Day 9 Snooker: World Championship Highlights

Good evening to you and welcome back to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield

and highlights of Day nine of the 2017 Betfred World Championships.

Coming up, we have a cracking second round match between Marco Fu and

Neil Robertson. First, another man is through to the last eight.

Scotland's Stephen Maguire who had to qualify for this year's World

Championship after dropping out of the top 16. He thrashed Rory McLeod

13-3 to reach the last date for the first time since 2012. It's one of

those ones where I was thinking he would be on a bit of a hive. If I

could get him early, there is always come down no matter what you do, do

something good and something comes after it, so it worked out quite

well for me. First 13, it's going to be hard for him to come back because

I'm not going to give him any easy frames. I think 6-2, the first

session, it wasn't that good for him. To many congratulations to

Stephen Maguire. Now to our main match this evening, 2010 champion

Neil Robertson taking on Marco Fu. At the end of the first session,

they were locked for- four. Robertson took the first two friends

of the evening. Robertson to play. Commentary from John Virgo and Peter

Ebdon. Great opportunity this for Neil

Robertson. He could take a two frame advantage.

Played that well, needed a deep screw on the right-hand side. He

didn't get the immediate back spin on the ball.

Taken the opportunity to bring some of the reds into play. That's OK.

There is one immediately below the pink available to the right corner

so it shouldn't be a problem. This red is OK for a right-hander.

But Neil isn't a right-hander. You'd still expect him to knock the

red in. There is a bit of pressure on this.

I didn't expect him to miss it, either but he got a shock to his

system when that red struggled in. Even though it went in, he was on

the black, he never recovered the position. Maybe it's just put him

off a bit. This is a good shots. That is a cracker! Really punishing

Neil Robertson. That was a tough shots to take on and he's played it

inch perfect. Obviously, the right-hand side,

pocketing that red will release the one on the left hand side into a

possible position. This pink will put him 11 points in front.

These three remaining reds, with colours, high value colours, he

would be at the snooker 's required stage.

Looks as though he played for a choice of reds. He's landed nicely

on the one on the cushioning. He's taking the opportunity and I don't

blame him. Could be the frame-winner! Played it

well. After the black, he still needs a red and eight colour.

He couldn't have played this any better. Beautifully played. 27

ahead, 35 remaining, not for long. 28 in front with 27 remaining after

potting this. Then popped the pink Mac.

Wonderful break this has been. It has. I thought Marco was very brave

to play the red dead weight because if he had got a kick, it wouldn't

have reached the pocket. Thankfully, he was thinking positively!

A poor positional shot from Neil Robertson caused him to miss the

red. And Marco, beautiful opening red, has won this frame. Neil is

ready to go. We started the evening all square, we are still all square.

It is 6-6. Neil Robertson, four more frames to

be played this session. Final session tomorrow afternoon. Can

anyone get an advantage? Nice opening red but... I think we

can see from that type of shot that he's a bit tentative because

normally you'd play that with the confidence to stop short of the

baulk line. Definitely playing it has a shot to nothing. The problem

with playing Neil Robertson, he is such an outstanding long potter, you

don't want to leave with an opportunity to get his hand on the

table. That was an interesting choice of shot. Yes, very

aggressive. He hasn't got a good cue ball. He has left the chance of a

pot. If Neil can get past the green to play safe, he is forced to take

it on. He didn't fully commit. That was one

of them shots where you think, I might get away with it if it doesn't

go in. There is a good chance of getting away with it, providing you

don't overcome the red by that extent. For Neil Robertson, that was

a long way away. So, that attacking safety shot from Marco, when he ran

the yellow into the cluster of reds to open up the game has worked to

his advantage. He gets the first good chance.

You see the side bar, he needs another 43 points to get to the

snookers required stage. Normally, you'd think probably get

the yellow back up the table but there is a red there and I don't

know if the yellow wasn't on that spot it wouldn't be available. He

has decided he has to get the yellow up the table. You can understand

why. It just clears the path for the black. No obstacles to get on the

black. Could have played it better, but we all make mistakes.

That time, letting the cue ball slide a few inches too far.

Shouldn't be a problem. Played that cannon very nicely. That

is the sort of shot that if you get it slightly too thick or contact,

the cue ball stays in the middle of the table, he would have been aware

of that playing that shot. It looked simple enough but it could have gone

wrong. This is very impressive from Marco Fu here. He shows you the

advantage of playing that very attacking safety shot. He stopped in

his tracks but he's at the point where these smokers are needed. 67

points remaining, 68 ahead. He overran that a little bit.

And that should mean Neil Robertson will not get a chance to come back

to the table. Very clever shot from Marco on the

red. It shows you his intentions to keep the game open. As you said,

with such a long potter, as Neil Robertson, that was a great shot to

play. He got his reward. Well, and unexpectedness. Neil Robertson

looking at the scoreboard. He nods his concession. So, Marco Fu for the

first time now in the match goes in front.

Straight onto the next frame. Robertson leading by 20 points.

He has given himself a great opportunity now, Neil, by forcing

Marco into that mistake. He still needs to take it.

It's such a fine line at this top level, you're always looking for the

shot to nothing, if you can, especially if you can play it with a

degree of safety but as you quite rightly pointed out and as Neil

Robertson proved if you can play top-class safety shot and put your

opponent under pressure, sometimes that's the best way to create an

opportunity. It's always been the way, yes, with the modern players,

they see one opportunity and they think of winning the frame with it.

Not certain whether pink is going to go. It goes on the highest

available, the green spot. He's still got the blue and black

available into the corners. And this is just the sort of

gripping and intense encounter that the Crucible crowd 's love. Both

players playing very well, both players showing signs of tension,

to. Both players showing healthy respect for each other. All the

makings of a top-class match. And an enthralling one, too. Absolutely

fascinating stuff between these two world-class exponents of our

beautiful game. Just another 13 points needed. Two

reds, two blacks but if he is going for the blue... Once again, he has

failed to get the right side of the blue, making it hard for himself.

One red and one black would mean there would be 67 remaining. That

isn't the first one he has missed! Just off straight. If it was

straight, it was and missable for him. Once again, he's not finding

the middle of the cue ball, that's all I can think. You're correct,

he's playing this with a touch of left-hand side. And that's why the

red is going thick. He's missed that a few times this evening. So just

needs a slight adjustment. He was fortunate. Normally, when you

miss and you're in, it can be costly but he didn't leave anything. But he

needs another chance. He has had one.

We all know how straight Neil Robertson gets through the ball. I'm

just wondering if that particular shot is one of the rare shots

because Neil is so strongly right I sighted, that may be one of the rare

shots were he thinks he's hitting the cue ball but maybe he is cueing

with a touch of left. He will forget about it now because it's just the

yellow now. And one more red and this frame will be in the bag.

One thing is for certain. We've got a match on here. Absolutely and a

cracking one at that. Just to explain, as we were saying, the ball

cannot go to its spot, and it goes as close to its spot as it can in a

direct line with the cushion. Leaving himself the double on the

red. It doesn't matter because the frame

was over. He was fortunate not to leave

anything when he missed. It is 7-7. All square again. Marco

Fu to play, trailing by eight. It would be fairly safe to assume

that Marco has made a terrible mistake. Didn't see that one coming.

That's the thing, isn't it, it can just be one shot at this level. As I

say, I commentated on the first session of this match. I'm pointing

the finger at both players, identifying the got the balance. One

minute, they're ultra-careful. Next minute, they want to lash out at

one. Half a chance, I'll jump on that one! And that was, as you say,

a presumable attempt at a pot but it was a very dangerous shot to go for,

for Marco, considering he had an easy enough safety. Don't go for

pots if you don't think you can get it safe, if you miss. Not from that

distance. Anyway, here's another chance for Neil.

I thought it was a safety, but I think he played the pot. Playing the

pot, he was going to run into the black. I think Marco felt he could

play that as a shot to nothing but because he hit it so thick, he

cannoned into one of the balls and this is the result.

He has thrown a lifeline, to be perfectly honest, to Neil Robertson

because Neil has been under a lot of pressure this evening. You can't

keep giving chances like this to somebody like Neil Robertson because

he will grow in confidence. 24 points needed from the situation to

get to the snookers required stage. Yeah, in the first part of the

morning session, the first session today, when Neil led 4-1, when Marco

was coming back in, you felt Marco would have been happy with 4-4.

Whereas, this evening, I'd think Neil would be happy being all square

at this particular moment. And a great chance here to go one frame in

front! Making the last frame of this session massive.

And you can tell a very subtle shift in Neil Robertson's body language.

And it shows in the pot success percentages.

How about that? Balls potted, 220 apiece.

Another shake of the head. Thing is about this type of shot, without any

problem in practice, you play this with right-hand side, popped the

black, but he's frightened to use these side.

Just about got enough on just to check it slightly. The problem with

that shot on the superfine Klos is the check doesn't really check. It

slides. He had to watch the cue ball. He

will settle for that! That is a result. This black will put him 59

points in front with 59 remaining. Only needs one more red to clinch

the frame. He has played that pretty well. OK,

it is a testing little red here. He's got to fully commit.

And he did fully commit. Played it at such a pace that even if it

caught the job, it would drop. -- jaw. That means the way back to the

table now for Marco. -- no way back to the table. And it really is that

fine line, just a slight misjudgement on a shot to nothing

from Marco Fu gave Neil Robertson this opportunity and Neil Robertson

regained the lead. What a fascinating match. It is a

fascinating match, into the final frame of the session, Neil Robertson

to play, 54 points behind. Well, how did that not going? --

goal in? Well, I must admit, I thought it was

the right shot. He has left this red, it will go to the corner, but

the one over the quarter, Marco cannot get through to. -- over the

corner. It is not an easy leave here. To be perfectly honest, Neil

Robertson has got away with that. Because this straight -ish red is

horrible, digging down, trying to screw back for the black, it is so

easy to miss this, you will probably miss this four or five times out of

ten. That is brilliant, that is fantastic. Well played, Marco Fu.

And that deserves to win any frame. Peter described the difficulty. But

in it went. And I don't blame Neil for playing that plant, I thought it

was on. And now, Marco is already at the

point where Neil needs a Stoker. And from what I have seen and I have

commentated on the pulse of these sessions, I think eight the piece is

a fair score. Sometimes, what is fair and what is not fair is in the

lap of the gods. But Marco and Neil will look back on chances they have

had and not taken. But as I say, from my point of view as a neutral,

I think eight apiece just about sums up what has happened today.

And as we have said, Peter, on a few occasions, on the pressure, it will

be double that tomorrow in the final session. Absolutely, absolutely

cracking match to look forward to tomorrow, both players are playing

well and have felt pressure, which is great to see, because it proves

that they are human. We are still used to them playing such incredible

snooker to have a credible standard and a distaste and that they are

human and can make mistakes well. -- to such an in credible standard. --

incredible standard. These matches are made up of three

stations, the first sessions eight frames apiece, and there will be a

possible nine tomorrow. It would not surprise me if they were all played.

That is how close this match could be. It does not matter about the

pink. And Neil Robertson will shake Marco's hand and say I will see you

tomorrow. And that is the date they will have tomorrow afternoon, they

will be back to play the final session. What am match we may have

in store. At the moment, nothing separate Marco Fu and Neil Robertson

at eight apiece. Wonderful Stoker. They played to a finish and you can

see that live on BBC Two. Now to our next match featuring a Barry

Hawkins, runner-up in 2013 taking on Graham Dart. Hawkins is 5-3 up after

the first session and then he won four frames, but after the interval,

a revival, Graham. Winning two. Let's show you what happens. Dott to

play. Not perfect colour, might have to be

the brown. -- not perfect on the colour. Looking for one good pot on

the brown and one good cue ball. There is a good pot. And about the

cue ball. Just a little bit closer to the cushion than he intended.

That looks as if there is one available past the black, if it is

dead straight, well it is not dead straight, that looks awkward, he

cannot get past the pink and the other cannot get past the black, it

is the one near enough on the blue spot that he will choose.

And make no mistake, Graham Dott will realise that Barry Hawkins is

vulnerable little book, especially on that last attempt at a straight

red. Still cannot get into perfect

position. He needs one good positional shot to make it a lot

easier for himself. That was a bonus, he could hold for

this red behind the black spot area. And gradually, things are starting

to open up here. There is a little spring in the

Scott's step all of the sudden. He has got a slightly heavy contact

their as he swings the cue around. The problem with heavy contact, it

has left him on the black, rather awkwardly. All the reds are

available in the left corner pocket, they are covering each other into

the right corner. APPLAUSE. Might have played for it

there. Can he see it? Just about. He knew the two reds were almost in

line for the pocket. If he can make that, said the first red onto the

right jaw as we look at it. Just a completely different player

than we saw in the first four frames tonight.

I honestly could not see how he would win a frame the way he was

playing, before the interval. I think in close he is OK, it was

just his long potting that was letting him down. He has had to work

really hard for this break, because he has never been in an ideal

position. I think that is probably why Graeme

Dott is probably not one of the biggest scorers in snooker, I do not

think his cue ball control is as good as a lot of the top players.

His highest break in the match so far is 74.

APPLAUSE. One more red. APPLAUSE. Very timely break again.

Doing very well here, Graeme Dott. He is not hanging about. It is the

flying Scotsman at the moment, Stephen.

He just keeps potting at the moment. What a last frame we have got now in

this patch. For some reason, momentum is can shift from one

player to the other. Hawkins won seven or eight frames in a row.

Graeme Dott has now won three in a row, can he win the fourth. --?

APPLAUSE. Back on at one o'clock tomorrow afternoon, this match,

played to a conclusion. APPLAUSE. They have had 47 centuries

this year in the Betfred Championship. Graeme Dott has only

made five centuries this season, so this is a very timely one.

And it will be his first in this year's World Championship.

A very timely century break from Graeme Dott. He really is one of the

game's great battlers. It is the black going into the pocket. It is

all the way around the ankles. Unlucky. But it has made things very

interesting, because that is three in a row, and Graeme Dott is only

three frames behind. Brilliant break, Hawkins would have been

relieved to win the next. He goes into the final frame with a

advantage. Meanwhile, the defending champion, Mark Selby is in pretty

good shape as he goes into his final session against Xiao Guodong. We

will see if Mark Selby can book his place in the quarterfinals. That is

it for now, but Marco Fu and Neil Robertson is beautifully poised and

we will see which one of them will progress in the last day when we

return. Snooker extra follows this programme. Thank you for watching.

Goodbye for now. Full disclosure - you're looking at

a room of double glazing salesmen. we're not quite the social pariahs

you lot probably know and loathe.