:52:15. > :53:20.billing. That was a beautifully played shot.
:53:21. > :53:28.Stunning down the right-hand side. Struck it perfectly.
:53:29. > :54:09.Fantastic effort to check the red away from the cushion there.
:54:10. > :54:51.This is another break of the highest quality.
:54:52. > :55:06.We can expect a ripple of applause assuming this black goes in. Superb.
:55:07. > :55:16.Three frames, three centuries. You can't ask for much more.
:55:17. > :55:27.And those who have braved the cold and wind to come into the centre of
:55:28. > :55:38.Cardiff tonight have already been rewarded with top quality snooker.
:55:39. > :55:44.Only three frames on the board. And little unlucky on the case on the
:55:45. > :55:52.pink but it won't stop him giving this a big one, the left-hander from
:55:53. > :55:59.Melbourne. Tiny bit anti-climax, but only tiny. Following up 102 in the
:56:00. > :56:06.first frame with 111. Neil Robertson has the advantage, 2-1. It has been
:56:07. > :56:16.a match of the very highest quality. Three successive centuries.
:56:17. > :56:21.I'd have to say probably Michael Jordan, I think. I used to love
:56:22. > :56:26.basketball growing up in Australia, and probably Cathy Freeman winning
:56:27. > :56:31.the Gore in the Sydney Olympics, that was an incredible moment for
:56:32. > :56:35.Australian sport. Probably football, the atmosphere is incredible. My
:56:36. > :56:39.last day of school I turned up for PE and then I went to my dad's club
:56:40. > :56:43.for practice and the school called up and told them not to come in any
:56:44. > :56:49.more. It is a John Parrott classic and I've had it since I was 17.
:56:50. > :56:54.Unique atmosphere, when it gets down to the one-table set-up, there is no
:56:55. > :57:00.better place to place Luca. I don't know, I would certainly be in
:57:01. > :57:04.Australia -- snooker. Wearing my beanie, hardly ever but if not
:57:05. > :57:12.wearing my hat, barely ever. Joe Perry, Mark Davis, Alfie Burden,
:57:13. > :57:16.quite a good football chat. Most embarrassing moment, forgetting my
:57:17. > :57:21.shoes. I bought a terrible pair of shoes and I lost the first session
:57:22. > :57:26.8-0, the shoes looked terrible, they were uncomfortable and it got to me.
:57:27. > :57:28.If I'm still based in the UK I would like to stay involved, doing
:57:29. > :57:42.commentary, maybe some coaching. Little insight into the character of
:57:43. > :57:46.Neil Robertson but as for Robertson the snooker player, Dominic,
:57:47. > :57:49.exhibition stuff in the third frame. Yes, he's got his scoring boots on
:57:50. > :57:53.and this is the kind of form that he's been looking to find this
:57:54. > :57:59.season. If he can keep this consistency he can start winning
:58:00. > :58:05.tournaments again. How do you see it now, nicely poised, 2-1, Robertson?
:58:06. > :58:10.Big frame for Jimmy White, he needs to keep on his coat-tails and make
:58:11. > :58:14.it 2-2. Best of seven, not far to go for Neil. If Neill wins the next
:58:15. > :58:20.frame, he would be the heavy favourite. The quality of snooker,
:58:21. > :58:27.outstanding. The scoring, just a small safety error from Jimmy was
:58:28. > :58:32.enough to cost him the frame. Just shows, one mistake and it can be
:58:33. > :58:36.your last at this level. Absolutely, they are underway in the fourth
:58:37. > :58:40.frame here. Unfortunately we are going to have to leave the game.
:58:41. > :58:47.We'll show you what happens in our late programme, plus can Ryan Day
:58:48. > :58:55.make it through to rout two against Dave Gilbert tonight? Highlights of
:58:56. > :58:57.that game too. We will be back late at 11:15pm. From all of us here on
:58:58. > :59:06.day one, a very good evening. when farmers leave
:59:07. > :59:09.their daily routines behind... Right, here we come, Dorset!
:59:10. > :59:13...for a show day.