:00:07. > :00:13.A big reception for all four players. Some deficits for a couple
:00:14. > :00:16.of players coming out here this morning, all the more reason to give
:00:17. > :00:20.them a massive reception. These guys dedicate their lives travelling
:00:21. > :00:24.round the world spending huge amounts of time away from their
:00:25. > :00:28.families to get to the very top for this chance to get to the one-table
:00:29. > :00:32.set-up. They deserve a huge reception, I know you'll oblige,
:00:33. > :00:35.have a fabulous mummy, were getting to the business end of this
:00:36. > :01:06.championship and today could be very tasty indeed.
:01:07. > :01:14.This second session of the quarterfinal is always a moving day,
:01:15. > :01:25.you've got to get in position to win. So, John Higgins' fourth
:01:26. > :01:29.century. Brilliant. Absolutely flawless. John Higgins goes further
:01:30. > :01:38.clear, leading 6-3. You can see his reaction, his
:01:39. > :01:51.purist, absolutely furious. I thought he was going to at least
:01:52. > :01:59.give himself a chance to get the blue out. Excellent start by John
:02:00. > :02:07.Higgins, taking the first two frames.
:02:08. > :02:19.John Higgins is starting to miss one or two. Well done, a badly needed
:02:20. > :02:26.frame to stop the rot. He reduces the deficit 7-4.
:02:27. > :02:37.The old man needs to do a lot to get back into it. Absolutely magnificent
:02:38. > :02:44.break from John Higgins! 135. He now goes five frames in front.
:02:45. > :02:55.Showing great character here, Kyren Wilson. He let his head go down a
:02:56. > :02:57.bit. What a shame, no century but Kyren Wilson will be pretty pleased
:02:58. > :03:23.with the frame. A great night for John Higgins,
:03:24. > :03:27.taking a six frame advantage going into the final session.
:03:28. > :03:38.We had some sound issues from the beginning of the programme,
:03:39. > :03:46.apologies for that. Let's see the draw. Mark Selby, the defending
:03:47. > :03:57.champion 6-2 in front against Marco Fu. Ronnie O'Sullivan crashing out,
:03:58. > :04:03.in danger. And Barry Hawkins is against Stephen Maguire. This is how
:04:04. > :04:08.airline in out this morning. John Higgins and Kyren Wilson here this
:04:09. > :04:14.morning. Mark Selby and Marco Fu available on the red button. Peter
:04:15. > :04:22.Ebdon is beside me, good morning. Let's start with John Higgins. Do
:04:23. > :04:26.you think he will win today? I don't know, the problems Kyren Wilson had
:04:27. > :04:31.with his tip have had a major impact. John Higgins is on top form
:04:32. > :04:38.so Cairo would have been struggling anyway. Not much you can do when
:04:39. > :04:48.John Higgins is hitting the ball as cleanly as he is. He's the -- one of
:04:49. > :04:52.the greatest. He did really well at the start of the season, then his
:04:53. > :04:58.form dipped a little bit, but the top players in the world have a
:04:59. > :05:01.habit of getting themselves right for the big occasion. And it is all
:05:02. > :05:06.about timing and John Higgins will be very well prepared. He very
:05:07. > :05:15.rarely says how well he's playing in practice. He let everybody know.
:05:16. > :05:20.He's going to get very close. Kyren was in here five minutes ago, he
:05:21. > :05:24.looks nervous, knowing the exit is nigh, almost. I wouldn't be so sure
:05:25. > :05:27.about it because he's got the class to compete with John Higgins and if
:05:28. > :05:35.he can win the first four friends, anything can happen. Mark Selby, is
:05:36. > :05:39.in complete control? Very tough to beat, great matchplay and Marco has
:05:40. > :05:45.done tremendously well to come back from 5-0 down. But Marco Fu has had
:05:46. > :05:51.two exhausting matches before this one which has had an impact on his
:05:52. > :05:56.performance. We only have so much nervous energy. So he is up against
:05:57. > :05:59.it, playing the world number one and Mark has been the world number one
:06:00. > :06:03.for such a long time. He deserves it, he's a great champion, a great
:06:04. > :06:08.ambassador. He works as hard as anybody in the game. He gets
:06:09. > :06:13.everything he deserves. There are many people on social media
:06:14. > :06:17.wondering whether Ronnie O'Sullivan can come back because, let's face
:06:18. > :06:20.it, the way he played yesterday evening, it looks like he's going
:06:21. > :06:27.out the Championship. Again, he's the class. If Ronnie goes into one,
:06:28. > :06:31.you never know. The century Ronnie made in the last frame was
:06:32. > :06:36.absolutely sublime and he made it in about five or six minutes, it was
:06:37. > :06:39.magnificent. This morning, it's all about Batman, John Higgins. Four
:06:40. > :06:45.times world champion at the Crucible. He is looking at his
:06:46. > :06:49.arena, he wants to get out there and get this done. Peter Ebdon can get
:06:50. > :06:52.to the commentary box. Let's say good morning to Rob
:06:53. > :06:57.Walker. Thank you, good morning, ladies and gentlemen. This is the
:06:58. > :07:05.day, we complete the line-up for the semifinals of the Betfred snooker
:07:06. > :07:10.World Championship. The coveted one-table set-up is sure to get the
:07:11. > :07:25.pulses racing. We are in for a day of drama here at the Crucible!
:07:26. > :07:37.Is well come, first of all, a player who has already come from behind
:07:38. > :07:42.twice this year in Sheffield, 7-1 to Luca, 4-1 to Neil Robertson. This
:07:43. > :07:48.season's Scottish Open championship, from Hong Kong, here comes Marco Fu!
:07:49. > :08:02.MUSIC: Superheroes by The Script
:08:03. > :08:10.And his opponent, a player who has been world number one for over two
:08:11. > :08:15.years, adding four ranking titles to his collection of this season alone.
:08:16. > :08:17.Reigning UK champion, defending world champion, here comes the
:08:18. > :08:22.Jester from Leicester, Mark Selby! MUSIC: eez-eh
:08:23. > :08:42.by Kasabian And on table two, here comes the
:08:43. > :08:45.youngest player to have made it through to the Crucible
:08:46. > :08:50.quarterfinals in each of the last two years, Shanghai Masters champion
:08:51. > :08:53.in 2015, he made the final in India this season. Under pressure this
:08:54. > :08:56.morning but determined to show his class because he is the warrior,
:08:57. > :08:59.Kyren Wilson! MUSIC: See you later
:09:00. > :09:21.Aligator by Bill Haley And, finally, one of Scotland's
:09:22. > :09:25.all-time sporting greats, just two frames away from an eight Crucible
:09:26. > :09:31.semifinal but his first for six years. Winner of 28 ranking crowns,
:09:32. > :09:58.four times a champion of the world, the Wizard of Wishaw, John Higgins!
:09:59. > :10:05.So, here we are live on BBC Two for you. John Higgins against Kyren
:10:06. > :10:12.Wilson in the company of John Virgo and Peter Ebdon.
:10:13. > :10:25.Thank you, and welcome to the Chris Bell theatre. -- the Crucible
:10:26. > :10:32.Theatre. Just needing two more frames for a place in the semifinal,
:10:33. > :10:38.John Higgins. So, no need to tell you what Kyren Wilson needs to do.
:10:39. > :10:43.He needs a quick start. As you've been saying in the studio, Peter, if
:10:44. > :10:49.he could win the first four friends, which isn't beyond the realms of
:10:50. > :10:53.possibility, it would put him back in the match and it would make John
:10:54. > :11:06.Higgins think a little. Absolutely. Good morning, John and everyone.
:11:07. > :11:08.This really is a huge task that faces Kyren Wilson this morning. And
:11:09. > :11:21.John Higgins is in great form. Just looking at his pot success, it
:11:22. > :11:25.is at 93% again, in that marvellous man she had with Mark Allen, he was
:11:26. > :11:40.at 94%. So, the levels are high. He called the red much too thick,
:11:41. > :12:01.that is why he ran into more reds but no harm done, by the look of it.
:12:02. > :12:24.Could not have played that any better.
:12:25. > :12:30.It has been a commanding performance so far from John Higgins in this
:12:31. > :12:42.match. It's almost like it is resistance of the old guard.
:12:43. > :13:06.It's amazing how John Higgins has rediscovered himself this season.
:13:07. > :13:17.I thought he caught it too thin but he just found enough. I thought it
:13:18. > :13:19.was going to stay in the jaws. He will need everything to go his way
:13:20. > :13:35.this morning, Kyren. I know he has a big future in the
:13:36. > :13:40.game and he will have many years, you'd have thought, with him being
:13:41. > :13:45.equal at the top of the game but chances, when they come, you've got
:13:46. > :13:59.to take them. No good thinking I've got a long career ahead of me.
:14:00. > :14:05.The big problem is, no matter how good you are, there is only one
:14:06. > :14:11.World Championship each year. Would we be sitting here in 2017 thinking
:14:12. > :14:13.that Ding Junhui had not won the World Championship? It is almost
:14:14. > :14:26.impossible to comprehend. Another one that just caught the jaw
:14:27. > :14:31.but it dropped. I think when anyone comes along and they are saying he's
:14:32. > :14:39.going to be a world champion for certain, I always think of Jimmy.
:14:40. > :14:49.That time, he called the jaw and it didn't go in. He hasn't left
:14:50. > :14:51.anything, but it is a little bit debilitating when you miss one like
:14:52. > :15:07.that. You mentioned Jimmy White, it's such
:15:08. > :15:11.a great testament to Jimmy White's character and mental strength
:15:12. > :15:16.because losing in six world finals, that would have broken most people
:15:17. > :15:20.but Jimmy White is not an ordinary person. He is a great champion in
:15:21. > :15:24.his own right and a great ambassador for snooker. Unbelievable, and the
:15:25. > :15:30.one thing he has got in common with us, he loves the game. Which is why
:15:31. > :15:38.he was so pleased to get the wild card to stay on the tour next year.
:15:39. > :15:43.Kyren does not want to leave free ball. He may well have done.
:15:44. > :15:55.It is a free ball which John Higgins will gladly accept. It is a straight
:15:56. > :16:15.brown to the middle and a chance to score.
:16:16. > :16:22.I've been so impressed with John Higgins so far in this tournament.
:16:23. > :16:31.He really does look as if he is back to his best. He times the ball so
:16:32. > :16:36.well. We've spoken about what a great technique he's got. He is long
:16:37. > :16:53.and smooth. There's probably nobody that times
:16:54. > :16:58.the ball better. When he is playing well, the balls reach the pocket at
:16:59. > :17:03.far less pace which makes the pockets bigger.
:17:04. > :17:14.That was a difficult shot and it went right in the heart of the
:17:15. > :17:20.pocket. Well played. Yes, how many times do we see those miss? That was
:17:21. > :17:27.going in, no matter how small the pocket was. That was beautifully
:17:28. > :17:34.struck. I know we hark back to the match with Mark Allen. Mark Allen
:17:35. > :17:38.played... Well, apart from the odd bad contact, he didn't do anything
:17:39. > :17:47.wrong and, yet, John Higgins still beat him 13-9. That really was an
:17:48. > :17:50.incredible match. Mark Allen played so well, he'd have beaten most other
:17:51. > :17:59.players in the tournament, the way he played. That's just gone wrong.
:18:00. > :18:06.He thought the cannon on the red would leave him one to the right
:18:07. > :18:14.corner. He's got the advantage of a touching ball, so he will go back to
:18:15. > :18:19.the baulk end. I think when you win a match like that, you come here and
:18:20. > :18:24.it proves you're playing well, it gives you confidence to go on. I've
:18:25. > :18:29.always said to people that you don't find your form here. You've got to
:18:30. > :18:33.bring your game in here and have confidence you're going to play
:18:34. > :18:41.well. Not to be playing poorly and think, I'm just going to sparkle
:18:42. > :18:48.when the curtain opens or when you walk down those steps.
:18:49. > :18:56.It's nestled behind the Greenhill, that's good!
:18:57. > :19:02.All players and John Higgins will be thinking that was fortunate from
:19:03. > :19:06.Kyren because the intention is to get the cue ball as tight to the
:19:07. > :19:32.baulk cushion. REFEREE: Foul and a miss. Has he
:19:33. > :19:38.left anything on? He has left nothing on. Kyren having replaced
:19:39. > :19:46.but you have to say if John Higgins can repeat that line with a bit more
:19:47. > :20:26.pace, it would be the perfect escape.
:20:27. > :20:34.Very nicely played. Kyren immediately having a look. A
:20:35. > :20:39.possibility of a plant here. Can he get to it? With the distance between
:20:40. > :21:29.the two reds, risky. Badly misjudged long pot. Missed it,
:21:30. > :21:42.ran into the reds, a chance for Kyren.
:21:43. > :21:50.We haven't seen too many misjudgements from John Higgins in
:21:51. > :21:55.the whole tournament, let alone in this match.
:21:56. > :22:06.He didn't play that blew well. Should be more straight on this red
:22:07. > :22:29.to bonnet through for the black. -- to run it through for the black.
:22:30. > :22:45.Just got a slight angle on the blue but not the best angle.
:22:46. > :22:51.He has cued that nicely. Never easy, that, cueing in the jaws of the
:22:52. > :23:01.pocket. I was surprised he decided to play
:23:02. > :23:09.off the cushion because if the play the cue ball through two feet, he'd
:23:10. > :23:12.have had this red straight into the right-hand black pocket and he
:23:13. > :23:17.could've stayed on the black but he's got to go up for the blue
:23:18. > :23:24.now... Well, a very unexpected myths. Trying to pinch a little bit
:23:25. > :23:29.there to hold for the black which, once again, if he had been straight
:23:30. > :23:36.on the red, wouldn't have had to do anything. That isn't the start he
:23:37. > :23:44.was looking for or needed in this frame.
:23:45. > :23:52.It is going to be a big ask for John Higgins to win the frame at this
:23:53. > :23:54.visit but he is at the table and the way he has been playing, you
:23:55. > :24:09.wouldn't put it past him. This has been a very stern
:24:10. > :24:13.examination in this match for Kyren Wilson. Because they don't come much
:24:14. > :24:18.tougher than John Higgins. But he will learn an awful lot from this
:24:19. > :24:30.match. He will realise just how tough it is at the top table.
:24:31. > :24:37.John Higgins has found out what it's like to try to compete at the
:24:38. > :24:48.biggest stage against one of the greatest of all time, in top form.
:24:49. > :24:57.He has brought those two reds into play.
:24:58. > :25:02.He will need at least five of the remaining reds, with colours. It
:25:03. > :25:56.isn't a formality, as I say. Has to be careful there but I think
:25:57. > :26:28.he has just about held the cue ball. This black will put him 32 points in
:26:29. > :26:38.front. He will still be looking for red, colour, red after this.
:26:39. > :26:53.Deciding to play for one of the awkward reds, such was the angle he
:26:54. > :26:56.had on the black. Whenever they are tight against the cushion, it makes
:26:57. > :28:16.the pot so much easier. When he came to the table, I said it
:28:17. > :28:22.was not an easy run to the line but, once again, he doesn't let you down.
:28:23. > :28:28.He has missed the red but it doesn't matter because there's no way back
:28:29. > :28:30.to the table for Kyren Wilson. John Higgins now one frame away from a
:28:31. > :28:41.place in the semifinal. If there was ever going to be a
:28:42. > :28:47.comeback, Peter, I think Kyren needed to take advantage of these
:28:48. > :28:53.first opportunities. Should not be missing reds like that. Or can't
:28:54. > :28:57.afford to. It is the angle you'd want to punch and go up for the
:28:58. > :29:02.blue. If you try to hold that and you get some side on, it is easily
:29:03. > :29:07.missed so I was surprised the way he played it. It must be difficult for
:29:08. > :29:11.him to think clearly. He must be totally tomorrow I is because John
:29:12. > :29:17.Higgins has played so well in this match. He has had problems, Kyren
:29:18. > :29:22.Wilson, and that saps your confidence, it can destroy it
:29:23. > :29:28.completely, if you lose confidence in your tip because you don't know
:29:29. > :29:33.how it is going to be reacting. You struggle with your safety, your long
:29:34. > :29:37.game goes, it is difficult with tip problems. There's enough things
:29:38. > :29:42.going on in your head when you get here to the Crucible Theatre, the
:29:43. > :29:45.last thing he needed was a problem with his tip. I feel for him in that
:29:46. > :30:13.respect. So, Kyren Wilson gets frame 13 under
:30:14. > :30:22.way. Sorry, frame 18. He probably wishes it was frame 13! He'll be
:30:23. > :30:27.hoping he can play a few more frames. But his World Championship
:30:28. > :31:23.hopes are hanging by a thread. Well worth having a go at. Got
:31:24. > :31:33.nothing to lose, really. You've got to go fish... S. -- you've got to go
:31:34. > :31:43.for shots. Go out with a bang rather than a whimper. I think John Higgins
:31:44. > :32:18.thought that was in for a second. Taking his red on. Where's the Red
:32:19. > :32:23.Bull going? -- Red ball. He could have done with a bit of luck... Just
:32:24. > :34:20.didn't catch the pocket. He's playing it in the top corner
:34:21. > :34:30.pocket. That's what, of course, made the blue missable. It's enough to
:34:31. > :34:45.block the pocket. It's amazing how it is nearly found
:34:46. > :34:54.its way to that corner pocket, isn't it? At first glance, Kyren has been
:34:55. > :34:59.very fortunate there. He would have expected to leave a red on, having
:35:00. > :35:16.missed the blue and gone into the pack of reds. John Higgins has left
:35:17. > :35:27.a little tester for him, here. The balls open.
:35:28. > :36:11.This is why John Higgins is such a tough match player. He knows that
:36:12. > :36:16.he's got Kyren Wilson under tremendous pressure, now and that
:36:17. > :36:20.Kyren will be looking to perhaps take on shots that maybe he
:36:21. > :36:31.shouldn't. John Higgins had a choice of long reds, refused both of them.
:36:32. > :36:40.Played a good safety shot. Kyren is playing safe, quite rightly. That's
:36:41. > :37:11.a very good safety shot, well played. APPLAUSE
:37:12. > :37:23.John may be looking to leave the cue ball behind the black, here. That's
:37:24. > :37:34.OK. Is there a road that goes in the centre? -- a red. John Higgins, did
:37:35. > :37:45.he deliberately leave this one for Kyren to have a go at? We know how
:37:46. > :37:51.tough they are into the middle. He may have well left him that attempt.
:37:52. > :38:09.I remember before your time, actually, Peter, Ray used to do that
:38:10. > :38:12.with Alex. The reason I say that is it would have been easy for John
:38:13. > :38:23.Higgins to play that hard and get the cue ball behind the black. So I
:38:24. > :38:31.feel that he did indeed leave that tempting pot for Kyren into the left
:38:32. > :38:42.centre, which was a very tough pot. Is John thinking of taking his red
:38:43. > :38:45.on? Just waiting, I think... Somebody is probably an well. When
:38:46. > :39:05.they open the doors at the top of the stairs, it lets in the daylight.
:39:06. > :39:21.I think we've got the thumbs up from the security man at the top. I think
:39:22. > :39:24.John is just waiting while they sort this out. When they take someone
:39:25. > :39:28.out, they open the door and you get the daylight come through, which is
:39:29. > :39:49.obviously very distracting. But while we wait for this... John
:39:50. > :39:55.Higgins has certainly proved that it's not a young man's game, Peter,
:39:56. > :39:59.this year. Not when you are as good as John Higgins, certainly. It gives
:40:00. > :40:03.you a bit of hope for the future. Absolutely. John may be able to play
:40:04. > :40:08.this into the yellow pocket as a shot to nothing. I thought he could
:40:09. > :40:13.take that into the yellow pocket and back to the black cushion. If the
:40:14. > :40:19.red went in, he'd be on the blue. But he played an excellent safety
:40:20. > :40:35.shot. Kyren Wilson does have a tough read into the right centre, here. --
:40:36. > :40:49.tough red. It's there. APPLAUSE It was always on the top, but the
:40:50. > :40:53.pace was perfect. Yes, John, it does give me hope that there might be a
:40:54. > :40:59.bit of snooker left for me to be honest. What will that home to me
:41:00. > :41:02.more than anything was being part of the 40th anniversary celebrations.
:41:03. > :41:07.It was so special to be part of that as a former world champion. I
:41:08. > :41:11.thought it was time for me to rededicate myself to snooker. I've
:41:12. > :41:15.had a few other interests in the last few years but you only get out
:41:16. > :41:22.of this game what you put into it. You do. And it goes so quickly. Time
:41:23. > :41:33.flies. I mean, 40 years I've been coming here.
:41:34. > :41:42.You're a long time retired, as they say. Speaking of which, where you a
:41:43. > :41:49.bit surprised that Stephen Hendrie retired at such a young age? I was.
:41:50. > :41:54.To be perfectly honest with you. I think the thing is with Steven, he
:41:55. > :41:59.was such a competitive animal and he wanted to win. When he dropped a few
:42:00. > :42:03.notches, didn't feel as though he could get it back. Changed to use a
:42:04. > :42:22.few times. If you're a born winner, you don't remember there's that.
:42:23. > :42:26.APPLAUSE Kyren Wilson keeps leaving himself
:42:27. > :42:31.very difficult pots into these middle pockets. He's got another
:42:32. > :42:35.tough one, here. He is not guaranteed to be on a red unless he
:42:36. > :42:44.plays it with pace, the red into the right corner. This makes this black
:42:45. > :42:55.really missable. This time it's just a little bit low. Not the type hit
:42:56. > :43:03.have gone for. Under the circumstances you'd rather go out
:43:04. > :43:07.with a bang but a whimper. He's given John Higgins a chance and John
:43:08. > :43:15.Higgins comes to the table. He was only 24 points behind. Kyren may be
:43:16. > :43:24.fearing the worst. I think he'll get another shot. How far behind he'll
:43:25. > :43:30.be, depends what John Higgins makes of this opportunity. Although I said
:43:31. > :43:33.in the last frame, it's going to be difficult for John Higgins to win
:43:34. > :43:39.the frame at this visit, but you wouldn't put anything past him. I
:43:40. > :43:46.did add that caveat! I'm wondering if John Higgins might try to get the
:43:47. > :43:53.black back into play. No real need to do that of course, because you've
:43:54. > :44:05.got the blue and pink to work with. He could have got behind the black.
:44:06. > :44:08.Choosing to play for the pink. And make no mistake about it, John
:44:09. > :44:13.Higgins will be giving it everything he has got. To win this frame and
:44:14. > :44:44.match, in this visit. APPLAUSE I'm not certain about the
:44:45. > :44:48.availability of those two reds that are together immediately to the left
:44:49. > :44:52.of the pink, they might not be available. Certainly one of the reds
:44:53. > :44:56.of the two near the left-hand cushion will go, you'd have thought,
:44:57. > :45:01.to the left corner. He may have to play for one of those, here. He may
:45:02. > :45:11.have the angle to drop behind them, into the middle. He did. And that's
:45:12. > :45:16.a much better choice. And once he pots one of these reds, he makes the
:45:17. > :45:29.other one more available. A bit short on the blue. He's
:45:30. > :45:33.looking at the pink. I don't know if he's got the potting angle to pot
:45:34. > :45:47.the blue and carry on to those two reds. He has, I think. It's perfect.
:45:48. > :45:53.Just carom into those two reds... That surprised me. Obviously, the
:45:54. > :46:03.top one goes to the left middle. It didn't look as though it did.
:46:04. > :46:20.I think he could hit enough of it, don't you? Yes, I think he could.
:46:21. > :46:27.There's an uncharacteristic mistake from John Higgins, especially with
:46:28. > :46:30.the winning line in sight. It was an uncompromising looking situation
:46:31. > :46:35.when it came to the table, he wouldn't really have fancied him to
:46:36. > :46:40.clear up. After just a few shots you thought, this may well be on, now.
:46:41. > :46:52.So, another chance for Kyren Wilson to get another frame on the board,
:46:53. > :46:57.here. When you're playing from this situation, you're playing for one
:46:58. > :47:07.thing. No thought of winning the match, you're playing for pride. May
:47:08. > :47:13.well leave himself the angle on this next read into the centre, to play
:47:14. > :47:18.the top spin of the cushion and bring the red on the side cushion
:47:19. > :47:26.into play. Could be pushing the red over the middle pocket, and should
:47:27. > :47:37.be on the blue. If it comes off. He may not just have the angle...
:47:38. > :48:02.Doesn't have the angle to play the shot that Peter suggested.
:48:03. > :48:08.Thinking back about frames that have gone against Kyren, I remember one
:48:09. > :48:12.frame in the first session yesterday morning when he had a black similar
:48:13. > :48:16.to this, just a pot it and be on the yellow to clear up to win. Strangely
:48:17. > :48:22.enough I was just thinking about the black that he missed with the rest.
:48:23. > :48:32.Very surprising missed it was and very costly, as it turned out.
:48:33. > :49:05.Cannon nice and this thread will go past the pink. Good shot. Quick
:49:06. > :49:16.glance at the scoreboard. 22 points the lead. He couldn't have struck
:49:17. > :49:25.this any better, what a beautiful positional shot that was. A cracker!
:49:26. > :49:39.This red to go 28 points in front, with just 27 remaining. The vital
:49:40. > :49:55.frame ball! How many times do we see it missed? And John Higgins, as we
:49:56. > :50:04.watch that miss again, circumstances anything is going to be missed by
:50:05. > :50:09.the young man. That was a pity. John Higgins if he pots this red, gets
:50:10. > :50:17.position on the collar, this could be frame and match winning
:50:18. > :50:28.opportunity. -- position on the colour. Good kiss on the ground. Not
:50:29. > :51:00.really. 26 points behind. 27 remaining.
:51:01. > :51:14.Well, decided to go for it. But he's left it. That's the thing about John
:51:15. > :51:23.Higgins. He's still having a word with himself, and he misses a shot.
:51:24. > :51:27.APPLAUSE He'll get another chance now. Kyren
:51:28. > :51:49.Wilson, fair play to him, he isn't lying down here. APPLAUSE
:51:50. > :52:00.It didn't matter about the blue, and John Higgins takes his seat and not
:52:01. > :52:04.the concession. So Kyren Wilson, as I say, hanging by a thread. Now six
:52:05. > :53:15.behind a game, 12-6 John Higgins. And there you go, he got to the
:53:16. > :53:19.quarterfinal last year. I'm certain when he came in as a seeded player
:53:20. > :53:25.this year, he was really looking forward to it. The tip, as Peter
:53:26. > :53:34.said, didn't help. But that's the way it goes sometimes. You've just
:53:35. > :53:43.got to hang in there. Take one frame at a time, that's all you can do.
:53:44. > :53:53.That is all you can do, John. So, John Higgins breaks off. Frame 19.
:53:54. > :53:58.Leading 12-6. Just needing one more frame. For a place in the semifinal.
:53:59. > :54:21.A gain. If you are going to miss those, you
:54:22. > :54:25.bear on the side of it. You have to take little goals are now, he's only
:54:26. > :54:31.playing for pride really at the moment, Kyren. Try to take this
:54:32. > :54:41.match beyond the mid session interval. That would be one goal.
:54:42. > :54:54.It's unlike John to play safe and catch the blue. Not left a pot on,
:54:55. > :55:00.easy safety fit Kyren. Good chance to get the cue ball behind the
:55:01. > :55:05.yellow, swinging round the angles. Not really hit that hard enough. The
:55:06. > :55:09.cue ball needed to be a bit deeper into the cushion as well, which
:55:10. > :55:26.means he needed a slightly thicker contact on the red that he played.
:55:27. > :55:45.That's a little short from John Higgins.
:55:46. > :55:56.Is Kyren taking this on? He is, and that's an excellent pot. Well
:55:57. > :56:03.played. APPLAUSE A little flick on the green, there.
:56:04. > :56:15.As you say, excellent pot. Found a path. He's taking it on...
:56:16. > :56:24.And played it well. That's OK! It looked like the cue ball was going
:56:25. > :56:26.up the table, a red came and said, hang on, stop there! He's perfect
:56:27. > :58:27.from the red. What a shame. I know what he's
:58:28. > :58:32.feeling. Easy black off the spot. Could have left a bit of a legacy,
:58:33. > :58:40.even if he'd lost this match, by making the highest break of the
:58:41. > :58:45.tournament. He had a chance, there. He'll be feeling bad enough as it
:58:46. > :58:56.is, the way this match has turned out, missing the black like that.
:58:57. > :59:01.You want a hole to swallow you up. This really has been a baptism of
:59:02. > :59:07.fire. Kyren Wilson will be back. And he'll be back stronger. He made the
:59:08. > :59:10.quarterfinals last year, losing to the eventual champion and world
:59:11. > :59:20.number one Mark Selby. He's had another really stiff and stern
:59:21. > :59:22.examination, here, from the four-time world champion John
:59:23. > :59:27.Higgins, one of the greatest match players we've ever seen, in top
:59:28. > :59:31.form. Kyren will be very, very disappointed with the way he's
:59:32. > :59:40.played in this match. But it will be tremendous experience for him. It's
:59:41. > :59:43.hard to think of that when you're out there, watching your opponent
:59:44. > :59:47.pot the balls that will take him past the winning line. But you've
:59:48. > :59:53.got to take positives out of everything. If we could all do that
:59:54. > :59:57.in life, then sometimes when things aren't going too well, you can
:59:58. > :00:21.remember that hopefully they can turn, and will turn.
:00:22. > :00:29.And to be perfectly honest it is how defeats and disappointments in life
:00:30. > :00:32.and the strength we gain from that experience that ultimately shapes us
:00:33. > :00:45.into becoming the people we were bent to be. Yes. But he gets another
:00:46. > :00:47.chance, an unexpected one. Unexpected myths from John Higgins
:00:48. > :01:01.here. -- unexpectedness. He wasn't happy with that. I wonder
:01:02. > :01:08.how many of those John Higgins misses in a season. He will probably
:01:09. > :01:12.be losing a little bit of focus. He thinks the match is won and you
:01:13. > :01:24.wouldn't disagree with him. You've still got to pot the balls.
:01:25. > :01:57.Played this nicely. He can now play for the black.
:01:58. > :02:07.So, these reds just above the black, if he can get the majority of them,
:02:08. > :02:16.he will have another frame on the scoreboard.
:02:17. > :02:23.It seems to be the middle pockets that are catching both players out
:02:24. > :02:29.this morning. What a chance he's missed. And that could be his last
:02:30. > :02:37.one. It's hard to think positive when you're in situations like this.
:02:38. > :02:41.And John Higgins, after those couple of missed opportunities, that pink
:02:42. > :02:48.at the last visit that he missed into the middle, he will be wanting
:02:49. > :02:54.to put it right right now and seal the match at this visit. Just got
:02:55. > :03:54.the right angle on the blue. These four reds, four blacks, yellow
:03:55. > :04:05.and green for a place in the semifinal.
:04:06. > :04:11.I'm just sitting here thinking, John, how many very good players
:04:12. > :04:18.come into the game and have come into the game down the years, and it
:04:19. > :04:22.makes me realise and appreciate just how special the top players, like
:04:23. > :04:27.Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Williams, John Higgins, Stephen Hendry, Steve
:04:28. > :04:34.Davis have been down the years, the outstanding champions. They do it
:04:35. > :04:40.year in, year out. It's so difficult to fulfil your potential at the
:04:41. > :04:45.highest level. I have every respect for these great champions.
:04:46. > :04:49.Sometimes, John, it's difficult to handle winning, isn't it? It
:04:50. > :04:53.certainly is, and the trappings that go with it. I think longevity in any
:04:54. > :05:16.sport is what makes great champions. He doesn't want the case. But
:05:17. > :05:44.couldn't avoid it. APPLAUSE.
:05:45. > :05:49.Just struggled its way in. And he's just about on the brown. The pink
:05:50. > :06:36.mages near the baulk cushion but he doesn't need the pink.
:06:37. > :06:43.22 points of the lead, 22 points remaining.
:06:44. > :07:02.In goes the blue, no way back for young Kyren Wilson. He held John
:07:03. > :07:09.Higgins early on in the match, then he had tip problems, then John
:07:10. > :07:13.Higgins turned it on. Kyren Wilson, he'll be back, he's got too much
:07:14. > :07:18.talent not to be blocked John Higgins, marvellous performance. He
:07:19. > :07:25.produced it against Mark Allen and in this one with a pot success of
:07:26. > :07:26.92%. He is through to his eighth World Championship semifinal. He
:07:27. > :07:35.wins 13-6. Kyren Wilson beaten by Mark Selby
:07:36. > :07:40.last year and there you can see just how much fun John Higgins is having.
:07:41. > :07:45.He's so settled in Sheffield having fun with somebody he knows in the
:07:46. > :07:51.crowd. Yes, Maltese George, went to shake his hand and John gave him one
:07:52. > :07:54.of them. He was delighted and it was a magnificent win against Kyren
:07:55. > :07:58.Wilson but John Higgins showing his class. We said at the beginning of
:07:59. > :08:04.the programme John would look to get over the line nice and early. Kyren
:08:05. > :08:08.was still in the room and you didn't want to make him more nervous but he
:08:09. > :08:14.isn't really playing well in this match at all. To be perfectly honest
:08:15. > :08:18.and to be fair with him, when you have tip problems it plays with your
:08:19. > :08:23.mind because you can't control the cue ball, your long game isn't
:08:24. > :08:26.there, your safety gayness and there and it really plays on your mind and
:08:27. > :08:29.there's enough pressure out there especially when you're playing
:08:30. > :08:34.someone like John Higgins. John will join us for a chat, his way. The
:08:35. > :08:38.other interesting thing about John Higgins, we've talked to Steve Davis
:08:39. > :08:42.about this during the match on our show yesterday evening, I remember
:08:43. > :08:45.being in a news conference a few years ago where John was looking at
:08:46. > :08:50.the press and thinking I might this pack this in. Here we are, he's in
:08:51. > :08:56.the semifinal since winning the title in 2011, it's such a
:08:57. > :09:00.remarkable recovery. He such a remarkable champion because he holds
:09:01. > :09:06.such high levels for himself. Congratulations, he's here. Here's
:09:07. > :09:09.your microphone. I said, John was such an outstanding champion, he
:09:10. > :09:15.holds self to such high levels that when things are not going right, you
:09:16. > :09:19.beat yourself up, and to be honest the only way to right the wrongs is
:09:20. > :09:24.to work even harder and I'm sure John has done that. He's hitting the
:09:25. > :09:28.ball very well, as well as I've seen for a long time and I'm sure you've
:09:29. > :09:37.put a tremendous amount of work into this tournament. Not really, Peter!
:09:38. > :09:41.Obviously, a lot of the Scottish boys were down qualifying so only me
:09:42. > :09:46.and Andy McGill were in Scotland and we played against each other. And
:09:47. > :09:52.you couldn't wait to come down and play here. You are a natural you
:09:53. > :09:57.don't need to put the work in? Luckily, I'm playing decent but it
:09:58. > :10:02.can all go south quickly. I was just saying I remember being in the press
:10:03. > :10:07.conference a few years ago where you looked absolutely beaten and you
:10:08. > :10:11.talked about packing it in. The transformation has been incredible,
:10:12. > :10:16.first semifinal since 2011. Who knows, you could win another title.
:10:17. > :10:20.Two games away, you've obviously got a chance. Other great players will
:10:21. > :10:25.be in the semifinal as but you've got a chance. It's great to be down
:10:26. > :10:29.to the one-table set-up once again and I haven't experienced it since
:10:30. > :10:33.2011 and Peter will tell you it's the best place to place linker. I'm
:10:34. > :10:41.so chuffed our have a chance to play that as well. Do you think everybody
:10:42. > :10:45.has been talking about Mark Selby retaining his title, Ronnie
:10:46. > :10:51.O'Sullivan getting the title but not many people have been talking about
:10:52. > :10:55.this fellow winning his fifth world title? I can promise you nobody
:10:56. > :11:01.wants to be playing John Higgins in top form. Nobody. Simple as that.
:11:02. > :11:07.Listen, it's the same with all the top players when you hit form.
:11:08. > :11:11.Players can reel off five or six frames. I fancy I can do that during
:11:12. > :11:16.this tournament and that is what you need to do to try and win it here.
:11:17. > :11:19.John, a quick word about Kyren Wilson because at the start of the
:11:20. > :11:23.championships, Peter and I were chatting on one of our shows where
:11:24. > :11:28.he talked about he thinks Kyren has the capability to win the title at
:11:29. > :11:35.the Crucible. Beaten today, lost at this stage to Mark Selby, do you
:11:36. > :11:39.also share that view? He was unlucky he had some problems. I'm not going
:11:40. > :11:46.to ask him how his tip is but I could see when it happened, he had a
:11:47. > :11:52.very small tip anyway. He put a new one on. He had a hole in the tip.
:11:53. > :11:55.After he miscued, it was a hole and he couldn't continue because
:11:56. > :12:02.whenever he played with top spin, he would have miscued. I had a quick
:12:03. > :12:07.glance and it was a very small tip. I think he was bashing it against
:12:08. > :12:11.the wall to knock it in in sheer frustration! One thing I've always
:12:12. > :12:18.wanted to ask you, how do you manage to keep so still under pressure? For
:12:19. > :12:22.all the young players watching out there, I say in commentary if there
:12:23. > :12:25.was one player you'd look too technically to try and reproduce the
:12:26. > :12:31.technique, it would be John Higgins, how do you manage to keep so still
:12:32. > :12:35.under pressure? I don't know. I suppose it's been the way I've
:12:36. > :12:40.always played. I've always been pretty still on the shot. What
:12:41. > :12:45.you're feeling inside, it's different, but I've always managed
:12:46. > :12:49.to keep pretty still. I suppose that is what has saved me so well over
:12:50. > :12:52.the years. One-table set-up, you're back tomorrow evening what you do
:12:53. > :12:59.between now and then? Nothing much, get a bit of practice, watch Stephen
:13:00. > :13:06.and Barry sweat it out in a thriller tonight. And get ready for tomorrow
:13:07. > :13:10.night. There's been some social media activity this morning. You
:13:11. > :13:22.won't know this but you walk on to Deacon blue. Ricky Ross doesn't know
:13:23. > :13:28.you walk on to Dignity. I think he's thinking of royalties. Brilliant
:13:29. > :13:36.band, one of my favourite song was. No doubt he will wish you all the
:13:37. > :13:39.best. Congratulations, top stuff. Let's turn our attention to Mark
:13:40. > :13:41.Selby. Last night he got a lead over Marco Fu. If you were not with us,
:13:42. > :13:51.here's the recapture. It will be a very interesting first
:13:52. > :14:03.session, no doubt. Another cut. Over 40 minutes since
:14:04. > :14:44.he last potted ball. That is nearly embarrassment level
:14:45. > :14:49.for a professional snooker player. He's really struggling out there.
:14:50. > :14:57.Mark Selby comfortably in front, 4-0.
:14:58. > :15:11.Missable but he played it well. So, he's got a frame on the scoreboard!
:15:12. > :15:19.Inch perfect, wonderful positional shot. Mark Selby, you can see the
:15:20. > :15:21.fist pump, he was pleased to win the last one to take the overnight
:15:22. > :15:30.advantage, 6-2. Marco Fu looks exhausted and you can
:15:31. > :15:34.understand why after that marathon match against Neil Robertson the
:15:35. > :15:39.night before. Let's join the action in the first frame of this morning's
:15:40. > :15:49.session. Commentary from Willie Thorne and Stephen Hendry.
:15:50. > :15:54.Mark Selby has just played a careless shot. He may be able to cut
:15:55. > :16:14.this one into the corner. Maybe he feels a little bit too
:16:15. > :16:19.close to the red to play for the baulk colour. He may attempt this
:16:20. > :16:29.pot into the corner to end the stalemate.
:16:30. > :16:46.Not inspiring much confidence to Mr pot from that distance. -- to miss a
:16:47. > :17:02.pot. Lovely cueing. It's always nice to
:17:03. > :17:17.get one of them in early. Medium length. It isn't a great opportunity
:17:18. > :17:36.where the black is. Didn't get the side cue-mac on the
:17:37. > :18:17.cue ball, straight on the blue. That pink isn't on so he will have
:18:18. > :18:22.to play for the blue. With the black being slightly out of commission,
:18:23. > :18:36.and the pink, too, it is the blue. One of those cannons where you don't
:18:37. > :18:41.have to played firm because as you can see there's one little spring
:18:42. > :18:49.towards the right-hand corner and the left-hand corner. So he has a
:18:50. > :18:57.choice of roads. -- a choice of reds.
:18:58. > :20:18.Unfortunately for him, he has finished hampered!
:20:19. > :20:31.The five reds around the black spot look very awkward.
:20:32. > :20:52.That isn't the best positional shot he has ever played.
:20:53. > :20:59.He starts matches so well. Same match, new day. He starts sessions
:21:00. > :21:17.so sharp straight away. He puts his opponent on the back
:21:18. > :21:21.foot immediately. It is all about stamping your authority on matches
:21:22. > :21:29.straight away and Mark Selby does that as well as anybody, if not
:21:30. > :21:33.better. This game is all about fractions. If the cue ball had
:21:34. > :21:39.travelled another two inches, it would have been so easy to play for
:21:40. > :21:48.the reds below the pink. But he is almost straight on this pink.
:21:49. > :23:05.He needed to power here. Just about to the inch.
:23:06. > :23:16.It has been hard work, this break. Again, looks to be dead straight. He
:23:17. > :23:24.was quite angry, Stephen, when he potted that red. He slapped his
:23:25. > :23:48.thigh. He was so disgruntled he didn't get topside of the blue.
:23:49. > :23:59.This time, absolutely perfect on the blue.
:24:00. > :24:07.He hasn't had the cue ball on a string but he has been awesome. He
:24:08. > :24:13.has refused to miss, refused to give up the table. This white has done
:24:14. > :24:13.some milage in this break but the potting has been absolutely
:24:14. > :24:58.brilliant. He needed to make sure the cue ball
:24:59. > :24:59.came off the cushion. This has been one of the best frames of the
:25:00. > :25:41.tournament. Like the Sea of Galilee, he pushed
:25:42. > :25:45.the red out of the way, now the three reds are perfect and this is
:25:46. > :25:51.the first time he has had the balls in open play and you'd be amazed if
:25:52. > :26:45.he didn't make this century. That was a shame. I thought we were
:26:46. > :26:54.going to see a century break. But it was a magnificent break of 78 by
:26:55. > :26:57.Mark Selby, who has now opened a five frame gap.
:26:58. > :27:02.He is in complete control against Marco Fu leading 8-2. That matches
:27:03. > :27:07.live right now. If you want to watch it, it's available on the BBC sport
:27:08. > :27:15.up and the website. You won't miss a shot with us. If you just tuning in,
:27:16. > :27:19.John Higgins, first man through to the semifinal, scene of Kyren
:27:20. > :27:25.Wilson. He led overnight and made very quick work of it. His first
:27:26. > :27:31.semifinal since 2011, when he went on to win the title. I'm wondering
:27:32. > :27:35.whether that is an omen for the rest of the players. John Higgins is
:27:36. > :27:38.playing well enough to win. He's in great form, his technique holds up
:27:39. > :27:43.under pressure, he's got the experience and class. There's every
:27:44. > :27:47.chance of him winning this year. What about Ronnie O'Sullivan,
:27:48. > :27:55.practising behind us, got a big task on his hands, how he feeling? With
:27:56. > :28:00.Ronnie, if he goes into one, you just never know. I heard you
:28:01. > :28:05.congratulating Ronnie on the break last night on the final frame. If he
:28:06. > :28:09.plays like that then Ding is in trouble and Swanny fans will get
:28:10. > :28:13.what they want. It was a great response from Ronnie, he didn't take
:28:14. > :28:17.his chance earlier and it was a brilliant break in the final frame
:28:18. > :28:20.and as Ding has said before, especially when Ronnie won eight
:28:21. > :28:26.tournament, he maximum in the last frame, Ding was quoted at as saying
:28:27. > :28:29.one can make a maximum whenever he wants so he knows he's playing one
:28:30. > :28:34.of the greatest players of all time. Peter, thank you, we've enjoyed your
:28:35. > :28:49.company. That is it from us for now but Hazel is back 1pm. See you then.
:28:50. > :29:00.Once again, your champion, Mark Selby!
:29:01. > :29:09.MUSIC: Pure And Simple by Hear'Say It's like old times!
:29:10. > :29:13.You look fantastic! I look ridiculous.