Day 11, Quarter-Finals, Afternoon Session Snooker: World Championship

He's come here and he is on a mission. He really is an animal on

the table in this kind of mood. Enter the Dragon, Ding Junhui!

Thought it was worth the risk and he got it! Well done, Kyren Wilson.

What a performance from John Higgins, back to his best in my

opinion. Fifth consecutive Crucible quarterfinal. Here comes the Hawk,

Barry Hawkins! He's a great player, that's for sure. And he's in great

form. Mark Selby is now through to the quarterfinal, without breaking a

lot of sweat really. You never ever write off this man, Marco Fu!

Good afternoon, the last few gulps of fresh air before we immerse

ourselves once again in the all enveloping tension inside the

Crucible Theatre. 32 men started out 11 days ago in the BetFred World

Snooker Championships, eight of them have played their way into the

quarterfinals. And you know, this year, you could honestly make a case

for every single one of them becoming world champion.

Still on track for title number three, Mark Selby faces Marco Fu.

O'Sullivan takes on Ding, can be younger man finally topple his idol?

The youngest left, Kyren Wilson, against the wily four-time winner

John Higgins. Fellow Scot Stephen Maguire, the only qualifier still

standing, takes on Barry Hawkins in his fifth straight quarterfinal.

Great matches, but the interesting one for me, Marco Fu went through

the ringer last night against Marco Robinson. -- Neil Robinson. How will

he feel today? A bit deflated, but the adrenaline keeps you going. He

must be over the moon to get through the really tight match against Neil

Robertson. How tired he will be after the big come-down remains to

be seen, but he must get off to a good start against Mark Selby.

Agreed. Stephen Maguire against Barry Hawkins, two fantastic

matchplayers. Very tough to call, Hawkins on current form but Stephen

Maguire has won the UK Championship, a big-time player. He has only got

to the semifinal here in previous years. Had a great chance years ago

against John Higgins, didn't convert. That will be close to call.

John Higgins and Kyren Wilson is a very interesting match-up, young

versus old. Still going strong, four times champion, it will be very

close. John Higgins looks in imperious form, as does Kyren

Wilson. The match most watched in China, Ding Junhui against Ronnie

O'Sullivan. And snooker fans all around the world, on the edge of our

seats. It is too close to call, for me. The way Ding played against

Liang Wenbo was fantastic in the last couple of frames. And Ronnie

O'Sullivan at his brilliant best against Shaun Murphy. It could go

right to the wire, just like Fu and Neil Robertson. All for those

matches feature on our menu this afternoon. -- four of those matches.

Ronnie's favourite against Ding. Only the second time John Higgins

and Kyren Wilson have ever match. The holder of Mark Selby has not had

to reach top gear, plenty in the tank ahead of this afternoon. But

his opponent, Marco Fu, may need a pit stop and an oil change after

gliding through the gears last night against Neil Robertson. Nothing

wrong with his competitive engine. Mild-mannered Barry Hawkins has won

his last three matches against fiery Scot Stephen Maguire, but they're

only contest here went to a decider. We would take that again. A

behind-the-scenes glance at the Crucible, today, a day in the life

of our MC, Rob Walker. And a big day in the Winter Gardens, as snooker's

top dog takes on the pot quiz challenge. As always, we would love

to hear your views, your predictions and any questions for the team in

the studio. Get in touch using the hashtag #BBC snooker. Many of you

will remember a formative night in the career of Ding Junhui, ten years

ago, the Masters final 2007. China's great hope in the snooker world was

still four months shy of his 20th birthday. He got to the final and

was trounced by Ronnie O'Sullivan and reduced to tears. A very

sporting Rocket comforted him. Ten years have gone by, he is now 30, he

has won 12 big titles, he just needs this to join the greats of the game

and become a Triple Crown winner. So is the young apprentice finally

ready to topple the master? We have been canvassing opinion.

We just want to know who you think has the edge in this one? Ding or

Ronnie O'Sullivan? I think it would be a close match, if Ronnie's mind

is right, I think he will win 13-11. I think Ding will win today. This

session? I think Marco Fu will win the tournament. O'Sullivan. Is it

dependent on his mindset? After the first round against Gary Wilson, and

then to beat Shaun Murphy... It is between him and Higgins this year.

Tight at the start. But I think Ronnie will win. Ronnie, definitely.

No question? He really wants to win this year. It's going to be touch

and go. I think it will be close, like 13-12. Who has the edge? Ding.

I say Ronnie. Both big break-builders. It will be

interesting. They have played a few times and it's always been quite

close. Definitely Ronnie. Who has the edge? Ronnie, I love him. We

have been coming for three years and I have been hoping to see him. It is

tough because Ding Junhui is a very good player and has done

exceptionally well to get to the quarterfinal again, but Ronnie on

his day is the best. Let's hope for a Ronnie win. The head-to-heads did

make comfortable reading for Ding Junhui. Two wins to ten for Ronnie.

He suffered a 10-2 drubbing at the opening round in the Crucible. It is

ten years since Ding beat Ronnie in any match. What an occasion this is

for him today. I love to perform and to play. The

fans pay their money and they support you over the years. As a

pro, as an entertainer, you thrive of that stuff. My form is good.

Sometimes maybe the first session doesn't play good, and maybe the

other player is playing good... It's going to change a lot. Important to

learn to stay in form. You have to keep fighting all the way. If you

are behind, the crowd want you to get back into it. If you are in

front, you are just trying to get more and more in front. A place

where you have to find your inner strength. I believe I can win this

year. Try to challenge every match, challenge myself, see how I'm going.

And also, I need to play good, and thinking well. Have bad times and

good times. You need to mix that in and sometimes you have to take the

bad times. You just have to put your work in, the practice, come as you

can and hope you get the rub of the green. Things can go your way or you

make it happen. Opponents, you try not to let that influence your

approach. This morning, Stephen Hendry and

Dennis Taylor positively sprinted into the commentary box to see this.

They saw Ding Junhui sprinting out of his blocks, breaks of 71, 128, 71

giving him a 3-0 lead. But Ronnie hit back, 63, 99, 65 to level it at

3-3. As you can tell, great stuff so far. This is frame seven.

So, maybe that Mr red into the middle pocket for Ronnie will

jump-start Ding. -- missed red. Not a bad chance, this, for Ding

Junhui. Can he get the form back that he showed in the three opening

frames? Ronnie hit it all wrong. He thought

it was a big pocket in-off the red. Ding, well, he may be able to pot

one into the middle pocket, but that last one, just lost a bit of timing

at the moment. Good recovery. Very good recovery

there. A nice angle on the black to stun

into the red closest to the black. Looking for a possibility of a red

into the right middle. You could see, that red was on its

way, that's why he didn't hit it as hard as he normally would. Would

normally go into these with a lot more pace, but the red going towards

the right middle pocket... And because he hasn't hit it at the

pace he wanted, he hasn't finished on one. A bit unfortunate there.

Potted a terrific one in the middle pocket to keep this effort going.

We'll have to play another good one into the same pocket.

Not the best of angles, this. And he has to play it with a bit of pace.

Had to be very precise. Nicely played. Good chance for Ronnie to

continue in the form that he showed in the last three frames. Breaks of

63, 99, 65 and 37 in the last frame. From 3-0 behind, all of a sudden he

could go one ahead. That seemed to come off the cushion

quite quickly there. He got a fast bounce off it.

I think we are seeing now the reason why Ronnie has a 10-2 lead over Ding

in matches. He has come back at Ding from 3-0 down to 3-3 and Ding seems

to have gone into his shell. He has been at the end of some heavy

beatings. The famous one, 2007 Masters, when he lost 10-3. He

wanted to walk out. So a huge test, this match, for Ding

Junhui. You can see by the average shot time

how quickly Ronnie is starting to play.

A quick glance at the scoreboard, but he has quite a few to pot.

Just having the cue ball cleaned, which he doesn't do very often, it

has to be said. Probably had it cleaned there just

because of the type of shot he was playing. The run-through, the sort

of shot sometimes you get a heavy contact on.

Great shot, really was. The stun run-through that Dennis was talking

about earlier, off two cushions. Just forced the angle.

Getting to the stage now where it's going to be a good result for Ding

to come out 4-4, and he led 3-0. Not a natural angle. The middle

pocket's in the way to go down and play a cannon onto the two reds at

the other end of the table. Not straightforward to get on the one

closest to the cue ball either. That is a superb positional shot. He

couldn't go down the left side of the table. Pulled out a terrific

positional shot there. Shot of the match so far.

This is a pretty good shot from Ding Junhui. Got the snooker.

But with the two reds up the other end of the table...

Going to be very difficult for Ding to get two reds, two blacks and all

of the colours to tie the frame. Has got the snooker again. Easy to

escape from. He wants to try and keep those reds

up that end of the table. Because of Ding needing two reds, two black,s.

I'm usual for Ronnie to think for this length of time over a shot like

this. He could do with a colour safe or something, but it's not easy to

play a good safety shot here. Now, can he get past the brown and

get up onto the black? I think he can.

He has overcut it. He was perfectly on the black. But he missed the red

by quite a margin there. He is under a bit of pressure now,

the Chinese player. A chance for Ronnie to close this

frame out. Ding has an angle on this red to

stun over behind the black. Surely we couldn't have a re-spotted

black? Well, we just might. As long as he

gets a good angle on the red, he can get back to the black.

We have had everything so far in this quarterfinal match. Players

winning frames with one visit. And every chance there could be a

re-spotted black. It's all happening.

This is going to be a tough positional shot, because he needs to

be the right side of the green to get back to the brown.

He has overdone it. By such a distance he might have to play the

green into the corner. Possibly can use the blue to follow through off

the side cushion for the brown. I think Ding thought he had missed

the green but it went in-off the jaw.

It's early in this quarterfinal, but this is a mini turning point.

Ronnie was starting to dominate. Now he's faced with a re-spotted black.

In goes the black and we do have a re-spot.

Heads or tails, Dennis. I was always tales. I was always a gentle man and

I let the other fella call! He is putting Ronnie in. It is a

different shop these days. It used to be up and down the spots. Not

these days. And you give the player a chance of

taking the double on. He is thinking about it. Might be

better pushing the black onto the cushion behind the black spot.

That's put a lot of distance between the cue ball and object ball. Quite

a good shot. He's got the DDK, the dreaded

double-kiss. That's what he thinks about it.

Well, for all the world, it looked as if Ronnie O'Sullivan was going to

go from 3-0 behind to lead 4-3. And Ding Junhui has won that frame on a

re-spotted black and is back in the lead at 4-3.

STUDIO: Every frame so far has produced a break of at least 60, but

that is the first to go down to the wire. Ding stops the reciprocal

charge from Ronnie. Will the man from China emerge from the session

with his lead intact? COMMENTATOR: It's going very close

to the pocket. It is in the pocket. Ronnie O'Sullivan, four. This long

red that Ronnie is looking at, he can only get on the pink, or

depending on how he places the cue ball, could play it a little firmer

for the blue. Terrific, going a little further

than he intended, the most important thing was the cueing on that shot.

This was sweet. Fantastic long pot. Shows you what

big-time temperament is in snooker, disappointment at losing that last

frame immediately forgotten, back, focused on the next frame.

Off Ding Junhui had breaks of 71, Ronnie, 63, 95, 69. Brilliant stuff.

Yes, I am just surprised they have not been bought century breaks. I

thought there would be at least three this morning. But it has been

pretty savage scoring, you must say. Ronnie just taking the opportunity

to sit down and have a sip of water. And another pink is tied up also. --

now the pink is tied up also. He might take the risk of trying to

bring the black into play. If he can just click that read away from the

black. -- flick that red away, which he has done. The cue ball going to

the cushion, Cummings off the cushion and hopefully will be nicer

than the red. Fat too seen a contact on the reds.

-- far too soon. I don't think he meant to hit that one with the one

just behind it. If you grimace is from Ronnie, he is

not sure as to whether he should take on this red. It is not the pot,

it is the angle. With the white heading over towards the red, and

the black... Is he on the black? If he can cut

this in he's going to go straight into the reds. It's an natural

angle. And that has turned out very nicely indeed.

I am not sure what someone in the audience has been asked to switch

of, a camera perhaps, I'm not sure, right in the line of sight. I know

that Ronnie was telling me in this last March he had to pot a very

crucial black and someone at the front thought, he is going to

pottery maxes, I will get up and got up just as Ronnie was delivering the

cue. -- he is going to pot this. I will be shocked if Ronnie

O'Sullivan doesn't make century now. He is a top player, he is in a

situation where you switch on, you need this frame.

That sounded very, very heavy, that contact. You could hear it.

Very unlucky to get the kick at that stage but he has played a clever

shot. If he pots that red is on the black, without the kick he would

have made enough to have levelled the scores. Ding Junhui pinched the

last frame, with two reds on. As we show you the contact again, you can

see the black jumping off the spot. Which just pulled the cue ball up.

Fat kiss on the blue might mean that Ronnie can take this long red on

because if he ported it he would be on the black. Once again it is one

of those situations, he's not bothering to have a go at it but

look where he has doubled the reds two, it needs to pull up and it has

done, just in time. He decided to make sure and cover the red that was

near the right middle pocket. This is definitely worth the risk, taking

on this one. Well done. He must be feeling good after

winning that last frame. We know how good he has been when he has got in

the balls this morning. What a chance. The last two friends

have heard his opponent. -- the last two frames have really hurt his

opponent. This is the key shot coming up. If

he gets the cannon correct he will open up all four reds.

Well, it has not worked out. If he plays the

cannon he had a rather get the reds closer to the pink spot because the

red he had was always going to knock the other one safe. He can and the

wrong red. -- he Almost got a delightful flick off

the yellow but he can see this read, to the left. -- this red. And the

Green are coming to the rescue that was a pretty good cue ball that Ding

Junhui got. And intentional cannon into the red.

-- that was non-intentional cannon. Thinking he could finish on the

yellow if he's able to pot this. It's a bit of a free shot but it

could pay dividends if he this back. He's got a kick. What a horrendous

kick. What a result. Talk about having bad luck and good luck in one

shot. Every chance now fought Ding Junhui

to pinch another frame. Although he was very fortunate to fluke the

snooker there. Unlucky with the heavy contact. Ding what have you

done. What a chance. OK, still got Ronnie into a lot of trouble. If you

he's not going to get many more chances to pinch this frame. If you

try to find the red closest to this cushion although it's not easy. Far

from it. -- he will try. This would be some escape. He needs to hit

possibly four cushions. Just look at this. There is the first question,

the second cushion, the third cushion. He didn't want to hit that

but he was trying to get on the one that Stephen mentioned but it was a

tough situation, if he was to lose this frame he would be very

disappointed because from 3-0 behind, he took complete control of

the match and really Ding pinched that frame when he needed the two

reds, the two blacks and all the colours. He has overcut it. Just a

little bit of tension. In this last frame of the session. It will be

relieved Ronnie O'Sullivan who comes to the table but Ding Junhui has

thrown away a golden chance. He had three golden chances to pinch

this frame. At this level you can't really afford to let three chances

like that slip. Ronnie had made an early break of 59 and could easily

have lost the frame but the standard, as I mentioned before,

every frame that has been a break of 50 or more. Most of them 60 or more.

I suppose Ronnie will be quite pleased, from 3-0 down to come out

for- four but there was a chance that he could have won all five

friends, almost did. It has been very quick stuff over the two hours.

The longest frame was the last frame which took 22 minutes. An exhibition

shot to finish. He's not going to bother with the black. Handshakes

all around. A very entertaining opening session of this

quarterfinal. Both players playing terrific stuff and in the end Ronnie

O'Sullivan does well to come out of the session, all square, 4-4.

What do you think of the qualities so far, John? Brilliant, it's been

superb. All aid frames, it's just a bit longer than O'Brien took to

qualify. Leave my mate alone! One century, 270s, and we spotted black,

it has not been dull. How does Ding change the dynamic against a man who

has led for so long in their matches in similar years? It is easy for us

to the past but sometimes there are always memories at the back of the

mind. And he will go through those emotions but you just have to get

over it, go out and play the balls as you see them. Think about your

own game, but how well you are playing. He is killing beautifully.

I think of the two players Ding will be disappointed that he doesn't have

a lead going into the session tonight. He should have won that

frame, probably should have won the previous one, he had a chance to go

ahead and didn't take it. Those kind of friends can come back to haunt

you. They can be the difference between winning and losing. Stephen

Hendry said if anyone has the game to beat Ronnie its Ding Junhui. He

is a brilliant champion in his own right but the crucial question is

does he have the strength of mind to beat Ronnie especially given this

history between them. And other an elongated number of frames. You've

just got to prove it. We can talk as much as we like, at the end of the

day he has to do it with his cue. He has the capabilities because he is a

scorer and if you don't score against Ronnie you want when. Nobody

can help him but himself. Fascinating so far and another aid

frames this evening. If you are lucky enough to have been at the

Crucible of the last ten years you will have seen Rob Walker

doing his stuff brilliantly. He is a good warm up act before the live

matches begin. And more often than not you will see Rob out there

strutting his stuff and mentioning some of the VIPs in the crowd,

people who have come from around the world to celebrate, celebrate a

birthday perhaps and sometimes singling out someone in the crowd

for whom a visit to the Crucible has special significance. It could be a

timely boost they need. It's the same as it was ten years ago for a

lad named George Marietta was just ten years of age. Making his debut

at the Crucible at the staggering age of ten. From Chesterfield please

welcome George Marriott! It is hard to believe that was eight years ago.

A few more wrinkles for me and at least two and a half feet for big

George Marriott. George, it's nice to see you back here. To see you as

well Rob. It's good to be back at the snooker. To me it doesn't seem

like eight years ago. You were a little boy then come you are a man

now, can you remember that vividly? If you might very remember the day

vividly, it is one of those who can't forget, once-in-a-lifetime

experience to wear a waistcoat made of baize, and when you are a big

snooker fan and you knew Nigel Bond as well, to introduce at the

Crucible was amazing. The Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity got in

touch with you because at the time I had just been diagnosed with my

brain tumour. I kick-started my charity campaign raising the money

for them and that was a big boost to the start of my campaign. Seuk-hyun

Baek I had a caravan back in the day and I met George and his family in

France believe it or not. His dad recognised me from the snooker. We

kept in touch and it sort of went from there. It was generous of you

to allow us to bring George into the walk on because that is the time

when many players would be fully focused on the job but you were

quite relaxed about it. I was quite happy to do that. George, take it

away. Let's get the boys on the baize. Liverpool it was a great

moment for George and I was more than happy to do it for him. I've

had quite a few operations since then and been in and out of hospital

a lot but my main aim has been fundraising. You've impressed the

sponsors. They've given you a job this time. And helping with social

media, getting to know anything that happens at the snooker. And for me

as a big snooker fan it's a wonderful experience to be here.

This guy is dynamite. He's George Marriott. What a fantastic story and

the start of something very special all those years ago for George and

it's great to see him around the venue now working with World

Snooker. Dreams are made of that kind of stuff. We are going to talk

about the other quarterfinal now that features the youngest man in

the draw, Kyren Wilson, 26, who is in back-to-back quarterfinals here.

His nickname is the Warrior. That belies wiliness and ring craft, that

nickname. Kenna rechristened him the wily warrior the other day. He will

have to remaster all his wing craft because he is up against perhaps the

greatest technician at the game has ever known, four times champion John

Higgins. Is a great talent. He fancies it. He

has been here lasted, he just lost to Mark Selby, the champion, last

year. I be giving it my all. I know it will be an extremely tough game,

definitely. He is a great champion, won it four times, been there and

bought the T-shirt. It will be a tough match. I've got to prepare

right. I will have to be at the top of my game to beat Kyren Wilson and

whatever happens after that, it's tight margins at the top just now.

These are all great players and teach my. I am in the quarterfinals

now so it's only going to get tougher. -- these are all great

players here. Not much to go on when you survey their previous contests,

only one time has Wilson got the better of the Scots at which will be

fascinating to see how he plays in his second consecutive appearance in

the crushable quarterfinal. It must have aged him terribly because he's

only turned 25. Apologies to him, he is just a young man. Peter spotted

his potential as a six-year old and beta is keeping an eye on the

session along with John Virgo. We left it earlier with Higgins having

taken an early lead. We'll pick it up in friendly and this time the

Scotsman is trailing by seven if he nestles to this Kyren he may

leave a Kyren to the middle. The two-cushion escape. That was a bit

of hit and halt. I think Kyren can get past the black. It's not like

John to play a shot like that. So Kyren Wilson has been rewarded for

an excellent safety shot. Played that nicely. Good control of the cue

ball. Choice of pink or black. Just taking a look at the scores. Taking

the black. Easier to do than it was in the old days. Personally if I am

being honest I think I would have played the pink there. But it is OK.

He's just got to be able to avoid the red that is close to the top

cushion. He wants to be on the black. The pink is available and

that he wants to stay around the black spot area. I wondered if he

might take the opportunity to move with the pink in the middle so it

was well thought out. And if that red has held the black spot it is

even better. He would hope it has, because if it hasn't and he puts the

black that red is going to be tied up. Two ways of looking at

everything. Good shot needed on the pink. Lots of follow-through.

22 points to lead but still 43 remaining. This would be a risky

part, should he take it on. He is desperate to. This is really tricky.

That is a great shot. Well played. He will not be winning the frame at

this visit, though. So how does he play this? Looks like he's going to

go thin off the pink. Just try to get the cue ball in the jaws of the

far corner pocket. Could have thought of a better shot than that.

Tried to get that cue ball near the cushion, he's left John with his

hand on the table, kick it at the table, could give him the upper

hand. A couple of ways that John Higgins could play this. He could

move the blue and he could snooker Kyren behind the black as well. They

did very well. -- played that are very well. Kyren coming to the table

shaking his head. You need a good cue ball in those instances. He

won't be shaking his head now as he walks back to his seat. It will be

more of a nod. Good hit. But always the problem,

it's not so much the hit, it is can you get it safe. John will feel

miffed with Kyren fluking the snooker. And nicely potted. So it

looks now as if Kyren Wilson is going to get his first frame on the

scoreboard and nothing settles you better.

27 points the lead, 27 remaining, but not for long.

It doesn't matter about the blue, John Higgins stays in his seat.

Kyren Wilson has his first frame on the scoreboard. John Higgins leads

by 2-1. STUDIO: And there was no stopping

the former Shanghai Masters champion Kyren Wilson, because he took the

next as well with a break of 92 to get back on level terms. Frame five

after the interval, Higgins at the table ahead by 16 points.

COMMENTATOR: This red is going to be left on, but hampered by the green.

He may just be able to get past the blue. He can, but the green being

there just makes this very awkward cueing.

That is absolutely brilliant. Such a difficult shot. Hampered by the

green. Tremendous shot. What can be missed at the Crucible

Theatre, the World Championship? Never take anything for granted.

For somebody that is so good with the rest, that was an incredible

miss. Straightforward yellow, and somebody

like John Higgins who usually pounces on his opponent's mistakes

to really make them suffer, misses a chance there.

Very unusual for John Higgins. You feel maybe they are still seething

from his last visit to the table where he felt he was distracted.

If he hasn't left this yellow, he has been very fortunate. Quite an

easy shot to play the snooker behind the black.

Having taken on a very difficult yellow, he's been very fortunate not

to leave John Higgins an easy opportunity.

Whoever loses this frame will look back on chances missed.

What John's got to do here, no option you feel but to send the

yellow back up to this end of the table.

John Higgins's turn to be fortunate this time. Because that could quite

easily have ended up in an easier position.

Yes, all that frustration of missing the chances earlier... Now needs one

good positional shot. He couldn't have played that much

better. Blue on its spot would have made it

a simple frame-winning chance. It's not so now.

The cue ball is OK, but the potting angle on the blue is taking him away

from the pink slightly. Oh, and another opportunity has gone

begging! As I say, just didn't have the right potting angle on the blue.

Playing it at pace made it missable, and that's what he did.

You could say fortunate not to leave the blue, but from John Higgins'

point of view, you are just glad to come back to the table still with a

chance of winning the frame. Absolutely. I must admit, I didn't

fancy Kyren to pot that in the middle. They are so small, and any

pace whatsoever makes the shots into the middle pocket so difficult. A

lot of people at home will be thinking, how has he missed that? It

was a very, very tough pot. If they could have dropped it in dead

weight, it wouldn't have been a problem, but that pace, very, very

difficult. A good line, but just a little bit

short. It's easy to play safe on the blue at the moment. Just play to the

left-hand cushion, the black is a blocker for that corner pocket.

Looking to get the cue ball behind the pink if he can...

John may have to send the blue around the table. Needs to be

careful not to leave the blue near the left-hand black pocket. He would

like to stun the blue around the table and leave the white on the

baulk cushion. That looked a risky way to go, but I

tell you what, he couldn't have played it any better. I think he

played the safety shot, not the cross double.

But hampered, making it slightly awkward.

This is a tough safety shot for Kyren.

He has played that really well. Excellent shot. Well played.

He did play it well. It was a risky way to go. If he got too far in

behind the blue, he could well have knocked the black in.

Difficult at the moment to see how either player can force the other

one into a mistake. I don't think so. Because with the

black being tight to the cushion, it's going to double-kiss.

And in it goes. That was a frame, whoever lost it would be

disappointed. John Higgins on it. It's Kyren Wilson who will have the

battle scars from that one, trailing 3-2.

STUDIO: They don't call him the warrior for nothing, because he

bounced back with a 61 in frame six to level it at 3-3. At the top of

the next frame, Kyren Wilson miscues and unfortunately damaged the tip of

his cue. The players went out of the arena for ten minutes as Wilson

underwent repairs to the cue. The tip was repaired, not replaced. Upon

their return, we will pick it back up again at the table, Higgins to

play, 11 points down. The problem with this situation here

is neither player may want to take the risk of sending the cue ball

into baulk because of the red which is close to the left-hand black

pocket. So unfortunately this could well end

up being a re-rack. Foul. Interesting, John Higgins said he

fouled. I didn't see it myself. Hard, in fairness, for the referee.

Kyren has put him back in. If the red pots, why would he do that?

He mustn't have thought the red was pottable.

Well, it's not as costly as it could have been.

Well, John Higgins is on this red along the top cushion, and if it's

tight to the cushion, it looks as though he has enough angle to come

out for the black. I don't blame him for not trying to

00 hard to get further up the table. He is bound to cannon into the red

just above the black, which should hold the cue ball. Just pot the

black. Just a fraction too thin. Just

caught the left-hand jaw. And when you see that type of shot,

don't let anyone tell you these pockets are easy.

Yes, at that pace, even though it did touch the near jaw, that would

have gone in on most club tables. So we are seeing a few mistakes from

both players now. This black will put John a point in

front. Forget the two reds near the centre

pocket, the six reds in the open, with high value colours, would see

him get to the snookers required stage. So this is a good chance.

Got complete control of the cue ball now.

As I say, these open reds were always going to be enough, with high

value colours. A 25 point lead. These three reds with pink or black,

and he wouldn't need the two awkward reds.

He's overdone that slightly. Not too bad. They have to play a little

cannon, which wasn't part of the master plan.

Pot the pink and cannon the red to the right of it, you would have

thought. And hampered by the blue. Makes it a

little bit more awkward, having to use the rest now. All because he

just overran by about three or four inches.

So back in prime position. It could have gone wrong, but good shot.

Red, pink or black would put him in the snookers required stage.

It will be the black. That will put him 47 in front. With 43 remaining.

Got the cannon but has not developed the reds. One snooker required by

Kyren Wilson. Kyren will play on for that snooker.

But if he doesn't get the snooker, John Higgins, who led 2-0, 3-2,

could be 4-3 in front. STUDIO: Higgins 4-3 in front. In the

last frame, Higgins had already made a break of 59. They played for about

six or seven minutes thereafter. Wilson are against it, having

earlier had the trouble with the tip of his cue... A miscue again, and he

would go on to concede that frame to trail 3-5.

Eight frames to play this evening. That is a very disconcerting last

couple of frames for Kyren Wilson, Ken. The good thing is he has a bit

of time before the evening session, to change the tip, I would suggest.

Sometimes players have old tapes. John Parrott is an old stalwart at

that. -- old tips. Keeping them in your case in case of a situation

like this. Put that on, plenty of time to practice before tonight.

Should be OK. I was speaking to Ronnie the other day, he changed his

tip after the Shaun Murphy match. He wasn't happy with it, so I don't

think it will be much of a problem. Disconcerting and unnerving, but at

least he has a bit of time. It would have been worse if it happened

earlier in the session, but he has a bit of time now. No point creating a

drama out of it, but when it happens it is extremely unknown thing. Last

year, in fact a few months ago, Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semifinal

of the Masters against Marco Fu, having to take the interval early.

And last year Marco in the semifinal against Mark Selby, the tip flew

off. It must be really difficult to get your head back on when this is

going on. It is, and when you put the tip on, if you don't have one

that's already broken in, it is very, very soft, so it is a

different feel and it takes you a while. To get the touch and feel you

had with the old tip. It takes a bit of time but thankfully for Kyren he

has time now. I am sure we will see a lot of him on the practice table

before this evening. So not a new situation but still not nice for any

player that has to go through it. Stephen has been talking to

tournament director Martin Clark. Kyren Wilson damaged his tip on a

miscue earlier and that has generated a lot of discussion on

social media. I am with Martin Clark, the tournament director and a

former top 16 snooker player. Can you shed some light on what happened

today? In frame seven, Kyren waseering off the baulk cushion and

split the side of his tip, so he had to come off and do some repair work.

How much do you think that will have thrown him off? He was level with

Higgins. Higgins took the final two frames. Did that affect what

happened? Sometimes in that situation you can lose a bit of

confidence in the tip playing certain shots, so it could have had

an effect. On social media, people have been asking questions. Andrew

made an interesting point, you would think players would have a spare

cue, never mind a spare tip. The question of why don't players carry

a spare cue has been asked. Cues are unique, every bit of wood is

different. It is a lot easier to get used to a new tip than a different

cue. I take it he will have to practice if you are places the tip,

to bed it in? If he decides to change the tip between sessions, he

will need to go to the practice room and practice for a couple of hours.

Stephen asked that question, he said, how long will it take? He has

to practice, but what is the time frame he will have to allocate? A

couple of hours to get confidence with the tip. Graham and Katie have

both said, the one thing a player doesn't want is to break the Q-Tip.

Katie thinks it will definitely throw him off. -- the cue tip. You

do lose confidence. If you have certain shots, it could happen.

Thank you very much, Martin. Keep your thoughts coming, using the

hashtag #BBC snooker. STUDIO: Keep the responses coming.

They will be back this evening for another eight frames, but this is

the line-up for this afternoon. A lot to get our teeth into. Mark

Selby and Marco Fu, renewing their rivalry that burst into life in the

semifinal last year. Selby pushed past Marco in a memorable final

session 12 months ago. Barry Hawkins has reached the last eight for a

fifth time in a row, and for the 36-year-old Glaswegian Stephen

Maguire, he has failed to win a match if for the last five years. He

has won five in a row to come through qualifying and make it into

the second week. We mention Rob Walker's warm up earlier. This is

him doing his thing before the afternoon session, having a laugh,

telling everyone to switch off their mobile phones, which of course

someone will inevitably forget to do. It is all part of the day job

for our Crucible MC. I am Rob Walker, snooker MC, and

I've been doing this for ten years. It is so important that your

contribution to the drama is at the start of the evening and at the

appropriate moments... It's just the best place in the

world to come and be a part of live snooker. There is no venue like it

anywhere in the world. Because the place where people in the -- and the

players deserve everyone to walk through the door and think, right,

I'm going to do my bit to be part of another great year of snooker. A

world-class weekend of live sport starts right here, right now in

Sheffield. I get a lot of stick sometimes on

social media for being cheesy, but that is part of the role. You are

there to pump people up. The national hero in China, enter the

Dragon, Ding Junhui! You have to give it a bit of welly, because you

want the audience to give that back. Not to you, but to the players when

they walk out. We call him the warrior, Kyren Wilson! If it is fun

for me coming back, in my little role as MC, imagine what that must

feel like for the players. First time, tenth time, 23rd time, must be

amazing. I have two really strong memories of

the Crucible. The first is when I made my big mistake when I

accidentally introduced Steve as Dennis Taylor. He's a legend, he's

Dennis Taylor! Steve Davis! When he came out, he was laughing

and he hugged me. And then the crowd almost felt as though they were part

of a moment. And the other one is Steve's

retirement walk around the arena last year.

That was absolutely amazing. I nearly had a tear in my eye, a login

my throat, just watching him go around. -- a lot in my throat. And

when he came round for the interview, I started asking him a

question and I saw he was getting emotional. I thought, you know what,

this doesn't need words for anybody. I just hugged him and I stood back.

The wave of emotion through the applause and the cheers just wafted

over him. That was incredible. That is about as good as it gets at the

Crucible. It's just been so special to be part

of such a great event. Very humbling. You are watching people

live out their dreams under the most intense, immense pressure. So it

means everything that I've had a chance to be part of it for ten

occasions. And it also means a great deal to all of us that we know this

tournament is staying here for another ten years. Ruby anniversary,

it will go to Golden, and that's the way it should be.

Ten years, hard to believe. We met Duncan, our, a man on his 60th

birthday yesterday. We were assessing and underlining how big a

family business. That our cameraman. Rob is an energising presence

backstage and here, what do the players make of his walk of

introductions. It's fantastic, he has done a tremendous job, he is

like a dual cell battery, he keeps going. He introduces everyone, gives

them their nicknames, build it up. He sets the tone for everyone in the

audience. And that is very special. The players will feel the energy

coming from the crowd and they only get that from Rob, he does his job

and does so well, it's fantastic. Coming through those curtains to

that introduction, there is nothing like it. He's brilliant at it and

follows in a long line of slick and seas. Alan Hughes was one of my

favourites, responsible for many of the nicknames in snooker, Whirlwind,

Rocket... He was fantastic. He led the way for Rob and Rob learned from

him that Allen was one of the greats. Allen, if are watching we

still think about you and we always say hello. But it is the man doing

the honours now, it is Rob who will get us under way shortly. He will be

teeing up our live contest, the one we will be watching today. I don't

feel as much pressure as I did two years ago, coming into this

tournament I had the best season have had as a professional which

always helps the confidence. I need to find some form. I'm playing well,

I think, just not producing on a consistent basis. In all

departments. I played Marco last year in the semifinal, we had a good

game, 17-15. Had a great season this year. We had a great game last in

the semifinal. Yet, we play a similar type of game. It's just

about who can handle the pressure better. I think you have to make

mark the favourite for this much but and still in the tournament. I just

need to be ready straightaway. In a way I think it's a good thing, if

you peaked too early there's only one way you can go, which is down.

I'm playing OK, not great snooker, not bad snooker. If you ask him,

same as me, you would like to get among the balls but sometimes when

they are messy and can tie you up and get you into all sorts of

trouble. His safety game is probably the best in the world at the moment.

It depends. It could go both ways. Down in the commentary box with your

brains trust. That much last night was a classic. You only get those

matches at the Crucible and that is when you find out if you can play. I

thought he was the better player, Neal Robertson hung on with Aussie

grid but I thought he was the bed and play at the end of the day. He's

like a bottle of wine, Marco Fu. Judging players is difficult, you

don't know what they go through in their lives, on the practice table

form is always going up and down. This increase in form may have

collided with the fact that he is now with young Mr Griffiths! Is it

possible that the young pretender to the throne is no better than Terry

Griffiths! Has he gone up in the rankings? Marco Fu seems to have

more belief around the table. Can he beat the predator? This is a

fascinating matchup. And also he's had a hard match last night and gone

through the ringer, this opening session could be very important. I

think we've got a contrast of styles. If it gets into a tactical

battle I agree with Steve that Mark Selby will be favourite. Marco has

to take chances. You've got to keep this much open. Of the two he will

score more heavily than Mark Selby. It seems strange that when Marco

gets among the balls he looks like winning frames in one visit. His

opponent is a competitive animal. They have been on a journey so far

in this tournament and I don't think anything that Mark Selby can throw

out those two will deter them from their mission. Plenty of people

throughout this season have been saying that Marco Fu is a potential

world champion this year. This could be Mark Selby's toughest test so

far. Thank you very much, boys, looking forward to listening to you

this afternoon. Let's get robbed to bring the players out. Good

afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, four of the very best waiting

backstage ready to go toe to toe for a place in the semis this year, in

Sheffield. APPLAUSE

Please welcome first of all a player back in the quarterfinals for the

first time in five years, coming through qualifying and conceding

only five frames so far at the Crucible this year. It's the best

we've seen from him in Sheffield for quite some time, from Glasgow, when

he's good, he's on fire, it's Stephen Maguire!

And his opponent whose victory over former world champion Graeme Dott

have seen him into a fifth successive Crucible quarterfinal.

Runner-up in 2013 he is this season's Grand Prix winner with

three titles in all, he's no doubt comfortable here on the world's

biggest stage, the Hawk, Barry Hawkins!

On table one, a player who came through a monumental match against

Neil Robertson last night to book his fourth Crucible quarterfinal.

He's been in superb form this season winning the Scottish open in

December and storming back up the rankings, one of the most important

players ever to emerge from Asia. From Hong Kong, he's Marco Fu.

And finally a player who buy this season alone has added four titles

to his collection and has now been world number one for an incredible

115 consecutive weeks he is of course the defending world champion,

the Jester from Leicester, Mark Selby.

STUDIO: First session of them match between Hawkins and Stephen Maguire

on the BBC website and the app. Last night Mark Selby quietly worked on

his routines backstage while we were on the air with the Marco Fu- Neil

Robertson finale and he will have seen how much that gripping contest

took out of them, how much does Marco Fu have to give 48 hours later

and how much does Mark Selby still the tank? Let's find out with Steve

Davis and John Virgo. COMMENTATOR: Thank you, Hazel. It will be a very

interesting first session, this, no doubt. As you say, Marco Fu was put

through the ringer last night. And that is not the best break-off shot.

That he is here in the quarterfinal. So he needs to be at the top of his

game. This chance for Mark. Right in the heart of the pocket type of shot

he had been playing on the practice table. Played nicely, bladed

confidently as well. Staying well short of the lines to leave an of

colours. -- to leave an option of colours. The bottom follow through,

skimming back of this green. Just overran it a fraction. The reason I

say that, I don't think the black goes into the opposite corner. He

might be able to put this and just cannon off to the right of it.

Stayed on the black, played it well. Pretty important, these first

frames, and they, Steve. I know you set a lot of stock by them. Yeah.

You think that there's plenty of time in a match that is the best of

25 but even in a match of this length, when you look back at the

opening frames can be the turning points. It has happened. Not exactly

the turning points but the critical points in a match.

Nice deft touch there. Excellent control of the pace of the cue ball,

Mark Selby. Tables in general now are pretty uniform. So you can trust

them much more than you used to. Especially the shot that doesn't

require any bounces off a cushion, for certain.

A couple of new ones to play from before he considers going into the

cluster. Bit of a kick on that shot. Doesn't really make much difference

to the outcome. Up for the blue Nile. Probably the right time to

consider going into the pack. -- up to the blue now. At least not

directly. Well he did take the opportunity...

The problem is when you are coming off a cushion you don't get pace off

the cue ball. Has he been unlucky? Brilliant effort. Not only to get

the power on, and control the speed of the shot, also the correct amount

of side spin to get into the pack. Just went. Just went. A bit closer

to that red and he would have wanted but he struck it well. He could go

into the side of the pack now but it would be the wrong short. - the

wrong short. Probably aimed to be low on this

black, then he can open the reds up, should he so wish. I would imagine

the glands and that red pretty full in the centre of the pack could show

dividends but looks like he's digging a bit deeper than that. I

fancied this turn into them more than the screw back. I don't think

he will be too happy when the black history spotted. He could see the

back spin. I thought that was asking for trouble. It's tough to criticise

the world number one and world champion! I feel a bit uncomfortable

doing it! Well, don't do it! End of break. He's probably trying to park

the cue ball into the reds and got the wrong red. Good contribution.

Just one of those things, went into them. Made most of that poor break

of shot from Marco. Doesn't want that read to be tempted

into the middle and it is. Certainly not a guaranteed part, with the cue

ball underneath the cushion, you would expect him to get it, he's had

a bit of table time, cue action going. It was the fact that he was

tight and the cushions, he just had to concentrate on the pot to look

for position and didn't get a good kiss on the brown. It's not a

guaranteed snooker behind the brown. Could use a colour to try and screw

in behind it. It's going to be tough to snooker Marco. I think he's done

it well. Trying to guarantee sniggering Marco and the extreme

reds, table. It's pretty critical. It could have got a bit of a

headache for Marco here. Yes, I am trying to see an escape route. It's

not easy to see one. To hit a red and not leave a possible spot on. If

you nestle on it you leave the cue ball in an awkward place, that's the

only thing I can think of at the moment. He could get around the back

of the brown it's just so much more difficult to judge hitting into a

cushion more or less immediately. He could be miles out with this. And

the problem is with a couple of reds available, and the pink, he's run

into them, needs a bit of luck here and I think he's had some. I think

he played it with an element of hit and hope. Does this red just below

the pink go to the middle? If it's does he isn't in luck. It does.

Because he's not in line with it it will look tighter from where he is

standing but it definitely just goes.

Some players might have been forgiven for playing that slower to

try to make the most of the pocket. Mark Selby brand it in. Confident

pot. -- he rammed it in. Wasn't guaranteed to have left anything up.

That wasn't a good shot, however. So much margin for error, he's put

himself in a difficult position. He's looking very solid. Is a very

controlled final pull-back and delivery, very mechanical, very

solid under pressure. Repeats all the time. In many ways it is the

ultimate snooker machine. Just 59 remaining. First frame over, no

doubt. In all honesty Marco Fu has not done a lot wrong OK, poor break

of shot but at this stage of the tournament you don't have to do much

wrong to lose a frame. The ante has been upped. He has

missed the black, so Mark Selby looked very solid, very impressive

in this first frame, 1-0 to the defending champion. STUDIO: Mark

Selby off to a good start. A lot of question marks about how Marco Fu

would respond after that late night last night. It is a big ask to pick

yourself up again after a late finish. Nothing physical, just the

mental aspect, he went through the ringer to get over the line and Mark

Selby will know that, he is an experienced player himself, he's had

a few friends that have gone to deciders. If he can put his opponent

on the back foot right at the start, big help. If you are going to win

this championship you won't have an easy run. You're going to have a

last frame decider or a match that will go close and you have to be

prepared for that. And I am sure Marco Fu, like the rest of the lads,

would be prepared for that as well. Might be a little bit tired, his

concentration might not be up to scratch yet but I am sure that once

he gets into the match the adrenaline will kick in. I am sure

it will because he came through quite a drama last night

particularly two deciding blacks in the last five frames. And he was

trailing 7-1 in his first much so he hasn't had and easy. He hasn't but

he is in there fighting and many believe that this could be his year.

A big, big match from Marco Fu, as indeed it is for Mark Selby.

COMMENTATOR: Good break of shot for Mark Selby, good escape for Marco.

Noticeably a lot of Mark Selby's break-ups, and how much he has

worked on that, studied it if it is just a shop that suits him. -- shot

that suits him. If I was a current top player,

trying to work out why Mark Selby is able to do that and others are not.

Some players are forever sticking a red at the break of shot. Then of

course you have to hope that you hide it behind the green and yellow

and get it tight on the cushion. That's not the best shot from Mark.

A chance here for Marco. I think he can just get past... Or can he?

Maybe he can't. I thought he could just get past the blue. He can play

the two-cushion safety shot, all the more aggressive safety, three or

four cushions swinging it around to get to the right-hand side of the

table. The bit too risky. That's rubbish shot! It wasn't one of his

best, that's true. What is going right for his mind, seeing the cue

ball bounce off the cushion. It might not have done any damage. Not

a we had 3-ball planned. Does it go past the red? It does. It does, that

is more or less certain. It might not look like it but I would be

astonished if it doesn't go in. And he just didn't hit that red thin

enough. He just turned it over slightly.

Just. Needs to play the good safety, here. Needs the green to come to the

rescue. That did its best to get in the pocket. He's got a pot here.

It's going to be tough to get on a ball. Looks like, in putting this,

he might clip the red on the top cushion. He has to trust to luck

with the cue ball ends up. He is under enough pressure safety wise.

He has more Lescott to take it on. - more otherwise Lescott take it on.

Look at the gap he found for the cue ball. He wants to port it. It is so

hard to do that and control the cue ball. Magnificent shot.

Long pots success, 56%. But the ones he has gone for in this he hasn't

done a lot wrong in this match so far. Didn't get great contact

between green and cue ball, slowed the cue ball down a bit. Looks like

he's got the gap. A bit of a cut. Just had to do a bit now. As he left

this red for Marco? Marco has yet to pot the ball in this match. He can

get through to it. This could be his first pot of the match so far. Can

he get on a colour. Does the pink go? Axiom it does. -- Ali assume it

does. -- I assume it does. I'm not sure he played that. He rightfully

take it. He potted the pink and then stopped

and didn't look happy. I don't know why, perhaps he felt it could have

held the cue ball better. Mark has had his chance. Make the most of it.

If he has a slight angle, he is straight enough, isn't he. I think

he's had to hold the pink spot to stay on that red nicely. If the

black spot is not available, Mark Selby will be hoping it isn't

available, the only one available is the yellow spot.

Obviously that red is holding the black spot at the moment. We know

that because obviously the pink would have gone on it if it had been

available. Can he play for this red in the same pocket as the black?

Because the black will have to go as close to its own spot as it can.

Schoolboy error from the commentator!

I always wondered if it was possible in a practice game to orchestrate

every colour on the wrong spot. It is tough to do.

Could have played that with pace and screwed into the cluster that it did

not feel as though he was going to develop anything so purposely play

for this red. Is a fascinating player to watch, Marco He doesn't

seem to do anything particularly brilliant, he just quietly goes

about being very efficient. I think his cue ball control is his asset,

when he gets in and around the black spot. This is where he struggles a

little bit. Was not easy to get on a red there,

trusting a bit to luck. Getting that break.

So, a bit like Selby in the first frame, could not actually convert

the shot. Convert the chance. An alarm on a mobile phone going off in

the auditorium. For anyone with an earpiece, putting a phone on silent

these days is not good enough. Turning them off is the most

guaranteed way. An excellent safety shot there for

Mark Selby. And of these two players, this is where he will gain

the most advantage in safety exchanges. I think that Marco can

score just as well as he can, but it is the safety were obviously, if you

play it, you can force an error. It may make you think that Mark Selby

will get more opportunities than Marco. A good reply. A little closer

to the middle then he would have liked but it was not a mis-hit. So,

the possibility of the four-cushion safety behind the green... Swung it

around very nicely. Although there is a gap. He has got to hit this

just right, if it goes to fake it goes at the table with the cue ball.

-- toothache. He tries to hit it thin but misses completely.

This all depends, really. I cannot see him having the ball put back.

Marco could get it right the next time. He could pot this, screwing

between black and the left-hand red on the cushion. Get it out for a

blue. Perfectly played. Only the pace denying him the

perfect chance, you would expect him to screw this between brown and

green. And come across the face. He hit that so welcome I think he

overheated. He gets another red into the corner. -- he hit it so well, I

think he overhit it. He has got chances, he really did strike that

well. A little thin on the blue then he

would like. I think he has got to play that blue though. He is having

a look at the pink but has to do plenty with the tuple if he is to

play the pink. That red is a little awkward, he is stretching over.

Trying to control the cue ball, not easy on the superfast tables.

No, not good. You must make sure that you get the right side, their

trap areas, this is one of them where you leave yourself much

farther away from a short uncomfortable. This is one of them.

-- further away from the shot then comfortable.

This shot is very similar to the opening one he played to get in. The

only difference is the small extension, that does change the

throw, if he puts on side spin. If he hits it badly, he could go thick.

Right in the heart of the pocket. But once again, wrong side of the

blue. The old-fashioned way of playing is

between pink and brown. That is no longer played. That kind

of shot... Chosen by nearly all of the players now. Full is to retch,

just tiptoe on the floor. -- at full stretch.

Still three points behind here, this is not a formality. He could win the

frame in this visit... He made the last red look ridiculously easy. It

was very missable. Not a great love affair with the blue today. Some

difficult ones from the position aspect of it.

Did not really want to be colliding with this red, perhaps he could not

avoid it? In the end, he has got a difficult one out the way, but if

you cannot get past the black, he obviously cannot, on this red into

the corner here, going straight, that place you would have to play it

at, it makes this red very missable. On reflection, I think he played to

move the red but wanted more angle. Anything could happen here. He has

hit it well but could never get it in a good position for the black, I

think that the black just goes but boy, this is tough... He does not

have to play it, in one respect... Don't really see the point of giving

your opponent back to the table without him having to work hard for

his chance. That is one of the great strengths of Mark Selby. Yes, the

black was too risky. I do not see how he could have got position on

the next red. He plays well, getting the cue ball

tied to the baulk cushion. Marco has a problem, now he is three

points behind. That was not just a containing safety shot. He has asked

Marco Fu the question... I have taken the yellow off the baulk

cushion. Can you play a telling safety shot? If not, the table is

live. All balls in the open. The big

problem with the red that he can see, he is not going to play it, but

come off the side cushion, top cushion, nestle onto the red.

But you need the touch of a surgeon to get this safe, he did not want to

hit it on the way... He has left a chance here for Mark. Not an easy

one but it is a chance. He won along the top cushion is as difficult, if

not more so, than the cutback. A clever shot, nonetheless, from

Mark Selby. Some insurance there. Should he have potted it, he was on

a colour, so to speak. Maybe not perfectly, but... I don't

know if Fu can get round the back of this red? I think he's trying to go

around the back of it. A good shot for Fu, a little unlucky. Very

unlucky, really. He knocks the red onto the right middle. If Mark

knocks this end, all of the reds are in the open.

More difficult than it looks on our TV.

But once again, a difficult shot made to look very easy.

John, I know that it is early in the match, but if Mark Selby converts

this chance, our alarm bells ringing? A yellow alert for Marco

Fu? Well, I don't think Marco has done much wrong. He should not be

disheartened. He did not have much chance in the first frame. It was

halfway through this frame he potted his first ball. But I still have the

worry that Mark is going to get more opportunities to you to the better

quality safety that he will play throughout this match.

I think Marco has an age-old problem, the balance between attack

and defence, I think he should be favouring attack more. But it is

early stages. I want to see if he gets a real good chance and can win

a frame in one visit, before I give an opinion on how this match is

definitely going to go. I know that according to the bookmakers, Mark

Selby will come in favourite. I had to admit, I know why you ask the

question, Mark is looking solid at the moment, comfortable in his skin

in these first couple of frames. Yes, it can have an effect on your

opponent. You know full well how well flat Marco can play.

He has proved it this week. Against a different opponent, although you

play the table, your opponent does seem to come into the equation. A

couple of balls now away from the finishing line... Yes, just yellow

and green to get to the snookers required.

Playing this perfectly... The green to go 26 ahead with just 22

remaining. It's funny, it is that saying that

you keep coming out with. You cannot win the match in the first session

but you can lose it. Looking very assured. Not allowing any half

chances at the moment, it is 2-0 to Selby.

Two exponents of the cue action which is very good. If you want any

help at your cue action, or bridging over balls or on the cushion, send

us a written request or it can come through on your video.

Get your head on shot or a side on shot, use the hashtag cuefix, I will

get it right in a minute! COMMENTATOR: The beautiful scene

that is the Crucible Theatre. First thoughts on this match, Steve? I

think my thoughts would go along the lines of we are getting to the

quarterfinal stages with great players. But when they come

head-to-head commies you see a difference in class, that is why

sometimes in these best of 25 matches, sometimes there are massive

differences in the frame scores. Marco Fu needs to get going and get

a frame on the board here in the third frame. Yes, you want to get

your frame on the scoreboard sooner rather than later. Not the best

break-off shot once again from Marco. You would never expect by the

quarterfinal stages that the best of 25 matches would be finished with a

session to spare, but it does happen.

If anybody could get into the rhythm to do that, it is Mark Selby. As we

watch that wonderful opening red again, nicely on the black. Marco

would be disappointed. There is always the danger with the break-off

shot, but finding that baulk cushion, that is what makes any shot

difficult. The other great exponent of relentless snooker, John Higgins,

still in the tournament. Some heavyweights certainly playing

the game. Walking around positively, so the cannons worked out OK, it

appears... You can't guarantee that is going to

be held the cue ball releases but when it happens, it is a wonderful

side, as a player. The always -- highways preferred playing the screw

shot there. Selby has a very good snooker brain, doesn't he? He is

very clever. Of course, he is that talented with

the cue, he was once the 8-ball world champion at pool. He knows the

little moves. There we go, three reds, three blacks...

If anybody is due for one in the championship at the Crucible, it is

the world number one. And the world number one by quite some margin.

He can play for the black again there.

I don't think you would necessarily be thinking maximum break just yet

but when you get 289 reds or blacks, the frame will be over -- when you

get to eight or nine reds. Something to show the grandchildren... Not a

massive prize this year, more of a rolling prize. It keeps ticking up,

but has made recently. Back in the day, at ?147,000, that was given and

one of the reasons why that was possible was because there were not

many made, and use nuclear association could insure against it.

Now, the premiums are too I -- and the Sneaker association could insure

against it. That was the right shot to play for

the blue. The frame is more important.

Playing that nicely, he would have liked to have been straight on this

red but you would rather be too hard and too short, and not be on the red

at all. Potting the red, he would be running

into another. You need to judge the pace of this shot.

Not perfect... As long as he can pot the blue and avoid collision with

the yellow? I don't think you necessarily can bet he can get down

the table to the black cushion, and get an easy red. If he has contact

on the yellow he needs to trust his luck a bit.

Nothing wrong with that. I think that was the only where he could

miss the yellow, a pure strike in. If he played firmer than he could

have run into the yellow but he knew the red was on.

Not easy to judge that pace. For the blue.

A loose red on the right-hand side of the table. In between yellow and

brown, with left-hand side, the pack is protected by the pink. Screwing

between brown and green... I think that he will be able to miss the red

on the baulk cushion. They control to screw between these two balls.

Could have played that better. 66 ahead, Selby. As soon as he parts

one more red, there will only be 67 remaining.

Was that a plant? A look on his face... I think there is a plant on

here. Dead set. You need to be careful. He cannot hit the opposite

part of the red in line with the pocket. So hitting this first red,

that will push the second to the top chore. -- top jaw. He only needs the

red and one more colour... 67! You were right. He played that

confidently to give the red every chance of the drop. And it shows,

always as Marco Fu has done, he has broke off, and overhit it slightly.

He might be sat down now, and also... Unless something has

happened while I was away, we could be seeing the highest break of the

tournament here. 137, the highest break, made by

Bingham. Although with that red near the baulk cushion, you could think

otherwise. A good word, folly... I didn't know

that you had been away, where have you been? Things happen when I am

not commentating that I like to know about...

That is not going to happen now. Throwing the extension onto the

floor in disappointment. Petulant. Does not matter about the pink.

That'll be enough. Mark Selby is just controlling every aspect of

this match at the moment. 3-0 is the lead.

STUDIO: He hasn't really been seriously pushed so far, a worrying

start from Fu's perspective, he is up and running very quickly? Yes,

looking in total control and very confident in everything he is doing.

He has great cue ball control and makes it look easy at the moment. A

few little mistakes but he is very good at picking out these shots. It

looks like he had the wrong side but needed to make that plant to keep it

going. He is such a clever player, and is very tough to play against.

Every safety shot has a purpose, you come down the table and you are in

trouble. He does not operate anywhere behind the baulk line.

Always something to concentrate on. Here's off to a very good start and

seems to be getting stronger in this tournament.

Better in the second round than the first, he is getting to the top of

his form. He said he had a lot of reserve, Marco Fu has been 7-1 and

4-1 down in these first couple of matches, keys had to climb into the

match but you would give yourself a heck of a task to climb back into it

against this man. Let's go back now. COMMENTATOR:

Arguably, the mountain to climb back from a deficit is harder this time

around. Mark Selby is an Everest. Some table time there. And the

points scored. Over 200 more , Mark Selby scored. I suppose in a

way, Marco Fu was pleased he did not have to break off the frame. He

broke off the first and it cost him 48 and the third cost him 82. There

was the gap to get to the reds here but he cannot get to the edge of the

red, it would be difficult to get the cue ball back to the bulkhead.

We've spoken about it before, the break off and how often the players

pot a red from it. You would think that surely a player should really

investigate another way to break off the guaranteed no pot.

Just about got the safety shot, has he got it far enough down the table

to stop Selby from cutting the red in? You couldn't go into your club

and practice because the tables play differently and the break off is

very different. You would only have to be able to practice on the match

tables. Even the practice tables at the venue are not the same. I would

think this red cuts, but not much clue as to the white as it travels.

Hit hard and hope... Wherever he hoped, he did not get. LAUGHTER

I think there was a task from the crowd, as to how good a shot that

was and a few people in the crowd did not expect that to be the chosen

one, he played it so well. If Mark Selby were to win this

frame, Marco Fu fans would be hoping that the interval could change the

pattern of the match. A loose safety, not left anything on but can

Marco play a more telling safety? You certainly can.

Just wrapping his concentration for one second. When he wasn't on

anything, he had some fun with the audience, that might have taken the

edge of the safety shot that he was about to play. I think that Mark has

spotted the possibility of a shot to nothing, although it is critical,

the escape path... Yes, I think you would favour to overcut it rather

than hitting it too thick. That is what he did. An excellent shot,

guaranteed of getting the cue ball down the table, no attempt

whatsoever to pot the ball. I would agree. That is why when I look at

long pot success, if I see 66% that is good because a lot of the time

you play a shot for nothing and you are on the side of hitting them to

thin. That was lacking in pace. It needed

to hurry. He has left a pot on. Mark Selby can get this red in. It looks

to be going into the three reds next to the pink. He might be able to

miss them and get down the table. He cannot put on any right-hand side.

He had to trust to luck and was probably hoping to hit the red next

to the pink and develop it, but he had to put almost all his

concentration into the pot. The fact of the red did not go in the middle

of the pocket probably changed the line of the cue ball. I do not think

there is a colour he will go for to keep this going. He has Marco Fu, at

the moment, just where he wants him. He would play the yellow normally,

if the cueing was easier. Well, a bit close. He must've known

he was unlikely to click it. Puts you under pressure. This excellent

safety shot, the red in the bottom half of the table pots into three

pockets down there. He is certainly calling the shots. Marco, a couple

of poor break offs that have cost him a couple of frames, but he is

not being left unlocked. The fact that Mark has won the first three

frames, he is now in what could be described as a comfort zone. He is

not forced to play anything, he can play within himself. I think Marco,

as you said, needs a frame quickly. Another cut. And another dagger into

Marco. Not a guarantee pot, but really cueing well.

A bad kick, bad contact. Does that come to Marco Fu's rescue? Is this

the way he gets back into the match? Does he have the ball cleaned, does

he just carry on playing? Well, he cannot look a gift horse in

the mouth. It was not a certainty that red, but

you would have expected him to get it on another day, in another

situation. He is under it a bit, now. Fascinating, so early in the

match, best of 25, how quickly you can be under pressure.

Not much of this red passed the pink.

Another excellent safety shot. It is a killer blow. Oh. He did not expect

that, but it is piling the heat on to Marco. Yes, obviously he was

trying to get the cue ball tight to the baulk cushion. He underhit it

slightly, but it has come out beautifully. Marco, having missed,

and not had much chance, and 3-0 behind, there is a lot of pressure

on the escape. He has to come off the side cushion, top cushion, and

nestle on this red by the black. Wonderful. Wonderful.

He is going to be back. Not behind the yellow, but in that area. About

two feet along from the baulk cushion. He is checking to see if

there is an advantage in getting behind the brown. If you can stop

any escape paths that way. It depends on how much he can see off

the right-hand cushion. Not enough of it to get behind the

yellow. A little bit lucky? He certainly

didn't play topside of the yellow. A misjudgement, certainly could not

get down the table wide enough off the right-hand side cushion. But as

we know, when you are under pressure, it seems like everything

is going against you. Marco Fu still has a problem. The green made it

hard that the pink would stop the escape route down the right. I

cannot see a path back to book back -- back to baulk. Will he have to do

pot his way out of this spot of bother?

This is horrible. He cannot get back to baulk. The more I look at this,

the worse it is getting, the same for Marco. There is a red to the

left pink, the first one along that line. There is a gap between pink

and the below it. Is that possible? Only just. If he hits it to thick,

it will bounce off the pink. There is a gap. There is always a gap. I

think it is a last resort shot. He is trying to see if he can contain

the situation. I think he will take the pot on. It is a massive shot to

take on. But if there is no safety... Perhaps he can play into

the jaws of the left-hand corner. A tough shot. Sometimes, rather than

just playing negative, he has tried to pot his way out of trouble. I do

not think he has. OK. A little bit of hope for Marco Fu, it is not an

absolute certainty, the first pot. He can obviously get past the black

to the red in the left corner but he feels that is delicate. Can he not

get past the black? Is that the problem?

And interesting shot in one respect is if he does pot it using the blue,

no guarantee he will be on a baulk colour. It is a big pocket, as you

say. Not that big. He has got away with it, though. Mind you, by the

same rule, so did Marco. Marco is desperate for an easy in, but he is

not getting one. 37 and a half minutes since Marco last potted a

ball. A straighter red into the left

corner, perhaps. The thing about the thick shot into

the middle pocket, it is hard to judge the cue ball. He has this one

to the left corner. It needs good cueing. The harder you hit this one,

a chance of missing it if he plays up for the green, which is what he

decided to do. He tried to play it and not leave the red to the right

middle. That was the 4-0 shot. I could not agree more. He hedged his

bets, didn't he? Once again, Marco is left with a tester. Very

understandable if he misses. On another day, certainly with a

different scoreline, you would say it is more or less certain, but he

is under it. Well, there you go. It is amazing.

These players make the game look easy, but, sometimes, when you have

been frozen out, and it was coming up to 39 minutes as he last potted a

ball, it does not get any easier. He has a fantastic temperament, Marco

Fu, as we know from recent performances. He needs to regroup

and it is not easy to regroup when you are sitting there. Sometimes you

need the sanctuary of the dressing room.

This table has gone awkward. That is another time when Marco had a pot on

and was not guaranteed position. This green need some potting. He has

to play the stun run-through to get on the red near the baulk cushion,

you would have thought. He missed it. Does Marco get another chance,

he does. A funny table now, Marco. You are only four macro points

behind. Your opponent has had good chances. Over 40 minutes since he

last potted a ball. That is debilitating.

That is almost embarrassment level for a professional player. He is

really struggling out there. Fascinating moments in this

quarterfinal. We were saying how much it has taken

it out of him last night, the battle with Neil Robertson. What we have

seen so far, it looks like quite a lot. I cannot believe you missed

that red. We talked at the start of the match

about how Marco Fu has improved drastically as a player. With Wayne

Griffiths in his corner, he has been an inspiration. Wayne Griffiths may

be required to earn his keep here. I am certain he will go on the

practice table at the interval. He did not score in the first frame.

He had a 36 break in the second. He did not score in the third frame,

and he has not scored in this one, yet. I think failing to make any

type of sizeable contribution and only getting to 36 points is

arguably his downfall. A similar thing happened to Mark

Selby and he is almost 4-0, so swings and roundabouts in that

department. There is a little bit of work to do.

He has to be careful he does not get into the cue ball too much when

potting the yellow and he has to avoid the kiss on the blue.

Sometimes you can pot a colour and almost be nailed on to be on a red,

but this is not the case here. Just as Steve said, he potted the

yellow, avoided the kiss on the blue. But where is the red? I do not

think the one to the right of the black passes the black, I am certain

it doesn't, so what is he on? This frame is very much alive. Only

22 points in it. It is, but you feel like Mark Selby

is going to go 4-0. It does not look like Marco will be effective, at the

moment. That was a more positive strike and that is an excellent shot

for Marco. Well played. Very well played indeed. And, for once, he

will give Mark Selby something to think about.

Possibly could risk playing full in the face on the red on the far side

cushion but he would not want to hit the red and the red hit the far jaw

and then he gets a double-kiss. I do not know if he can get past the

blue to hit the side cushion just past the middle pocket and play a

one cushion escape. He played a better shot! I think you

played it, if you didn't, then it is all going wrong for Marco. Marco had

him in trouble and he managed to pull one out. He can get back in

control of this safety exchange. Of course the shot Mark Selby

played, if the red does not pot, there is always the possibility that

you don't stick it up and you contain the situation. Just the same

as you played full ball and got the cue ball on the top cushion. The

bonuses you can play telling safety shot off a colour.

It seems to become on most occasions with Marco, he is having to give

these safety shots a lot of thought. I thought he had Marco in trouble,

but he pulled out a good pot. Marco is just trying to... Well, that is a

tough ask to play that shot. REFEREE: Foul and a miss. And he had

to hit that so thin. And that could be the killer blow.

Deliberately played for position on that. I think that is one of the

things with Mark Selby, he could have been forgiven for playing it as

a shot to nothing and getting the cue ball further down the table.

203 points without reply. It is not as if Marco has not had a couple of

chances in this frame. It is not looking good for the man from Hong

Kong. Just this black and one more red and he will be 4-0 down come the

mid-session interval. We say so many times that intervals can turn things

around. That is what Marco will be hoping.

And whilst Marco Fu has been a professional many years and he has

played in big matches, coming into this World Championship as potential

winner, with more people tipping him, perhaps that has raised his own

level of expectation. Against Mark Selby, a bigger question has been

asked. Perhaps the biggest match of his career in his own eyes, or it is

how the match has unfolded. The referees, the unsung heroes. The

player, when he misses, goes to his seat, but they are on their feet all

the time and have to keep the score and concentrate 100% of the time.

This has not been flawless, this performance from Mark Selby, but

Marco Fu has had chances in this frame. He has not been able to score

a point so this is the third frame out of the four where he has failed

to pot a ball. Well, he wants to pot the black.

Just rubbing salt in the wound. Marco Fu needs to get his act

together in the mid-session interval. Mark Selby is comfortably

in front. I think the comfort level is high. The defending champion

looks like he is on easy street. He was 3-0 up and more or less got

nervous himself because he knew he should be 4-0 up and he had chances

he made a mess of. He forgot to pot a few balls and it is only because

Marco is really struggling Hugh won the last frame. Marco has not been

able to come up with an answer when asked the question. He does look

drained. Worrying signs, I know it is early in the match and hopefully

the interval has come at the right time and he can talk to Wayne

Griffiths, maybe recharge the batteries. He needs a couple of

frames of the next four, otherwise this match may be over in the first

session. I looked at last year's semifinal. It was a brilliant last

couple of sessions and Marco went 3-0 behind but came out of the first

session 5-3. It was a fantastic battle in the last session, but he

is in danger of losing the plot right away. You do not want to keep

doing it. What will you have left in the tournament? He was down against

Luca Brecel. And against Neil Robertson, it went almost to the

distance. 4-0 down to Mark Selby. I can think of some players I would

not mind being 4-0 down to but not Mark Selby. Marco has won 23 frames

and conceded 20. It is still possible to go through, as you did

in 2003, you came through a huge number of frames, I think you played

the most ever in one Crucible championship. 132 frames without

winning the tournament. The most you can play, if every match as a last

frame decider it is a 137. You are value for money! Just as well I was

not paying for the light! You still had something left to go on. How did

you convince yourself mentally to stay alert? You have to keep your

concentration. Every match, every session, I was trying to focus on

winning each session. That is what we try to do, particularly at the

World Championship. You do not look at the number at the end of the

second round, you think of the first four frames. Trying to get a lead.

Play it in short spurts. If you think too far ahead, you get lost.

Marco has to regroup, speak to Wayne Griffiths, try to get a couple of

these frames. If he gets two, it gives him a chance. If you wake up

on semifinal morning and think, I have to win 17 frames, you would not

get round to doing it. You have to split it into mini sessions. It is

time for the main man in Stoke, the world number one, to put the

pressure on him. It is his turn now in the hot seat.

Welcome to another edition of the competition more important than the

World Championship. And today, the defending World Snooker champion,

Mark Selby. APPLAUSE

Did you play this lasted? I did. I cannot remember what time I

got. The time to beat... As long as I beat Hawkins, I will be happy.

That is impossible not to beat, over two minutes. The best time is Marco

Fu. Did he get all questions right? I do not think so. Pot the balls as

quick as you can. What was the number one record the day you were

born, June 1983? A multiple-choice. Let's Dance, I Just Called To Say I

Love You. Every Breath You Take. I will go for number two. No, it was

Every Breath You Take. . I will go for that. Name all the players...

This is tough. Name of the players he beat on the way to winning the

title in 2014. The locked. Michael White. Correct. Ali Carter. Alan

McManus. Neil Robertson. One in O'Sullivan. Ronnie O'Sullivan.

APPLAUSE What an anorak! You will need to be

an anorak for this third question. Who scored the first century break

at the Crucible? That is cruel. But you are world champions. First

century break at the Crucible. If I were Ken Doherty, I would give you a

too. Ken. That was not a clue. The first ever century break at the

Crucible. I do not think Ken was there. I will go for yourself. Eddie

Charlton. Eddie Charlton, did he make a century? Just, 105.

Who chose these questions anyway? Nothing to do with me! Including

yourself, how many players have won two and only two World

Championships? Mark Williams, Alex Higgins,... And including yourself,

Mark Selby. Congratulations, yes. So far, two balls off. Lastly, what is

your highest Crucible century break? I should know this... You should,

you made it! You were there. I was, but I can't remember. From first

ball to last... It definitely wasn't this year... 145?" 142. 2010. I

cannot tell you any more information than that. It's not coming through

my ear. Two balls off. You get to choose which ones... In your own

time... You get to choose which two balls. That is one off... And I will

go with this one... Place the cue ball wherever you want... And the

time strikes... No, the time starts when you strike the cue ball. Ready?

Go! He's off, the trademark wonderful pull-back of the cue.

Totally in control... That's enough, that's enough! Enough time to chalk

his cue... No time to even sway on the shot, this is amazing. So far,

this is wonderful, it has to be said. 30 seconds gone so far, well

in time. No ball yet has touched the cushion. All touched the sides! The

first cue ball doing any kind of mileage. Four reds left. Nicely into

the corner, for a minute he did not spot it. Slowly rolling in... Short

of pace, dropping slightly... A sort of run around the table. A nice and

controlled the top of the cushion there. He has got the angle... In

goes the red. CLAPPING How many are we on? One minute and

15 seconds. In it goes! Did not put a foot wrong, that was a

good time. One minute 18 seconds, you go into top place! CLAPPING

STUDIO: Nine seconds faster than his opponent Marco Fu today, is that an