BBC Two, First Round Snooker: World Championship

To win it was like a fairy tale. It is one of the greatest achievements

I have ever done. I sometimes think it is not how good you are, it is

out off you are, how much resiliency you have. -- how tough.

Hello again. Ronnie O'Sullivan is one of those players who transcends

the sport. A once in a generation talent, making the game looks so

easy. He certainly did last year, and now he is back at the world

championship going for three in a row. A career total of six that take

him level with Hendry, rewritten, Steve Davis. -- Ray Reardon. But

there are one or two heavyweight contenders who will also be in the

mix. The home of the World Snooker

Championships since 1937, the Crucible has become iconic venue.

The city of steel as the city of snooker, and the fans know their

stuff. The players prepare in here, the

dressing rooms. They may gain nervous or past champions of the

past, -- nervous or. This auditorium has a spine tingling atmosphere. It

is undoubtedly the best venue to ply your trade. At the end of this

corridor, 18 different winners have stepped out. Here she is. The

majestic trophy. We have both been lucky enough to win it, and again we

start a journey to find out the champion. In addition to the trophy,

they are playing for the biggest cheque in snooker history. ?300,000.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is favourite to cash it. He turned 12 months ago

having virtually missed the entire season and still won the tournament,

an extraordinary achievement. But this time he is very diligent in his

preparation. His opening match is against Robin Hull, has waited 12

years to get act of this famous venue. -- to get active. I started

putting in three hours a day, consistently. Potentially 17 days

playing at the Crucible. I like being here. I have friends here. It

is good to get away from home, this is a good place to come, they have

good facilities, I have friends, it works well. We Crucible is a special

place to play at, but obviously it is nice to win. This is the biggest

tournament we play in, a special tournament for all the players.

There is always pressure to do well. In most peoples eyes, people like me

and John Higgins, we have to expect Titian, having done before. -- we

have the expectation. Other people have a good seasons. Neil Robertson

has been strong. And nobody has had a better season than Ding Junhui. He

is the former man. -- form man. I try not to get sucked into equalling

records or breaking them. It is about enjoying life and having a

good time while I am here. Records are something, if it happens, it

happens. But I am not sure I have the motivation or really want to

break that record. I remember, I was not happy

afterwards. I was dumped by Graeme Dott. It was a tough game, had to

relax. But it is different now, just wonderful to be back. I fell ill.

Looking at it, snooker wise, the timing was unlucky. But that is

life. That is how it goes. But now I work at the good out of it, lots of

things that have changed in my life because of time out of snooker, and

I just really enjoy playing now. The tournament who is meant to bring out

the most solvent, mentally, play-off. -- solid, mentally,

player. Whoever picks up the trophy has been tested to the maximum. It

is about focusing on my own game. Playing the next shot. Just a case

of keeping your head down until somebody taps you on the shoulder,

saying, it is over now. I am just looking forward to it.

A difficult journey for Robin Hull, the lowest ranked player in the

tournament. If you go right down to the bottom, 122 in the world. The

lowest ranked player at the Crucible for 12 years. He is 39 years old,

has been in the game for 22 years. Done virtually nothing all season,

just one victory. Then four matches on the trot this week, including

victory over Peter Tipton. Ebdon. As is tradition, the champion keeps --

kicks things off Mike. The atmosphere was electric.

Beautifully cute. That was a chance. The defending champion takes the

first frame. Played it beautifully. As sensational break of 124 from the

rocket. Can you believe that? Ronnie O'Sullivan leads by 3-0. This is a

toff think. Well played. Let gravity take over. Well played, Robin Hull.

3-1. A century each so far. We rejoined them in frame five.

A chance for Robin Hull, and not a bad one.

For loose reds, a bit like a practice routine you would set up.

This should be food and drink to somebody like rotten. -- Robin. If

you slightly loses position, he has the safety of the red in the bowl

area. He has slightly and screwed that one.

He would prefer to play the red into the far right corner. But it is

pretty straight. Managed to force the cue ball out. He wants to come

down this end of the table again. This is where you will score a bit

more heavily. It is going to be difficult to win the frame at this

visit, but half a chance. I am a little bit surprised he did

not play on the green. He would have been coming down to the three red.

But decided not to, played for Brown instead.

That was disappointing. He decided to play for the black. Look at where

the cue ball finished, the Blackwood not have been easy. Following an

off, you mentioned the green after he potted the yellow. I thought

there was a chance then. But sometimes, you just concentrate on

potting balls. Maybe it gets a little bit stifled in your mind, you

don't look as far ahead as you should do. There have been examples

of him being overcautious. He is not playing the shots he would normally

play. That is what Ronnie O'Sullivan does to you. You think, what happens

if I miss? I understand entirely, I have played him myself. But you just

need to keep playing your own game, the right shots for you.

It only takes one slip. But he still has a nice lead. You would think

Ronnie will not win the frame at this visit. It has not worked out

that night. Where that has finished is not too bad.

Has he over screwed it? I think he has. The red is not on. Careless. A

very strange way to play it. He left it in the Balkan area, cannot

snooker himself. -- baulk. OK, the red might just have put him

off . Always a chance he could snooker himself.

Will this sneak in behind the black? Good effort, not quite, but still a

decent safety. 21 point lead. He is in a spot of bother. Two reds

are close together behind the yellow. Might just be a drop onto

the cushion here. That is excellent, well done. A

better shot than I had picked out. Well thought out. Funnily enough,

Robin Hull cannot run to a safety off it.

He does not want a touching bowl. But it has been called one. You can

see the wry smile from Robin. The last thing he wanted. We have all

done it. In the end, you do the one thing you don't want to do. The

dreaded touching ball. Just wondering, could he play off

the pink? He is deciding just to go around the ankles. -- angles.

It is not the type of frame that Ronnie is enamoured with. Very

scrappy. Highly unlikely, but from Ronnie's

point of view, a frame over 30 minutes. Not many of them in his

career. Only one thing wrong with long frames, not winning them. When

you go to the black something, it really hurts is, all that energy and

time for nothing. A good clean pot. But this black, he

will need to play with pace. Not too inviting. Just going for the

snooker. Could have played it a bit better. Little lapses from Ronnie.

To coin a phrase, just seems to have taken his eye off the ball. I wonder

if you just wanted to call for the reds with the blue. More interested

in lining them up. He seemed to be a little more lax than normally.

He did very well to find the gap. Possible rate? -- red? Can he popped

one? Robin Hull, still be slight

favourite for this frame. Some very good matchplay, another

perfect shot. You have just got to be careful here, if you play on the

loose red, absent dead weight required.

It is the chance. Black and pink out of commission, you need the three

remaining reds. No problem with the next one, but

that one typed on the cushion, it is a stinker.

The fact is, 28 of course, I miss counted. No heroics needed.

Mathematics was never my strong point. Well played. Some very good

stuff. Ronnie needs one snooker. If you

does not get it, it is 3-2. Touch, line, lengths, everything,

get out of this! If you lean on one cushion, you have half a chance.

There may be a possibility of an escape.

Great cue ball. He tried to flick the pink out back into play. It

looks like he has got one of them. I think Robin can just get to the edge

of it, really, but it is not ideal. If you can get to the left-hand

side, he will knock it to the right-hand corner. Careful with

this. He has sent towards the corner, he

needs something to help him. Nothing has, his only insurance is, how does

Ronnie get from pink to black? Many times we have called him a genius,

he will need to be to get from pink to black. Very tough indeed.

That was a better shot than it looked, believe you me. He has done

well. You can play frames where you miss

pots, and they do stick in your mind. But to lose the frame when

your opponent needed snookers, it can really hurt. What a shot this

would be. What a shock this is! What a shot that is! Robin must be

admiring that. This for the frame, after needing a snooker. Well

played. What a shot! Vintage Ronnie O'Sullivan. It is for- one to the

reigning champion. The last time they faced each other, Ronnie won

that. Into the next frame. How would he react?

He has only just got pasta baulk line. Look at the pot success.

Ronnie's is 100%. But this is tough. He cued it beautifully, right into

the heart of the pocket. That was a feature of it.

In the Masters against Ricky Walden, he had a 97% pot success rate, and

Ricky Walden had 100%! Apart from his pot building, his

safety play is as good as anyone who has ever played.

That nearly went wrong. Just managed to sneak past.

It hits its thick, it is no good, but gets a nudge.

This is the last of the loose reds suite he is trying to get onto a

colour. He needs a steady hand to get that back into position.

The red closest to the pink spot may be available into the corner, but

you would think Ronnie Wood is looking for an angle here. He

decided to do it from the blue, and he has the perfect angle. I do not

blame him for that. If he hits the two at the top he hits the two at

the Torpy should open up. -- the two at the top, it should open up. A bit

like that. He is just asking for it to be cleaned, because there is some

chalk on it. You get a little bit of powder when people place crucial is.

-- play screw shots. See that, that is the chalk as it

lands on the table. It can easily be picked up by one of the balls. That

can cause heavy contact. A little bit more angle on the blue

than he needed. 52 points in the league. Still 83 remaining.

He has come a little bit too far up the table. A choice of two to play

on. Not ideal, but I think he can drop

it and. He lost the last frame, and this is

a bit more like the type of crime that suits him, quickfire. He played

a tremendous shot to bring the red into play.

We did not see a century, but we saw Ronnie O'Sullivan in full flow, once

again. A lovely break and he knows stretches his lead to 5-1.

Still, a four frame gap as we pick them up at the top of the ninth

frame. It is the last of the session.

And think he will be satisfied with that much time. One of the frames

nearly took 40 minutes. The target is ten for a place into

the second round, then it is the best of 25 rounds.

I bet he cannot believe he has done that.

Just a simple run-up, and he left that.

They think Ronnie cannot get through to the one that he wants to play. He

could retain position on the black, but who's to know what would happen?

Can he get through? You can get through.

He can roll the tenant play in the opposite corner. He would have liked

a little bit more angle on the black, but he should be able to move

that. These are always tricky shots with

the cue extension. It changes the weight of the cue and makes it more

difficult to judge. He does not have a great deal to do. He should

negotiate it no problem. A choice of rates to play for. --

reds. He decided to play the cannon, and it is low-key but they did not

open up as much as he would have liked.

Will he try to get back onto the black from the plant? He is not on

the black. He will have two settle for the blue or pink.

I have a feeling we will have a few other opportunities. The main thing

is to get the 7-2 lead and consider it a job well done. Robin Hull will

be kicking himself over that earlier shot. Very good stuff from him. His

matchplay has been good, he made a century break, if I was him I would

be having a bit of practice on the practice table on the long game,

which has held him back a little. I would not say Ronnie has been

perfect because he has been overrunning a few. Any glimmer of a

chance, you have got to take against this man. Can we see another century

break Western -- century break? Not quite. That is the end of the first

session. It is always a bit of a banana skin for the reigning

champion, but it does not look like it is for Ronnie O'Sullivan. At the

end of those mainframes, it is Ronnie O'Sullivan who leads 7-2.

They will come back this evening to complete the match. There was a

potentially large turning point in the match, when they came back from

the interval. You spotted something that might have had a bearing. Robin

Hull potted the last red and left the white ball on the cushion,

leaving Ronnie O'Sullivan needing snookers. If he got the brown into

the pocket, he was home and dry. So he plays this shot, he is out with

the brain, and he has left Ronnie O'Sullivan back at the table. Then

Ronnie O'Sullivan plays very good snooker and gets back in the game.

Robin Hull should not have played the brown in the middle pocket,

Robin Hull should not have played the brown in the middle he should

have put another ball safe and played a safety shot because he had

the controlling interest. Those tactical things that can also win

and lose frames is good break building. You saw the focus and

concentration, and a clenched fist at the end, which shows he is really

in the mood. Yes, big difference. Actually, I think he will be very

pleased with his date was my quirk. What do you do to come back from

this? I used to go to sleep. That depends on whether you have got the

ability to switch back on. For a couple of hours later, he will chill

out, relax, and you do not want to eat too soon, but not wait too long

either. It is all about planning your food. So much in the detail!

Ronnie is one of 32 men trying to win this world title, so let us just

remained you of the draw. We have four champions and four first

timers. -- remained you. It is fair to save at Stuart

Bingham, at 36, has been a late Bloomer. It took him six years to

win a major cable, the Australian open a couple of years back. Since

then he has moved up the world rankings. He comes into The Crucible

as the world number six. As for his performances in the World

Championships, he made quite a stir in 2000, when he put out Stephen

Hendry, but since then his best has been a run to the quarterfinals last

year. They just remained you of the points in his timeline. Daschle

by one the world amateur title in 1996. In the year 2000 they beat

Stephen Hendry 10-7 in the World Championships. In 2006 I became the

first player to win the Masters qualifier twice. My first ranking

title was the 2011 Australian open. I have made three competitive 147s.

I have my wife, a son and a stepdaughter. It is great to be

back, I am very excited and over the moon. When you come to the end of

the season, you want to be part of The Crucible. It is better being

here as a player than a pundit. I-mate be the oldest player in the

two are meant, but mentally I still feel like a teenager going out and I

cannot wait for it to start. I have been lucky I have my name on a

trophy, but it was only once, and a lot of players will never get a

chance to win that turn and. You have got to play your best. I have

got Stuart Bingham to play. He is one of the best players in the

world. There is no doubt about that. He can beat anyone and has done in

the past. It is going to be a tough game. Is it going to be my last

appearance? I certainly hope not. I hope there will be more appearances

at The Crucible. I am 44. I am not coming to make up the numbers, I

tell you that. The pressure should be on the rest of the guys. I am

going to enjoy it. I will play as best as I can. I do not know what

will unfold, but let's see how the balls life. The last time they met

was in 2002, and was in line to get a huge bonus but missed the pink!

He 44, the oldest this year. They have met eight times in total, and

have four matches apiece. Stuart Bingham is for-2 in front, and the

match is being watched by Terry Griffiths and Willie Thorne.

He has done OK, playing into the bottom corner.

Mainframes in this morning session, and he knows if he wins this one it

will take some sort of lead into the final session, but how big will lead

to be? The concentration on positioning the

blue, he forgot about the pot. He had to get low-down on the blue to

get a nice angle. Have they covered themselves up? I

think they have. He was not expecting that case. They are all

covered. He has not looked great since

leaving the previous frame. That was a very difficult one.

He may have decided to go for more, changing the pattern of play. What

an excellent shot. But once again, everything seems to be covering the

left-hand corner. At half shot leaving this in the

middle. We were talking about what size lead

Stuart Bingham would have going into the final session. But Ken Doherty

has a chance of cloying one back. He has picked up the pace a little

bit more around the table. It has been said that Ken hasn't played the

game aggressively enough. An excellent player but relies too

heavily on his safety and tactical play.

A second break over 50 in this match.

This black would make the highest break of the match so far for Ken.

More importantly, a red and a collar with either frame. -- a colour would

be the frame. And that puts the frame beyond any doubt. He can now

concentrate on making a crucible century.

What a shame. But what a fabulous break by Ken Doherty. Stuart Bingham

knows he should have won that frame. But Ken Doherty trailing only 4-3.

Having been three down, he is now within one. We rejoin with Stuart

Bingham having the work to do, 28 adrift.

He may play a snooker here. I don't know if he thinks he can get onto

the red. Obviously the couple -- double was

on. But you would think you would make sure of the snooker.

Would have liked to have been touching behind the pink, it would

have made an escape much more difficult.

He had to hit higher up the cushion, very strong with backspin

to narrow the angle. He played it perfectly. But of course, he did not

play for the pot. Amazing. Only 16 points in front but if the black

Kozinski has won the frame. -- goes in. I am not saying it was not the

right choice, but we have talked about him being not as aggressive as

the other players. I wonder if that will cost him.

Cannot hold for the green. Ideally he would like to refuse the pot, as

the safety is not straightforward. He can play it dead weight, I think.

But obviously not. He could have. A bit further out from the back

cushion may be. I am not saying you would play that

shop on a regular basis, but there was an opportunity.

I keep wondering why Ken refused that black having fluked the red.

Did he miss that slightly? Not quite sure if you could drop this in dead

weight and staying on the Brown. He has. That was excellent.

That was one of the worst safety shots Ken has played.

Can you believe that? Did not see that being missed. Nor did Stuart.

He will be disappointed not to snooker him. I cannot believe that

Ken has played three bad safety shots in a row. He does not normally

play that many in a season. I thought he would make that one. He

is good at those shots. As it turns out, this will need a lot of screw

back to play the blue. The problem is that Ken does not have the power

that Stuart has got. He has got to make the Brown. Better off here

making sure of the Brown and leaving a longer shot on the blue.

Running through and that was very tough. It is a toss of a coin who

will win this frame. There has been some really good snooker in this

match so far, but some poor shots also from both players. As you might

expect in the first round. Now, where is the white going? Very good.

Could not sleep that letter. -- have played that better. He had a look,

had a smile to himself! Ken is not smiling. The cue ball is six inches

away from where he wanted it. He will definitely be ahead going

into the second session, but by how many? The last frame is very tight,

Ken Doherty ahead by just one point .

Not sure if he can cut the black in.

Looking back, apart from one or two frames, either player could be five

frames in front. It is one of those matches. Stuart Bingham has looked

the more aggressive. Ken is trying to be ultra-careful. If you are

going to progress in this tournament, you need to be able to

more aggressive. It is a different game from ten, 15 years ago. But it

is difficult to change your style. That is the way he plays, relying on

safety and tactics. Amazingly enough, if you can see this, he may

be able to what it. -- pot. Is there room? Not quite. Surprised

he did not play a thicker safety shot, but the green came to his

rescue. Ken, very disappointed. You would

expect him to get the cue ball behind the pink.

Trying to use the baulk, to snooker behind.

He has made a mess of that one. Call it a little bit too thick, came out

into the middle off the table. Half a chance.

It is a strange place, the Crucible. The tension in this place, it is by

far and away the most exciting place to placement can. Placement, -- play

snooker. This will be tough to get safe. Very good.

He is on the baulk colours. The pressure is on.

Left himself a rest shot, but his rest success is 90%. 18 out of 20

before this, he never looked like missing. Massive. One frame behind

or three? He will be absolutely delighted, Ken Doherty, to just be

at one going into the second session tomorrow. He was 3-0 behind, of

course, Stuart Bingham will be disappointed he did not push on.

Some cheering from the crowd, some Irish people supporting, and why

not? She has worked hard to get back into it. -- he.

Back into the game, beautifully. He has grafted superbly. Originally

struggling to get confidence, second session he looked a lot more fluid.

He can be delighted, from three - zero behind, a marvellous recovery.

Perhaps it is difficult to get a grip early in a match. Why? It can

be the way that you don't get off to a flying start. Perhaps being the

oldest player in the tournament has been a factor, or maybe it was just

the way that particular session went. But he can to things around

and graft back in. Some players cannot do that. What he lacks in cue

power, he makes up for in tactical nuance. Even though he is 28 in the

world now, when Stuart's name came out in the hat, I am sure Ken had a

little groom. -- goran. He is not just a journeyman. Both of them

would have thought, there are enough, I will settle for that is a

draw. Nearly time for the second session to start, 2:30pm. It will

feature Shaun Murphy. We'll last saw him beaten handsomely by Mark Selby

at the Masters. He said, maybe my time winning titles has passed. A

real crisis of confidence. But since then he has gone and one two

tournaments, -- won, and confidence is surging again.

I have seen films with worst scripts. It was a massive moment in

my life. I look back on it with exceptional fondness obviously. As

far as snooker goes, the highlight of my career. Do you ask yourself,

how did I do it? Constantly, because I have not done it since. I tried to

work out what I did, in what order, and what intensity, I did. So what

is the key component, the elusive ingredient? Technically, my game was

better than it has ever been. If I'm completely honest, my work ethic, my

practice ethic was a lot higher when I was 22. I had not achieved

anything, I was still striving for it. If I have been guilty of

anything the past few seasons, it has not been working to the same

amount. Was it too much too soon? You see all these self-help books,

how to cope with defeat. But not many on how to cope with success. I

was 22, incomplete security, suddenly people know who you are.

You are the petrol station, somebody once an autograph. -- wants. I still

find it strange when they ask, I am just somebody who plays snooker for

a living. Is it enough there? Definitely not. It is a frustration

that I do not feel I have won enough ranking events. I have not worked

hard enough. Last year my manager and Best mate called me a part-time

snooker player. That hurt. But what hurt the most was, I could not

argue. I thought, he is right, actually. I am fortunate enough to

be surrounded by people who are friendly enough and care enough to

say that. Things that are not easy to hear. At 31 years of age, I

wonder, do you think, how many more seasons do I have? Without sounding

big headed, I don't think I have reached my peak. You can go on now

into your mid or late 30s. Look at Ronnie O'Sullivan. Champion at 38.

Maybe the best is still to come? I think he is a better player than he

was 15 years ago. If he can do it, why can't I? What do still want to

achieve? To be more than a one-time champion. There is a special place

reserved for people who have one repeatedly. The burning desire is to

lift the trophy again. The 2005 champion, out very shortly. He plays

the world number 53, a real triumph for Jamie to be here. He was

suffering from a debilitating condition that caused him shakes on

the shot. A real bonus to see him back. We will take the walk

backstage in a matter of moments. John, is it a stomach churning as

usual? I have sweaty palms! There is something very special about this

place. There is nothing like the walk through that door, knowing you

are going into that great auditorium. I came here first as a

13-year-old boy to watch, it has never left me. Should be a cracker

this afternoon. But first, we swap channels, heading to BBC One for

continued coverage. We will see you in about 60 seconds. Good wife. --

goodbye. In 1750, two visionaries

were brought together This was a benefit concert

on a massive scale.