:02:44. > :02:56.I want my fifth World Championships in 2013. In 2014, I won the Masters
:02:57. > :03:01.for the fifth time. Let's take a closer look at what EA Sullivan 's
:03:02. > :03:05.opponent. This is a remarkable story because Robin retired in 2008
:03:06. > :03:13.because of an irregular heartbeat became back in 2011 will stop 1997
:03:14. > :03:18.European amateur championship. This is only his second appearance in
:03:19. > :03:24.Sheffield. But it was the defending champion who roared into a seven -
:03:25. > :03:30.two first session lead with breaks of 124, 81 and 90. Into the first
:03:31. > :04:12.frame of the evening session. Hull to play.
:04:13. > :04:16.He couldn't hope for a better opportunity than this. This is a
:04:17. > :04:37.chance. A very controlled and efficient cue
:04:38. > :04:53.action, Robin Hull. A little bit reminiscent of Mark
:04:54. > :04:58.Williams as he gets down to play these shots. He very carefully gets
:04:59. > :05:06.down into position and doesn't waste much time. A nice and controlled
:05:07. > :05:18.action. He just overran that a fraction.
:05:19. > :05:50.I would have been very surprised if he didn't get that. A 21 point lead.
:05:51. > :06:15.Three rates in this area. -- reds . As we always say in this game, it is
:06:16. > :06:27.a matter how good you are sitting in your chat, you can't be potting
:06:28. > :06:33.balls. It is unusual for him. It is unusual for him not to avoid the
:06:34. > :06:41.double-kiss. It looks as though it is certain to have cost him this
:06:42. > :06:53.frame. This red will put Robin Hull 36 ahead with just 35 remaining.
:06:54. > :07:03.Would you believe it? He can't! The red was all that was required. It
:07:04. > :07:24.couldn't have been easier. Oh dear. If Ronnie O'Sullivan can get a
:07:25. > :07:30.snooker from this position, it is really going to put the heat on. And
:07:31. > :07:37.he has got it. I think he has got it.
:07:38. > :07:46.Danger now for Robin Hull. If he doesn't get this safe, we could have
:07:47. > :07:58.a new favourite for this frame. I wouldn't have thought that a minute
:07:59. > :08:05.ago. He has to trust his like of it. -- luck a bit. If he plays a
:08:06. > :08:06.swerve, he doesn't know where the Bulls will end up. I would prefer
:08:07. > :08:29.the depression. -- the cushion. I'm not absolutely sure that is the
:08:30. > :08:43.way he played it. A bit unlucky to really stick this up.
:08:44. > :08:49.He struck that ball so well. As crisp as anything. Not easy to get
:08:50. > :09:03.position on this. Because it was a tricky red, he
:09:04. > :09:10.couldn't play for it in that easy pocket on the left corner. But he
:09:11. > :09:28.should be OK. It just leaves a nice angle on the black.
:09:29. > :09:31.He would be shocked if Ronnie O'Sullivan doesn't clear up from
:09:32. > :09:45.here. I can only assume that he just put a
:09:46. > :09:50.bit of right-hand side which just pushed the cue ball into the red.
:09:51. > :10:01.But still no excuse for missing that, and he will no doubt. -- know
:10:02. > :10:19.that. Blue, pink and black for a real steal.
:10:20. > :10:32.A quick look at the scoreboard. And in it goes. Robin Hull will be
:10:33. > :10:38.absolutely dumbstruck. He was one pot away from winning that frame. He
:10:39. > :10:42.missed it and then Ronnie O'Sullivan gets one opportunity and now
:10:43. > :10:48.stretches further clear. Robin Hull then 12 after the next
:10:49. > :10:51.three frames to make it 9-4. We pick it up in frame 14. Hull is trading
:10:52. > :11:15.by 12 points. -- trailing. As Ronnie Cotton angle on this red?
:11:16. > :11:34.-- has Ronnie got an angle on this red? He cued it like a dream.
:11:35. > :11:42.Superbly played. Lots of players would have played the runthrough, I
:11:43. > :11:51.think. They would have got themselves into trouble. And now, if
:11:52. > :12:06.very realistic chance of a frame and match winner.
:12:07. > :12:19.He has very little to do here. The Bulls a very placed. -- balls are
:12:20. > :12:41.very nicely placed. Should he convert this opportunity,
:12:42. > :12:44.he gets the reward of a number of days off before his next match. That
:12:45. > :12:57.can be a blessing in disguise. It depends if he wants to get on
:12:58. > :12:59.with it or if he wants to go back home and have a bit of practice and
:13:00. > :13:26.get ready for the next match. He will need to play many cannons.
:13:27. > :13:32.Has that gone wrong? It has. It is tight. He can play it with a
:13:33. > :13:39.fraction of side, but it is not ideal.
:13:40. > :13:49.He played it with the site and he was walking back to his seat. He did
:13:50. > :13:59.think it was going to go in. Just little snooker. It is a pretty good
:14:00. > :14:12.lead. 53 points. 75 remaining. He was on his way back to his seat.
:14:13. > :14:21.That seems to fly off that commission. It was the first big
:14:22. > :14:28.bounce we have seen of eight cushion. Usually that is after a few
:14:29. > :14:39.days of play when it starts to be brushed. Beautiful shot. That could
:14:40. > :14:46.be the last visit from Robin Hull. He hasn't disgraced himself, but he
:14:47. > :14:56.just hasn't done enough to convert a couple of frames. So, a match that
:14:57. > :15:03.what he O'Sullivan went to be raging over, but basically it is job done.
:15:04. > :15:13.He is into the second round. We have seen a lot of reigning champions for
:15:14. > :15:17.the first hurdle. 94% pop success. I think he will be disappointed by the
:15:18. > :15:20.long pot success but he will be happy that he is in good health once
:15:21. > :15:33.again and it is onwards and upwards from here. He has shown that he is a
:15:34. > :15:38.very capable player. There are easier draws. But as you say, he has
:15:39. > :17:09.acquitted himself very well. There'll be a handshake coming after
:17:10. > :17:13.this. This is the 38th year of the World Championships and for those
:17:14. > :17:21.who can remember, it is over and out. The world champion reigns
:17:22. > :17:28.supreme. He waves to his crown. He didn't produce his best but he is
:17:29. > :17:33.through to the second round. It was a good win. It was a tough
:17:34. > :17:36.first-round opponent. If one assumes that because he was the lowest
:17:37. > :17:40.ranked player in the tournament that he would be an easy match for me,
:17:41. > :17:47.but I knew it would be. I saw a quote from Steve Davis that set he
:17:48. > :17:53.was fancied to still do well at the Crucible and he is a class act. He
:17:54. > :17:57.is, he has a Rolls-Royce cue action and plays the game the right way. A
:17:58. > :18:01.tough match and I'm pleased I got through. Ideally you would like to
:18:02. > :18:06.go through your matches as easy as possible located in the Masters, but
:18:07. > :18:10.I am aware that you can't, it doesn't happen all the time.
:18:11. > :18:14.Sometimes you have to figure out a way of winning the scrappy frames
:18:15. > :18:20.and try to find some momentum within that. And that is what I tried to
:18:21. > :18:24.do. This is a long tournament. You're not going to be able to play
:18:25. > :18:30.fantastically every time. But you must be able to mix it tactically.
:18:31. > :18:35.That gives you a great opportunity to do well here. Let's bring you
:18:36. > :18:38.up-to-date with the other first-round scores. Stuart Bingham
:18:39. > :18:46.took on the 1997 world champion Ken Doherty. Bingham leads by 5-4. A
:18:47. > :18:51.very interesting battle between Stephen Maguire and Ryan Day. It is
:18:52. > :18:55.the Welshmen who has the upper hand after that first session, leading by
:18:56. > :19:04.six - three. Shaun Murphy, the 2005 world champion here, he trails Jamie
:19:05. > :19:08.Cope by 5-4. The man who what he O'Sullivan beat in two Crucible
:19:09. > :19:18.finals, Ali Carter begins his World Championship campaign. He is one of
:19:19. > :19:22.those players list with a great technique which is the reason he can
:19:23. > :19:26.play the power shots. There is not a shot he can't play. How many times
:19:27. > :19:34.have we seen him around the table and if he misses a shot, he does
:19:35. > :19:38.something careless. It doesn't seem to make him play better. It affects
:19:39. > :19:43.his game for a while. Temperament would be something I'm sure he will
:19:44. > :19:46.tell you that he needs to work on. It is well documented that he has
:19:47. > :19:51.had problems with his health. Can you imagine dragging yourself out of
:19:52. > :19:56.it and going to the practice table and putting in the work that is
:19:57. > :20:00.necessary to reach the top? He has had all those problems to overcome.
:20:01. > :20:04.Let's hope it can stay healthy and we can see the best of Ali Carter in
:20:05. > :20:10.seasons to come. He likes to get into the pack early and spread out
:20:11. > :20:15.the balls. He scores consistently. He has made over 100 combated
:20:16. > :20:20.centuries. His tactical and safety play is up there with the best in
:20:21. > :20:22.the game. That is something that will stand him in good stead
:20:23. > :20:27.throughout the rest of his career. His record, considering the ability
:20:28. > :20:31.we have talked about, I think he would be disappointed. He has been
:20:32. > :20:36.in the final of the World Championship twice. He has met
:20:37. > :20:42.Ronnie O'Sullivan. No shame in that. But maybe his temperament is just a
:20:43. > :20:48.little bit suspect sometimes. He beats himself up. If you stop doing
:20:49. > :20:52.that and takes the rough with the smooth, today he will win a World
:20:53. > :20:56.Championship. Let's take a look at the man
:20:57. > :21:03.standing behind -- between Ali Carter and shall do gong. 25 years
:21:04. > :21:14.old, making his Crucible debut. He has never played Ali Carter before.
:21:15. > :21:17.Carter raced into a 4- one lead but Guodong to get to make it 4-3.
:21:18. > :21:49.Carter to play. Tight on the ocean. Not too far from
:21:50. > :21:56.where the white is at the moment. -- cushion. It makes it difficult for
:21:57. > :22:06.Ali Carter to get any backspin on this shot. He might be able to go
:22:07. > :22:10.up. He can cut the one into the left middle pocket. Xiao left the white
:22:11. > :22:34.bit short. That was a chance that Ali Carter
:22:35. > :22:36.wasn't expecting. He would love to play the blue into the blind
:22:37. > :23:02.pocket. I think he is looking at the blue
:23:03. > :23:05.now. It is the right shot to play. But he does like it. He is now back
:23:06. > :23:17.at the green. That was a good shot. A very good
:23:18. > :24:50.shot. It should be a problem putting the
:24:51. > :25:01.pink. It just makes getting perfect position on this NXT to a bit
:25:02. > :25:16.trickier than it needed to be. -- next red. Just buy that one careless
:25:17. > :25:33.positional shot, he is now out of position.
:25:34. > :25:39.He played it nicely on the left-hand side. Just a touch of left-hand
:25:40. > :26:02.side. He has been unlucky. Unless he can
:26:03. > :26:11.cue this one from the middle pocket. That is the one he is faced with. He
:26:12. > :26:17.always had this red is the second prize. I think he hit that little
:26:18. > :26:33.bit hard. He just has to play a soft cannon on
:26:34. > :26:40.the reds to kill the pace of the cue ball.
:26:41. > :26:56.I thought he would have played a little cannon.
:26:57. > :27:09.He has a 37 point advantage. He doesn't want to throw that away
:27:10. > :27:35.taking the difficult one on. If this long rate goes in and Xiao
:27:36. > :27:44.gets on the black, hold on to your hats. -- red. He might even draw
:27:45. > :28:31.level. And this is quite a big test of
:28:32. > :28:33.Xiao's composure. He is right back into this match. There is pressure
:28:34. > :28:46.on. He will be able to sense Ali
:28:47. > :29:11.Carter's frustration. It is about taking advantage.
:29:12. > :29:28.That would have been I ideal, if that had been a straightforward pot
:29:29. > :29:37.to get on the black. He has to be careful he doesn't click the other
:29:38. > :29:51.red and one out of position. -- run out. He played that well. And
:29:52. > :29:52.considering it is his first time at The Crucible, he is doing remarkably
:29:53. > :30:11.well. He is so dedicated. All sleep
:30:12. > :30:15.players are. But these Chinese boys really work hard and put a lot of
:30:16. > :30:50.practice in. They really deserve everything they get.
:30:51. > :31:03.Two very awkward rates, one next to the pink and the one the right side
:31:04. > :31:12.cushion. -- reds. So it is not a straightforward one to the winning
:31:13. > :31:20.post at this rate. I think I would possibly be looking to bring that
:31:21. > :31:27.read out on the right-hand side. There is still a chance that it
:31:28. > :31:36.doesn't come out good. He is not kind to play it, though. He just
:31:37. > :31:48.gives himself the one chance of bringing that red into play. He has
:31:49. > :31:54.got the angle to do as Stephen suggested. Well has he got the
:31:55. > :32:04.angle? Can he just drop on the pink and leave the red? All will be
:32:05. > :32:36.revealed. He could just drop on the pink. He has covered it.
:32:37. > :32:48.I am surprised he has played that shot. He is only 15 in front. He had
:32:49. > :32:53.a straightforward safety shot off the other red that was tied up. That
:32:54. > :32:58.red city pushed over the pot was beside the pink. I think it is the
:32:59. > :33:09.wrong choice of shot there. This is in no man's land for Ali Carter.
:33:10. > :33:22.He is looking at getting down and taking degree in on to try to move
:33:23. > :33:49.the red. This is a brave shot. That is a great effort.
:33:50. > :34:00.And now a test to pot the red and follow off to questions for the
:34:01. > :34:02.black. I think this is one of the occasions where a pot is as
:34:03. > :34:44.difficult as a safety. The pink might be in the way here,
:34:45. > :34:57.stretching across to try to get the green. You have to be careful there.
:34:58. > :35:12.He missed a similar yellow to the screen at couple of friends ago. --
:35:13. > :35:16.green a couple of frames ago. This is more less the exact shot that he
:35:17. > :35:33.missed earlier on. He has done the same thing. He
:35:34. > :35:38.missed it. He try to put things like that to the back of your mind. Any
:35:39. > :35:41.sport psychologist will tell you to do that. That it is easier said than
:35:42. > :35:57.done. It was in the back of his mind.
:35:58. > :36:16.Looking at the score he is nine in front. He is going to need the blue.
:36:17. > :36:31.So it is not a straightforward run once again to the winning line.
:36:32. > :36:45.That is a better shot than it looked. Very well played, that shot.
:36:46. > :36:58.It needs to pull up and it has not. I am afraid that shot was as poor as
:36:59. > :37:07.the last one was good. A huge margin for error there to get on the blue.
:37:08. > :37:16.As you say, lots of margin for error. He should not have been
:37:17. > :37:22.anywhere near the blue there. He has the pink safe he may think, he is
:37:23. > :37:29.looking at it now. This is a tricky cut back.
:37:30. > :37:45.I tell you what, not only can he cup the blue in, he can bring the pink
:37:46. > :37:51.into play. So Ali Carter a few moment to go thought this frame had
:37:52. > :37:58.slipped away from him and all of a sudden, he can pot this and come up
:37:59. > :38:09.and develop the pink. It is a natural angle. If he pops the blue,
:38:10. > :38:19.even bringing the cue ball anywhere around the pink you imagine he would
:38:20. > :38:28.have some sort of pot somewhere. He has played the canon. I wouldn't
:38:29. > :38:33.have played it myself at that speed. He put far too much left-hand side
:38:34. > :38:40.in that. He didn't need that much. It would have automatically headed
:38:41. > :38:44.towards the pink. I just don't think he is thinking 100% clear at the
:38:45. > :38:55.minute. He thinks he should be far more ahead in this match than he is.
:38:56. > :39:06.He has played pretty good shot there, though.
:39:07. > :39:16.Really risked the double. It looks unnatural. That will be a very
:39:17. > :39:20.relieved Ali Carter if you does double the pink. Because you think
:39:21. > :39:34.he would automatically finished on the black. He decided to play the
:39:35. > :39:38.safety shot instead. There is back double on here, I would be having a
:39:39. > :39:48.go this. He can double the pink into the right corner. The white won't go
:39:49. > :39:59.into that left corner pocket. Is he just playing the safety shot? He is.
:40:00. > :40:12.Applause. Is he going to play this question
:40:13. > :40:24.first or just double the pink back up towards the black. -- cushion.
:40:25. > :40:29.He doesn't want to knock the black safe. He didn't want that really.
:40:30. > :40:42.Xiao will be moving the black. If the scores were the other way
:40:43. > :40:47.around, he would have played the pink onto the black. He wanted to
:40:48. > :40:49.keep that black tights because it only needs the pink. Ali Carter
:40:50. > :41:27.needs them both. He could double the pink up towards
:41:28. > :41:33.the right corner pocket and get it safe. He might even get the double
:41:34. > :41:40.but it looks as if he is just playing the half ball of the pink.
:41:41. > :41:46.That is a terrible shot. A shocker. I would have rather had have a go at
:41:47. > :41:50.the double on the pink up in the corner, now he has left the pink at
:41:51. > :41:57.an angle for Ali Carter to get onto the black. He has played a few
:41:58. > :42:12.safety is tonight a bit naively. A lack of experience.
:42:13. > :42:27.A little wry smile their. A black ball to finish. Exciting for the
:42:28. > :42:33.crowd, and people watching at home, but not that exciting for the
:42:34. > :42:43.players. This is not the most straightforward of shots. Easy
:42:44. > :42:55.taking the double on? Is he? He is. He has tried it.
:42:56. > :43:07.If he cuts it, there is a good chance of the black coming across
:43:08. > :43:17.the table again if he meets it -- misses it.
:43:18. > :43:30.The crowd are really getting involved in this. The little lucky
:43:31. > :43:43.charm we have seen on his wrist has maybe helped him there.
:43:44. > :44:04.That is the sort of shot where you try to send the black around the
:44:05. > :44:09.ankles and try to get around the black spot, but because the black
:44:10. > :44:16.has come a bit further up the table it is not as straightforward as it
:44:17. > :44:20.would normally be. He may be looking at another possible double into the
:44:21. > :44:25.left corner pocket. If he misses the double, the black could go around
:44:26. > :44:31.the table. He has taken the double on. Can you believe it? He has
:44:32. > :44:37.screwed the white into the middle pocket. He has thrown the frame away
:44:38. > :44:43.there. And Xiao still looks as calm as ever. All of a sudden, this young
:44:44. > :44:56.Chinese player is all square with Ali Carter. Four each. It really was
:44:57. > :45:03.an excellent frame of snooker. Carter recovering after losing three
:45:04. > :45:09.on the trot to win it. And end the first session leading by five frames
:45:10. > :45:17.to four. Xiao showing no signs of nerves. They would resume at 230
:45:18. > :45:23.later this afternoon. And just before we leave you, developing
:45:24. > :45:32.story proceeding. The reason opportunity for wild cards to be
:45:33. > :45:36.given to some of the champions. There has been a lot said about
:45:37. > :45:44.Steve Davies being given a wild card to stay on to, what are your
:45:45. > :45:48.thoughts on that? Yes I think it is good. It is good for me because I
:45:49. > :45:56.would probably be in that position at some point myself. It is
:45:57. > :46:00.certainly, for selfish reasons, I think if I was in that position and
:46:01. > :46:04.I wanted to play a wouldn't want to have to go through the qualifying
:46:05. > :46:09.school. So to be able to come in at round one and still compete, I think
:46:10. > :46:11.it is good. Steve still loves playing, he has been a great
:46:12. > :46:16.ambassador for the game. I think those people should have an
:46:17. > :46:21.opportunity to compete if they want to. Wherever we go around the world
:46:22. > :46:27.to have them part of it is definitely a plus. To me, I don't
:46:28. > :46:32.see why they shouldn't get it if it doesn't get pushed through a think
:46:33. > :46:37.it would be a crazy decision. Not to have them there. Let's hope they do
:46:38. > :46:41.the right thing and give some of our greatest players that are played
:46:42. > :46:46.this game that opportunity. Stephen plays 70% of what it can play and
:46:47. > :46:52.still wins tournaments. Whether he can get that form back, whether he
:46:53. > :46:55.has the desire and motivation to put the working on the practice table,
:46:56. > :47:03.which was some unlike Stephen, he will have to do. And I said in the
:47:04. > :47:07.night, I don't know whether it is a thing I would relish. I am finding
:47:08. > :47:12.it tough to do it now and I am still competing in the latter stages of
:47:13. > :47:18.tournaments. As you get older the motivation to put your practice in
:47:19. > :47:22.is not easy. But if Stephen puts his mind to something, he is very
:47:23. > :47:26.professional and very dedicated to what he does and I'm sure he will
:47:27. > :47:33.make a measured decision. If he decides to come onto sure he will
:47:34. > :47:40.give it as good ago as he can do it. Ronnie O'Sullivan there on the idea
:47:41. > :47:45.of a wild card later on the snooker to. I am sure we'll hear more about
:47:46. > :47:51.that here at the Crucible in later days. That is it from us to now. If
:47:52. > :47:57.you want more snooker, snooker extra is up next and then we are back with
:47:58. > :48:01.further coverage live from the Crucible here at 10am on BBC Two.
:48:02. > :48:09.From all of us here, goodbye for now.
:48:10. > :48:18.Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd. E-mail: accessibility@bskyb.com.