0:00:35 > 0:00:39Good evening and welcome to snooker extra, extended
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Good evening and welcome to snooker extra, extended highlights of the UK
0:00:41 > 0:00:50championship. We see Martin Gould take on Xiao Guodong of China.
0:00:50 > 0:01:02Commentary from Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13COMMENTATOR: Xiao Guodong breaks. I think this will be an attacking
0:01:13 > 0:01:13match. Both players
0:01:13 > 0:01:15think this will be an attacking match. Both players like to get on
0:01:15 > 0:01:26with it, go for their shots and score heavily.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Not too sure what route Martin Gould arrived here today, whether it was
0:01:43 > 0:01:51on the back of a bike, or through a. It might be a style. There is only
0:01:51 > 0:02:03one winner?Xiao Guodong, straight from Strictly. Beauties. On a
0:02:03 > 0:02:10serious note, I thought it Xiao Guodong was going to be the next big
0:02:10 > 0:02:15thing, got a lot of talent. But for whatever reason, hasn't managed to
0:02:15 > 0:02:26realise that talent. Played him in an exhibition when he was only 14,
0:02:26 > 0:02:3115, got a total clearance against me. I thought, this guy has got
0:02:31 > 0:02:45everything.I do feel, slowly and surely, a lot of the Chinese are
0:02:45 > 0:02:56starting to make their mark on the world scene.
0:02:59 > 0:03:07Very aggressive and considering he hasn't had much table time, that is
0:03:07 > 0:03:20a shot he couldn't guarantee.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30This red on the black spot is a good one to get rid of, obviously. Won't
0:04:30 > 0:04:33be able to play for the black this time, but it makes break-building a
0:04:33 > 0:04:40lot easier. Don't know if he can screw through the.
0:05:11 > 0:05:22Underrated player, Martin Gould. Doesn't seem to be overawed by any
0:05:22 > 0:05:36situation. Unusual in respect that he wears normal glasses to play.I
0:05:36 > 0:05:39think they are special glasses he looks over the top of two play shots
0:05:39 > 0:05:53with.Why is he wearing them if he looks over the top of them?Balance.
0:05:53 > 0:06:01When he is looking at the table from this position, looking through the
0:06:01 > 0:06:04glasses and when he gets down he is looking over the top, clear of the
0:06:04 > 0:06:12rings. He obviously hasn't got that poor eyesight, I would imagine. Not
0:06:12 > 0:06:18the first time we have discussed this, but it is quite fascinating.
0:06:23 > 0:06:31Cannon on the middle read. The only drawback is he has tied the black
0:06:31 > 0:06:36dog for the right corner.The harder cannon would have pushed the red
0:06:36 > 0:06:47free of the black line. Probably won't be an issue. Very, very
0:06:47 > 0:06:51efficient. This cue ball hasn't moved any distance so far in this
0:06:51 > 0:06:55break. That is the art of break-building at the top of the
0:06:55 > 0:07:03table.To be fair, he was given a gift in this opening frame. Just
0:07:03 > 0:07:17what he wants, easy chance with the balls everywhere. Very aggressive
0:07:17 > 0:07:22shot by Xiao Guodong. Tough shot to play, the cue ball was quite close
0:07:22 > 0:07:28to the side cushion. It made the shot even harder.Getting harder
0:07:28 > 0:07:35now, the lay of The reds. Got a bit of a kick on the last red and that
0:07:35 > 0:07:39has taken the pace out of the cue ball. More work to do with the cue
0:07:39 > 0:07:52ball here. Had to sacrifice a little bit of distance between balls, but
0:07:52 > 0:07:56as long as this red to the right of the pink goes in, it's pretty
0:07:56 > 0:08:02comfortable.
0:08:14 > 0:08:24He is striking the ball nicely, crisp.Always nice to get off to a
0:08:24 > 0:08:31good start, especially in one session match. It is important in
0:08:31 > 0:08:36even longer matches, but settling down in matches, is never
0:08:36 > 0:08:42guaranteed. Opus group that a fraction. Didn't want to be that
0:08:42 > 0:08:46close to the cushion. Although perhaps it was unavoidable, to get
0:08:46 > 0:08:52straight on one of these reds. He'll expect him to get it.
0:09:08 > 0:09:15The first shot but hasn't gone to plan so far. Going to have to play
0:09:15 > 0:09:30the pink to left middle. Which is admissible.
0:10:15 > 0:10:21One more red and this has been a very comfortable visit to the table.
0:10:21 > 0:10:27He's never looked in any danger, very composed, very relaxed. Never
0:10:27 > 0:10:33really had any tough shots to play. And this is the best way of
0:10:33 > 0:10:39punishing your opponent of his mistake, winning the frame in one
0:10:39 > 0:10:46visit.But on another day, when you are not as comfortable amongst the
0:10:46 > 0:10:50balls, you could make an easy visit like this very difficult. Good
0:10:50 > 0:11:02control. Martin Gould, outdoing Xiao Guodong in the belt department, that
0:11:02 > 0:11:11is for certain. It is a beauty.
0:11:36 > 0:11:42Jag or donk comes back for a bit of practice, but it is going to be 1-0,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45to Martin Gould. -- shall gong.
0:12:01 > 0:12:07I don't see the point in coming to the table to play a tough shot. If
0:12:07 > 0:12:13Martin Gould had left an easy one, then yes, pot some balls but
0:12:13 > 0:12:20otherwise, I don't see the point. Play a tough shot and missed them by
0:12:20 > 0:12:24a mile, it is only going to make you feel worse when you go into the next
0:12:24 > 0:12:28frame.
0:14:28 > 0:14:38Martin Gould with that impressive break of 82. Takes the first frame.
0:14:56 > 0:15:05Match is back to all square and now it is the best of nine.
0:15:05 > 0:15:14APPLAUSE Decent break.
0:15:22 > 0:15:32As is the done thing now, a player knows when a risky shot, gets out of
0:15:32 > 0:15:38the way of the shot and the referee can look at exactly where the cue
0:15:38 > 0:15:47ball is, should there be a file called. Paul Collier, may have more
0:15:47 > 0:15:51experience than these two lads put together. Has been around for
0:15:51 > 0:15:55centuries now in the game.
0:16:10 > 0:16:16I didn't expect any harm to be done from that shot, but he has left this
0:16:16 > 0:16:21red. Bad judgment from Martin Gould. I'm sure he was playing into the
0:16:21 > 0:16:32bunch of The reds. Gets the cue ball to stop and quickly. It hasn't done.
0:16:32 > 0:16:42He's got enough angle to play-off may be three or four questions.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46Requires a lot of cute power, although these tables help you out
0:16:46 > 0:16:54in that department, more so than a club table.
0:16:59 > 0:17:15Five cushions.Tough pot, I don't think you will be playing this.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19Maybe angle wide off the first question. That is why the cue ball
0:17:19 > 0:17:23has ended up at this down of the table.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11The flick on the brown has left him perfect to get the cue ball back up
0:19:11 > 0:19:17to this end of the table.
0:19:47 > 0:19:55Aggressive shot. Everything was covering each other, there wasn't an
0:19:55 > 0:20:03easy red to play for. This red is on. He can play of the cushion to
0:20:03 > 0:20:08the pink for the same pocket but when you are playing with more pace
0:20:08 > 0:20:22and bridging over, the slightest deviation, you miss this red.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28Don't think he will be playing the pink now, it will be glued to the
0:20:28 > 0:20:33green pocket. Virtually nothing to do with the cue ball. -- it will be
0:20:33 > 0:20:43blue. Couple of reds available to the right corner. Depends how far he
0:20:43 > 0:20:52wants to screw the cue ball back. Should he pot this blue, looking
0:20:52 > 0:21:02further ahead, that black will be difficult to get into open play. Hit
0:21:02 > 0:21:13his hand on the edge of the table then. Going through with the cube,
0:21:13 > 0:21:19he hit his hands before he hit the ball. Hurt his finger.I thought he
0:21:19 > 0:21:23had got an electric shock, sometimes that happens on the table. But you
0:21:23 > 0:21:31were right. Bad miss on the blue. Had nothing to do with the cue ball,
0:21:31 > 0:21:36just concentrate on the pot. Missed it by a mile. Good opportunity now
0:21:36 > 0:21:40for Xiao Guodong.
0:23:40 > 0:23:50He will be disappointed with the outcome. I would imagine he got a
0:23:50 > 0:23:56bit low on the cue ball. I think perhaps he was playing to stun onto
0:23:56 > 0:24:10the cushion and then off again. Now he has made a realistically chance
0:24:10 > 0:24:23of winning the frame into a tough one.He never looked in a rhythm in
0:24:23 > 0:24:28that break at any stage. When Martin Gould miss the blue, it was a
0:24:28 > 0:24:34comfortable chance. But he seemed to take a long time over shots, Xiao
0:24:34 > 0:24:39Guodong, when it looked pretty straightforward. When Martin Gould
0:24:39 > 0:24:47went to 82, had a good rhythm around the table. Maybe he hasn't settled
0:24:47 > 0:24:53down yet, Xiao Guodong. Still a bit edgy.
0:24:56 > 0:25:03Looked like he was creating problems that weren't there.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13That was a much better pot than it looked, bridging over. Not out of
0:26:13 > 0:26:18the woods yet.
0:26:23 > 0:26:34Two reds beside the pink. This isn't an easy chance.
0:27:14 > 0:27:20APPLAUSE
0:27:50 > 0:28:02Great shot from Guodong. Superb control. Not guaranteed to get leave
0:28:02 > 0:28:06from this, but it's not easy. I think Martin Gould will be tempted
0:28:06 > 0:28:13by the one cushion escape, dead weight. He's got to be careful.
0:28:13 > 0:28:19Wrong side of the red could develop the other red. He doesn't want to
0:28:19 > 0:28:29hit the pink, obviously. Left the two alone, I think. The two alone by
0:28:29 > 0:28:35the pink. Played that well, if that's how he played it.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01Misjudged safety.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15All those three reds look to be covering each other to the right
0:29:15 > 0:29:23corner. That yellow is a little tempter to try and get in behind.
0:29:26 > 0:29:34That was a far better choice of shots from Martin Gould there.
0:29:34 > 0:29:34APPLAUSE
0:29:39 > 0:29:48Returning the compliment. Guodong down very quickly here. Playing this
0:29:48 > 0:29:55ultra thin. Tough shot. He's playing a container.
0:29:59 > 0:30:10Chance to perhaps get the black into play. Playing very thin on the red
0:30:10 > 0:30:13by the black, on to the cushion first, knock the black into play,
0:30:13 > 0:30:19get the cue ball down the table. Red is obviously available into the
0:30:19 > 0:30:23right middle, the left middle. So, once again, playing the positive
0:30:23 > 0:30:25shot.
0:30:31 > 0:30:40Didn't hit it particularly positively though. I don't know
0:30:40 > 0:30:48about that one. The way he played it was less committal than the shot
0:30:48 > 0:30:51itself. APPLAUSE
0:31:05 > 0:31:17Unlucky. Martin Gould had a problem if he potted the red. It wasn't the
0:31:17 > 0:31:21easiest of opportunities. It looked for a second that Guodong had
0:31:21 > 0:31:27punished him. That bump got in the way. This is a lot tougher
0:31:27 > 0:31:32proposition, screwing back with the extended rest.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38You almost wouldn't be surprised to see the miscue here with the
0:31:38 > 0:31:45extension. It become as possibility, digging right down on that cue ball.
0:31:49 > 0:31:54APPLAUSE How well has he hit that? What a mag
0:31:54 > 0:31:57enough September shot.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Unfortunately, I think he's hit it too well he was hoping to be on the
0:32:03 > 0:32:07red into the middle so he could drop off the side cushion for the pink
0:32:07 > 0:32:13into the right corner. He's come lob sided on the red over the middle
0:32:13 > 0:32:16pocket. He may not have the right angle on the red into the left
0:32:16 > 0:32:31corner. He would have to go back up for the baulk corner.
0:32:37 > 0:32:4316 point lead. These three open reds would be enough.
0:33:22 > 0:33:30Couldn't have judged that better. From not doing too much in this
0:33:30 > 0:33:37match, Martin Gould looks like he will be going 2-1 behind. Obviously
0:33:37 > 0:33:43the blue earlier in the frame looks to be pretty costly.
0:34:35 > 0:34:43Pink to leave Martin Gould needing a snooker. Not trying to be too fancy
0:34:43 > 0:34:46with this one, but he's played that well. That's put paid to this third
0:34:46 > 0:34:50frame. Another scrappy affair.
0:34:55 > 0:35:00Sometimes the balls dictate, if they go awkward straightaway, colours go
0:35:00 > 0:35:07to cushions.Looks to have the perfect angle to break this red out
0:35:07 > 0:35:12here.
0:35:15 > 0:35:24Wanted to hit black first. 50 points in front, Martin Gould won't be
0:35:24 > 0:35:29coming back to the table.
0:35:35 > 0:35:43Xiao Guodong goes into a 2-1 lead.
0:36:10 > 0:36:18APPLAUSE Decent pot, is he on a colour? Even
0:36:18 > 0:36:23if he's on the green, it's not... It's very difficult to control, to
0:36:23 > 0:36:26get any position on the red. I think the red only goes into the pocket
0:36:26 > 0:36:32that the green is covering?Yeah. He could play cushion first on the
0:36:32 > 0:36:39green, play with power. He's not even attempting the green here. He
0:36:39 > 0:36:43thinks it's a really low percentage chance of getting on the red. Trying
0:36:43 > 0:36:48to play a telling safety shot. Not going to disagree with him there. He
0:36:48 > 0:36:53does promote the yellow into a pottable position. So clever little
0:36:53 > 0:37:03shot here. Now the yellow is in play. Didn't really want to let
0:37:03 > 0:37:08Martin Gould have a one cushion escape though.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19Looks like he hasn't. So Martin Gould hoping to push that red
0:37:19 > 0:37:25towards the green pocket. That's a safe area. Four ball kiss he'd be
0:37:25 > 0:37:27happy with.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Three-ball.
0:37:42 > 0:37:47REFEREE:Miss, three-ball. STEVE DAVIS:Pretty wide of that.
0:37:47 > 0:37:53Don't know if he could have come off the side cushion. A lot more assured
0:37:53 > 0:37:57of hitting the red if he could have done.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05He needs an angle on the yellow after this green, just so he can
0:38:05 > 0:38:09stun the cue ball across and leave that red to the green pocket.
0:38:23 > 0:38:37He really got into that. I mean he overscrewed it. I mean, he's on the
0:38:37 > 0:38:42green, but, in a way, you were expecting as a play tore have an
0:38:42 > 0:38:46easier shot. It seems to put a bit more pressure on the green now. You
0:38:46 > 0:38:51look stupid if you miss it. So, he's got to regroup, just treat this as a
0:38:51 > 0:38:58shot that would come up anyway in normal play. Hit it postively.
0:39:05 > 0:39:10-- positively. He nearly flicked it out. He had two chances in a way. If
0:39:10 > 0:39:15he flicked it out, it would have been wonderful. He wasn't that far
0:39:15 > 0:39:19off getting round the back of it for the red, as Stephen said, into the
0:39:19 > 0:39:22same pocket. APPLAUSE
0:39:22 > 0:39:26I can't believe I'm going to say, this I think I would have rolled it
0:39:26 > 0:39:33behind the yellow rather than play the green there.What? Are you
0:39:33 > 0:39:39advocating a safety shot?Yeah.You
0:39:39 > 0:39:41the green there.What? Are you advocating a safety shot?Yeah.You!
0:39:41 > 0:39:45I might have got a few points from safety. If Gould you willed had hit
0:39:45 > 0:39:50the red he might have stuck it up. Are you on antibiotics at the moment
0:39:50 > 0:40:02or something? -- Martin Gould had hit the red, he might have stuck it
0:40:02 > 0:40:09up. Are you on antibiotics at the moment or something?
0:40:11 > 0:40:19Great effort. Dangerous effort. May not be a four ball snooker, if at
0:40:19 > 0:40:25all. It looks like you can even cut it in.
0:40:28 > 0:40:39Martin Gould, 20 points in front. Guodong's going for this. Hit it
0:40:39 > 0:40:44firm, black's on. Very important pot there from Guodong. Can he hold it
0:40:44 > 0:40:48for the black or is it going to trundle down the table? He's trying
0:40:48 > 0:40:55to tell it to stop. It's not going to help. He's not happy. You can see
0:40:55 > 0:41:02he's not happy. Even we could see his eyes, they're not happy. If it's
0:41:02 > 0:41:09too thin he can always roll up behind the black.
0:41:10 > 0:41:16I think it does cut in the black, but then obviously it's so thin that
0:41:16 > 0:41:20the cue ball's... You just lose control of the cue ball.
0:41:24 > 0:41:31The right middle pocket to think about.As long as you don't absolute
0:41:31 > 0:41:38will I blast at it you think would end up in the bottom half of the
0:41:38 > 0:41:44table. APPLAUSE
0:41:46 > 0:41:51It must have been... He mustn't have fancied the pot. I'd have been
0:41:51 > 0:41:55tempted to just take my chances with where that cue ball is going to end
0:41:55 > 0:41:59up.Yeah. If you said the cue ball is in the baulk area of the table
0:41:59 > 0:42:03you would be unlucky not to have a pot at the yellow, some sort of pot.
0:42:03 > 0:42:08But he has got command of this frame. Even though he's 19 points
0:42:08 > 0:42:14behind. Martin Gould has only got to hit this yellow, he's got to get it
0:42:14 > 0:42:19safe.A nice way to play this would somehow be to, if you did miss it,
0:42:19 > 0:42:27end up in the top half of the table. It may have been a possibility of a
0:42:27 > 0:42:32way of doing that. You're committing really this way. Trying to get lucky
0:42:32 > 0:42:40if he misses somehow. If he misses and Guodong doesn't like it, he's
0:42:40 > 0:42:52going to be put back. Good effort there from Martin Gould to try and
0:42:52 > 0:42:57lay on that yellow. 12 feet of distance of travel.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07APPLAUSE
0:43:19 > 0:43:29Has it gone round the back? P pots and I think he's got a way of
0:43:29 > 0:43:33getting on the green as well. Didn't take much time on getting down on
0:43:33 > 0:43:35this.
0:43:38 > 0:43:47Has he got the pace right? No good.
0:43:49 > 0:43:55No, the reason it's no good is that brown, behind the pink. The angle
0:43:55 > 0:43:59he's got on the green is natural if the pink wasn't there for the brown
0:43:59 > 0:44:06to the same pocket. He may have to play for the brown to right middle.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12Playing it slowly makes the green missable. I don't suppose he will,
0:44:12 > 0:44:22but getting perfect on the brown is not easy. Oh, didn't know what he
0:44:22 > 0:44:26was doing there. That was a weird shot.I can only assume he was
0:44:26 > 0:44:30playing some sort of cannon into the pink and brown.Side spin. Stun with
0:44:30 > 0:44:34right hand side.Or just to come round off two cushions, miss the
0:44:34 > 0:44:37pink and leave the brown to the left corner. Just make sure of the green.
0:44:37 > 0:44:42Yeah. If he pots the green and he doesn't get nicely on the brown he
0:44:42 > 0:44:50can roll up nicely behind the pink. Martin Gould can surely get off the
0:44:50 > 0:44:58brown on one cushion here. Well, he's two balls off winning this
0:44:58 > 0:45:03frame and getting out of the session at 2-2. I think 2-2 is a fair
0:45:03 > 0:45:11result, neither player deserves to be in front in this match.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20He just about got on the blue.
0:45:31 > 0:45:40In it goes. He will be relieved.
0:45:46 > 0:45:51Mark Williams style effort here on the pink. Perhaps not as good as
0:45:51 > 0:45:57Mark, never mind. Guodong carrying on for snookers, but I think it will
0:45:57 > 0:46:05be 2-2 at the interval.I don't know if Martin Gould normally pots those
0:46:05 > 0:46:09shots with ease. Why not take the rest out and make sure you pot the
0:46:09 > 0:46:15pink and get this frame over with. OK, he's 99 times out of 100 he's
0:46:15 > 0:46:23still going to win, but look at this shot.What you are saying is - you
0:46:23 > 0:46:28want a cup of tea?
0:46:48 > 0:46:52The last thing Martin Gould wants is for 10, 15 minutes trying to get out
0:46:52 > 0:46:59of snookers. Pot the pink, get on to the practice table, get your arm
0:46:59 > 0:47:04moving again. Very strange shot that was.
0:47:32 > 0:47:38Excellent effort, it really is.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46Not been much to talk about in the last three frames, but that is one
0:47:46 > 0:47:51of the best shots we've seen.
0:47:57 > 0:48:01Martin Gould, after that very strange shot, to try and pot the
0:48:01 > 0:48:13pink, has put himself under pressure in this frame.
0:48:14 > 0:48:19With ball-in-hand, you do get a chance to play a better snooker, but
0:48:19 > 0:48:27it's not an easy snooker. He's got to get a good one, not just a
0:48:27 > 0:48:36snooker. What is the weight like? It looks pretty good. It might be a bit
0:48:36 > 0:48:42too hard.Yeah, what he had to do was at least keep the object ball
0:48:42 > 0:48:47safe. He hasn't done. Martin Gould coming round to see what the
0:48:47 > 0:48:52situation is. Cue ball in the green pocket. That would be an error. I
0:48:52 > 0:49:07wouldn't be surprised the way these frames have gone. But it's in. It's
0:49:07 > 0:49:12not been a snooker for the puristses, you could say. Let's hope
0:49:12 > 0:49:17it's better after the interval, but it's 2-2 between Xiao Guodong and
0:49:17 > 0:49:27Martin Gould.
0:49:50 > 0:50:02-- pureists. So scoring opportunity for Xiao Guodong. If you want to be
0:50:02 > 0:50:06attacking, the green has a lovely angle to go into the bunch. A big
0:50:06 > 0:50:12target. He may not feel that way inclined at the moment. Don't feel
0:50:12 > 0:50:19that confident. It couldn't be better on the green.
0:50:25 > 0:50:31When I saw him as a Youngster he doesn't have the same flow in cue
0:50:31 > 0:50:34action he used to have. I can't remember the word you use, Steve,
0:50:34 > 0:50:46for it.Unflowing. He's put the cue ball in exactly the same position
0:50:46 > 0:50:51now to go into the pack of reds. Is he going to do it now, he might as
0:50:51 > 0:50:56well have done it before. Perhaps he will choose another positional shot.
0:51:00 > 0:51:08Well played. He didn't go into the reds, but it turned out perfectly.
0:51:08 > 0:51:13He can stun this red for the black into the same pocket.It begs the
0:51:13 > 0:51:17question why he didn't do it the first time because he couldn't
0:51:17 > 0:51:21guarantee he would get perfect on the green. Regardless. This is now a
0:51:21 > 0:51:24great chance.
0:51:27 > 0:51:33At some stage in this match you would expect the standard to rise.
0:51:36 > 0:51:42Maybe it's who gets off the ground first.
0:51:54 > 0:52:00Yeah everyone has bad days, no doubt about it. Whoever wins this match,
0:52:00 > 0:52:10they know if they ply like this in the next round against, we presume
0:52:10 > 0:52:14it would be Ronnie O'Sullivan no, disrespect to his opponent, whoever
0:52:14 > 0:52:21wins this match will have to play a lot better. They are going to be sat
0:52:21 > 0:52:31in the chair for a long time.
0:52:52 > 0:52:58The only red pottable to this one is the red of the three. Either right
0:52:58 > 0:53:02corner or left middle.
0:53:11 > 0:53:17Quite straight on the black, so screw back and touch of right hand
0:53:17 > 0:53:32side. Take the cue ball up the table.Not the best angle. He should
0:53:32 > 0:53:36get it right.Played it nicely. Even if he's not straight on the red,
0:53:36 > 0:53:40there's a gap there to stun the cue ball through with the black to the
0:53:40 > 0:53:45same pocket. He could possibly play with topspin to move the two reds
0:53:45 > 0:54:02and leave pink to left middle. I think the stun really.He's going to
0:54:02 > 0:54:03need these remaining three reds.
0:54:13 > 0:54:20Cannon on the pink. Well played. So playing with a little bit more
0:54:20 > 0:54:32rhythm, Xiao Guodong. He has taken these well so far. He doesn't really
0:54:32 > 0:54:37want to be straight on the black. That's careless if he is because the
0:54:37 > 0:54:43shot they played previously, the screwback shot, if he overdose it he
0:54:43 > 0:54:48could snooker himself behind the pink.I don't know if he's checked
0:54:48 > 0:55:00to see if there's a plant into the left corner.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07Because of the pink he played that to the side.
0:55:42 > 0:55:51Over hit that somewhat. Now this red is missable. Just got a bit too much
0:55:51 > 0:55:59into it.That's the last thing he wanted was the frame ball to be a
0:55:59 > 0:56:03difficult one.
0:56:06 > 0:56:18Would be aIt horrible ending to this break should he miss it.
0:56:19 > 0:56:23He got a kick on that.
0:56:25 > 0:56:39Not his fault he got a kick. It was his fault he was out of position.
0:56:43 > 0:56:46It could be a big moment in this match.
0:57:00 > 0:57:07Finished in an ideal position. Played that shot like a hit and
0:57:07 > 0:57:14hope. Didn't seem to have a plan to get on a colour.
0:57:21 > 0:57:28This could be a moment in this match. Xiao Guodong should have been
0:57:28 > 0:57:333-2 ahead by now.
0:58:03 > 0:58:09I think I am correct in saying that Martin Gould is still in with a
0:58:09 > 0:58:23chance of sneaking into the top 16 in the race to the Masters.
0:58:23 > 0:58:29If the information has changed, I do apologise for my lack of knowledge.
0:58:29 > 0:58:35Yesterday he was in the race. Depending on other results, of
0:58:35 > 0:58:44course.
0:58:54 > 0:59:00Because the pink isn't on its spot, he has played left to right middle.
0:59:00 > 0:59:12But it came off the cushion quite quickly.
0:59:13 > 0:59:18This is a tricky cut back for the black.
0:59:34 > 0:59:41Look where the cue ball ended up. It was an excellent frame. Xiao Guodong
0:59:41 > 0:59:46should have won it. Didn't get position on the last red. Martin
0:59:46 > 0:59:59Gould takes it, 3-2.Martin Gould breaks off in the second frame after
0:59:59 > 1:00:05the interval. Having won the first against the head. Advantage, Martin
1:00:05 > 1:00:07Gould.
1:01:46 > 1:01:51Forced into that, he did well to get the cue ball down the table. Makes
1:01:51 > 1:01:58it difficult positional play the Xiao Guodong.
1:02:18 > 1:02:22You have to say, he's not had a great brunt of the balls today, Xiao
1:02:22 > 1:02:28Guodong. -- run of the balls.
1:02:33 > 1:02:39I think Martin Gould has identified the red next to the black as the
1:02:39 > 1:02:46best idea of trying to get a hit and safe.
1:02:57 > 1:03:06He may have got away with that. Bridging over the top of the ball
1:03:06 > 1:03:12makes this a more difficult prospect. You fancy him to get it,
1:03:12 > 1:03:20but no guarantee of position. He can probably get the blue, on second
1:03:20 > 1:03:31thoughts. The blue cuts in, but difficult to control the cue ball.
1:04:09 > 1:04:14Nice choice from Xiao Guodong, that if he accidentally missed it, he
1:04:14 > 1:04:22might cover the pocket. Can he turn this into a frame-winner? The pack
1:04:22 > 1:04:28is tight, but one good angle on the black could reap rewards.
1:04:37 > 1:04:44I get the feeling it is not going to be Xiao Guodong's day here. He's not
1:04:44 > 1:04:54firing on any cylinders.And now, Martin is looking how he gets into
1:04:54 > 1:05:08this bunch of The reds. Lots of right-hand side.It is a pretty big
1:05:08 > 1:05:10target that way.
1:05:24 > 1:05:35Pretty good, he wants to stun it off the two cushions. Just get into the
1:05:35 > 1:05:49middle of the pack.Nice shot, bit unlucky. More than a bit unlucky,
1:05:49 > 1:05:58really. Even half of a ball, a quarter of a bald more contact on
1:05:58 > 1:06:02the pack, they would have opened up and the cue ball would have stayed
1:06:02 > 1:06:08in the top half of the table. Does he try and keep this break going?
1:06:08 > 1:06:15Has he got a shock to nothing at the same time? It's hard to see him
1:06:15 > 1:06:18turning this red down.
1:06:34 > 1:06:40Very nice.
1:07:08 > 1:07:12He may have to play this red with lots of left-hand side to get the
1:07:12 > 1:07:19right side of the blue. Needs to be just off straight to be able to play
1:07:19 > 1:07:27that shot. There is an argument to say play for the black. Can stun
1:07:27 > 1:07:37into the bunch. The only danger with this sometimes, you hit the side of
1:07:37 > 1:07:41the bunch of reds and the cue ball goes up to the ball could end of the
1:07:41 > 1:07:45table. -- ball end.
1:07:58 > 1:08:08Excellent shot.Not too far off being perfect. A bit unlucky. Did he
1:08:08 > 1:08:12get another electric shock or something. He is twitching with his
1:08:12 > 1:08:25hand again. Really unlucky. He has given a belt into the meat of the
1:08:25 > 1:08:34pack. A bit low on it, yes, but splitting hairs, really.If he
1:08:34 > 1:08:36leaves the cue ball by this left-hand side cushion, he's not
1:08:36 > 1:08:44leaving anything. Certainly didn't expect him to play like that.He
1:08:44 > 1:08:56hadn't got it totally safe. He still left the red into the same middle
1:08:56 > 1:09:02pocket. Wasn't even a benefit to play it that way. Xiao Guodong has
1:09:02 > 1:09:07unmissable red, but he could hold for the black plate of these three
1:09:07 > 1:09:14reds. Not like that. Didn't hit that with enough conviction.
1:09:52 > 1:09:59Good recovery from Xiao Guodong. Little bit of work to be done with
1:09:59 > 1:10:05the implements. Stunning across the face of the black here, it looks.
1:10:05 > 1:10:12Bit of screw back. That was strange. What's happened there? Must have
1:10:12 > 1:10:22just caught the red, bounce the white ball. Thought he could screw
1:10:22 > 1:10:32back without touching that one. Even though I said it looked like it
1:10:32 > 1:10:39wasn't going to be his day, he's not really in unlawful position. Just
1:10:39 > 1:10:48his general standard, he needs to it. Either playing this game could
1:10:48 > 1:10:53potentially just fall over the line. It will be like pulling teeth, if it
1:10:53 > 1:10:55happened that way.
1:11:04 > 1:11:08Two reds on the pink spot. I don't know if the bottom one goes to the
1:11:08 > 1:11:13corner. Obviously it does. Sometimes you need to be at the table to see
1:11:13 > 1:11:21the true angle as to whether it goes or not. You feel for his own belief
1:11:21 > 1:11:27in winning this match, he has to win this frame at this visit. If he
1:11:27 > 1:11:31keeps failing, his confidence keeps taking a hit and you wonder how he
1:11:31 > 1:11:33can come back from it.
1:12:12 > 1:12:17Couldn't keep position on the blue. But always nice to have all colours
1:12:17 > 1:12:24available. Little bit of danger on where those three reds are to the
1:12:24 > 1:12:32right. Could find yourself in a positional trap. Is playing down the
1:12:32 > 1:12:36right-hand side of the table. Looks to have overscrewed this by some
1:12:36 > 1:12:49distance. That is a long way out. This red into the middle pocket,
1:12:49 > 1:12:51wasn't one he played.
1:13:10 > 1:13:13He was fortunate to have that red. He was that far out with his
1:13:13 > 1:13:16position. Good pot.
1:13:35 > 1:13:40Red, colour, red.
1:14:06 > 1:14:12Similar to the last frame. Frame ball, he's left one that is
1:14:12 > 1:14:19missable.Doesn't have too played position though. Should do, but
1:14:19 > 1:14:30doesn't have too. Position was more or less automatic. So he will be
1:14:30 > 1:14:34feeling a bit better inside that he has survived a little bit of a
1:14:34 > 1:14:47storm.I said before, although the last two frames, he had a couple of
1:14:47 > 1:14:5260 breaks, he's not been playing well. But still he is 3-3.
1:14:57 > 1:15:0550 points behind. A very unlikely you can get back into the match from
1:15:05 > 1:15:10this position. Barring snoopers, it is 3-3.
1:15:16 > 1:15:17-- snookers.
1:15:23 > 1:15:29At professional level, it is a minor miracle to win a frame 50 points
1:15:29 > 1:15:46behind. 49 points behind you can win with one snooker and a free ball.
1:15:49 > 1:15:53Some fluke snookers. Some people are clapping. They must think it is all
1:15:53 > 1:16:03over.
1:16:20 > 1:16:31Come on Xiao Guodong, green ball. Well done. He will feel a lot
1:16:31 > 1:16:39better. Should have won the last frame, made a break of 62 but missed
1:16:39 > 1:16:44the last red. He has missed the green, but it doesn't matter, Xiao
1:16:44 > 1:16:48Guodong levelled the match at 3-3.
1:17:27 > 1:17:36Wonderfully struck.You won't see a better ball struck all week, I don't
1:17:36 > 1:17:48care who you are watching. This was perfection.Black ball, tied up
1:17:48 > 1:17:49again.
1:18:15 > 1:18:20Has left himself a nice angle on this red to get back out down the
1:18:20 > 1:18:37table. I assume the pink spot is occupied.
1:18:38 > 1:18:49He has played for the pink. It goes on the black spot. It's not too bad.
1:18:49 > 1:18:54Where is the next red coming from if he is wrong sided?
1:19:11 > 1:19:20There is a possibility of a couple of reds in the corner.
1:19:26 > 1:19:34He had to trust a bit to look. He has played an excellent shot. --
1:19:34 > 1:19:35good luck.
1:19:55 > 1:20:09Perfect on the blue. It looks such a simple shot to play. He couldn't put
1:20:09 > 1:20:17the cue ball any better if he had picked it with his hand.It seems a
1:20:17 > 1:20:22more difficult shot on fast cloth. Sheik of the head by Martin Gould.
1:20:22 > 1:20:29He wanted to be a bit lower to get back for the blue. Now he's got to
1:20:29 > 1:20:36play a power screw back. Shaking his head as if it was a bad positional
1:20:36 > 1:20:44shot. As it turns out, where is the problem?
1:20:54 > 1:21:03Can only assume he didn't want the pink back on the spot.
1:21:09 > 1:21:12Some people just shake their head for no reason. I think snooker
1:21:12 > 1:21:17players, when you want to put the cue ball exactly where you want to
1:21:17 > 1:21:29put it and it doesn't go there. We are all perfection when it comes to
1:21:29 > 1:21:34the cue ball.There is an example of how difficult it is to get perfect
1:21:34 > 1:21:40on the blue. He can do this, should he want to play but the cue ball
1:21:40 > 1:21:46will be running away. It takes some good control to keep it under severe
1:21:46 > 1:21:48control.
1:21:56 > 1:22:04Unfortunate flick off the pink and out of position. Tough pots
1:22:04 > 1:22:18available into the middle pocket. Bit of pressure on this.
1:22:28 > 1:22:39He has missed that and now he has given Xiao Guodong a chance.
1:23:01 > 1:23:07He has an angle here, is it worth the top spin and cannon into the
1:23:07 > 1:23:13reds. Just to open things up a bit.
1:23:19 > 1:23:26He could have done. But there are times when that is perhaps the
1:23:26 > 1:23:38correct mode of operation. Keep on going back for the blue. Try to get
1:23:38 > 1:23:42exactly the right angle on the blue. That was a great shot. Can't argue
1:23:42 > 1:23:49with that one. He has a couple of reds into that left corner. Judging
1:23:49 > 1:23:53by the first time he played it, he may be going for one of those reds
1:23:53 > 1:23:59into the left corner. Doesn't have to go off the side cushion, can stun
1:23:59 > 1:24:02down.
1:24:11 > 1:24:23Might be in a bit of a trap. Might be no way back.May be forced to
1:24:23 > 1:24:29play a cannon on the black.Brave shot, it could go wrong and he could
1:24:29 > 1:24:35be made to look a bit foolish, I suppose. He's looking at the line,
1:24:35 > 1:24:43isn't he? Half ball cannon, very softly. Can't afford to hit it too
1:24:43 > 1:24:56hard. Might snooker him. Have two hit it hard enough to get the other
1:24:56 > 1:25:01side of it. I think I would have preferred the softer cannon, even
1:25:01 > 1:25:05though I would have left the black closer to the question. Wasn't a bad
1:25:05 > 1:25:18way of going about it. Tough pink. This is a brave shot. You get it,
1:25:18 > 1:25:25chance to go 5-3 ahead. If you miss it, it is 4-4. Or you will go back
1:25:25 > 1:25:31to your chair expecting it to be 4-4.It is a tough pot, made
1:25:31 > 1:25:39fractionally tougher than if it was on its preferred spot. It is more of
1:25:39 > 1:25:45an acute angle, by a fraction. I don't like this shot, I don't like
1:25:45 > 1:25:50playing it. Sometimes you have too. He's already looked at the safety
1:25:50 > 1:25:57option. I assume he's turning it down, isn't he?I couldn't turn this
1:25:57 > 1:26:03down.He looked at the safety option. Why bother going down the
1:26:03 > 1:26:05table, I suppose. Big shot in the match.
1:26:13 > 1:26:19In the end, I don't know why he went down the other end of the table. He
1:26:19 > 1:26:27put negativity in his mind. It was the right shot to go for the pot, he
1:26:27 > 1:26:33didn't have two hit it that hard. It's probably cost him the frame. If
1:26:33 > 1:26:38you going for the pot, go for it, don't be thinking about safety shots
1:26:38 > 1:26:42and then go back down and play for the pot.
1:26:53 > 1:27:00If you don't fancy the pink enough, then you're not going to get it, are
1:27:00 > 1:27:07you? If you absolutely don't like the shot, perhaps then you don't go
1:27:07 > 1:27:13for it, even if you get criticised for not going for it. Tough
1:27:13 > 1:27:17decisions snooker throws up.
1:27:21 > 1:27:26But in the end that's what sorts out the winners from the losers, being
1:27:26 > 1:27:30able to make these decisions under pressure, being able to play the
1:27:30 > 1:27:35right shot. That's what, I suppose, you could say in most sports, being
1:27:35 > 1:27:39able to make the right decisions when it really matters.
1:27:46 > 1:27:51I'm sure a sports psychologists would have had a field day with that
1:27:51 > 1:27:54particular shot, once they understood the game. Great chance
1:27:54 > 1:27:59now for Martin Gould to get back on level terms.
1:28:22 > 1:28:29Hard to make a case for this match going any other way but 5-5. At the
1:28:29 > 1:28:37moment neither player seems to be able to really take this match by
1:28:37 > 1:28:45the scruff of its neck and win it. One frame at a time it is. Neither
1:28:45 > 1:28:52player can get up a bit of momentum.
1:28:57 > 1:29:01Pink and a red to draw level.
1:29:20 > 1:29:22This red for the frame.
1:29:26 > 1:29:27APPLAUSE
1:29:40 > 1:29:44Make sure to pot the pink and make sure he pots one red to make sure
1:29:44 > 1:29:51his opponent doesn't come back to the table. 55, 43 on, there's every
1:29:51 > 1:29:57chance that Guodong will come back to the table and try for snookers.
1:30:00 > 1:30:08Not now.
1:30:35 > 1:30:38That's another frame were both players had two or three chances,
1:30:38 > 1:30:43but it's Martin Gould who wins it and draws level again at 4-4.
1:30:43 > 1:30:49APPLAUSE
1:31:04 > 1:31:08Guodong can play an aggressive shot here if he chooses. Pot this red,
1:31:08 > 1:31:12screw the cue ball through the reds, put them everywhere. You would think
1:31:12 > 1:31:18he would have to be very unlucky not to be on a colour.
1:31:29 > 1:31:36Just got a bit too much forward momentum on the cue ball. Just went
1:31:36 > 1:31:46forwards first before it started to come back. Well, we see Martin miss
1:31:46 > 1:31:54a lot easier chance than this, but Guodong can get his hand on the
1:31:54 > 1:31:59table, straight cueing. Shots you practice all day long.Let's see how
1:31:59 > 1:32:04hard he hits this. A pressure shot. No need to hit it hard. Why is he
1:32:04 > 1:32:11crewing back?Why is he screwing back? To get the right side of the
1:32:11 > 1:32:18red. The red over the pocket, the right middle. , he could get back
1:32:18 > 1:32:21for the blue. That makes that shot so much more difficult, putting that
1:32:21 > 1:32:26extra pace in means that the ball won't drop in the hole.
1:32:30 > 1:32:34I don't think you would have seen Ronnie O'Sullivan play that shot as
1:32:34 > 1:32:36hard.
1:32:46 > 1:32:49The priority there was potting the blue.
1:33:00 > 1:33:04He's out on the table. He can see where that red is over the middle
1:33:04 > 1:33:09pocket. If he pots the blue and stuns it dead. It's a thinner cut
1:33:09 > 1:33:13and the cue ball will come to the top cushion, surely he can get it
1:33:13 > 1:33:16back down the table again. I would love to know what was going through
1:33:16 > 1:33:35his mind there. That's tight. Enough room though.
1:33:44 > 1:33:47Will he risk dropping on the black?
1:33:49 > 1:33:57Oh, dear.Well, this isn't good. He's got the red with the... He
1:33:57 > 1:34:02didn't have much of a check up before he played that shot. That in
1:34:02 > 1:34:05itself was an error, not knowing exactly where the pink ball was
1:34:05 > 1:34:16going to spot. He always had this red with the extended rest, but not
1:34:16 > 1:34:23clever.Can he drop on the black? The black is available to the right
1:34:23 > 1:34:27or left corner. Maybe there's too much angle on this red. Play some
1:34:27 > 1:34:37sort of cannon. He needs to be lucky here. He has been. What a result,
1:34:37 > 1:34:47what a result.
1:34:47 > 1:34:51Played the aggressive shot. I suppose you could say fortune
1:34:51 > 1:34:55favours the brave. If he'd not been on that black, we'd have been
1:34:55 > 1:35:05digging out his positional sense. Just about going to drop in.
1:35:10 > 1:35:15That was in the middle when it started, but ended up going in-off
1:35:15 > 1:35:25the front jaw.Well, here's a chance for a frame-winning contribution.
1:35:25 > 1:35:30First one fell short with a poor rest shot, but he shouldn't be
1:35:30 > 1:35:35needing the rest for a while here, if at all.
1:36:06 > 1:36:10Didn't really want to come away from the black, but obviously felt he had
1:36:10 > 1:36:17to.
1:36:24 > 1:36:31He's over hit that a little bit, but there's a red below the black that
1:36:31 > 1:36:36goes. Doesn't have to stay on the black, as I said, he can come back
1:36:36 > 1:36:38up the table.
1:36:40 > 1:36:47It's not ideal, is it, Stephen?Play for blue here, I think.Yeah.
1:36:56 > 1:37:04If he'd have gone wrong side of the pink there he could have come
1:37:04 > 1:37:06unstuck.
1:37:37 > 1:37:42He's kept this break going and now starting to look more like prime
1:37:42 > 1:37:46position.
1:37:52 > 1:37:58One more positional shot he's got to get right with those five reds a bit
1:37:58 > 1:38:05crowded in the middle of the table. Ideally, he'd like to break them
1:38:05 > 1:38:12open and have an insurance red at one over the left corner, so perhaps
1:38:12 > 1:38:18he's going to try to go into them now. Though I'm not so sure he's got
1:38:18 > 1:38:23the angle. Would have liked to have been low on the black so he could
1:38:23 > 1:38:27play some type of screw shot into the reds. Leave himself on that one
1:38:27 > 1:38:30by the left corner. Now he may have to bite the bull in the that
1:38:30 > 1:38:36department.
1:38:39 > 1:38:43Guodong's only hope now is that after this next black that somehow
1:38:43 > 1:38:57Martin Gould gets unlucky. It's a slim chance.
1:39:14 > 1:39:17Another red to the right of the five is the one to connon. If it goes
1:39:17 > 1:39:21wrong though you're on nothing he may choose to go into the main
1:39:21 > 1:39:28bunch, hope for the best. He played it well. He's got a choice of two
1:39:28 > 1:39:40reds to either middle pocket. OK, he's grimacing slightly
1:39:40 > 1:39:42reds to either middle pocket. OK, he's grimacing slightly. This is OK
1:39:42 > 1:39:47surely.He caught it more than he wanted. It's still a good positional
1:39:47 > 1:39:52shot. He should get this. That's frame over.
1:39:54 > 1:39:56APPLAUSE
1:40:31 > 1:40:37Surprising missing the red. 69 points in front, Martin Gould, 59 op
1:40:37 > 1:40:43the table. That was a careless shot to miss that. If he pots that red,
1:40:43 > 1:40:48his opponent doesn't come back to the table.
1:42:13 > 1:42:19Hanging on in here, 53 points behind. One more red and black and
1:42:19 > 1:42:29then keep that last red on the table.
1:42:37 > 1:42:52It's not come that well for snookers on this red. 45 behind. Absolutely
1:42:52 > 1:43:00no way he should pot the red. Even if he could get on the black.
1:43:11 > 1:43:21Not a bad try. Oh, nearly.
1:43:23 > 1:43:28I think he can see enough to pot this.
1:43:30 > 1:43:38Yep, it's there. Martin Gould has taken two frames in a row from 4-3
1:43:38 > 1:43:48down, he's going to lead 5-4, one up, with two play, as we say. Xiao
1:43:48 > 1:43:52Guodong concedes. One frame to get into the quarter-final. He leads
1:43:52 > 1:43:565-4.
1:44:05 > 1:44:11Martin Gould breaks off hoping for one good chance in the next two
1:44:11 > 1:44:15frames. Ideally this frame.
1:44:17 > 1:44:24It's getting to the sharp end of this match, adrenaline, tension is
1:44:24 > 1:44:29rising. Will that hone in the player's concentration. He's going
1:44:29 > 1:44:31for this.
1:44:32 > 1:44:36Great shot. APPLAUSE
1:44:39 > 1:44:46He struck it so well, he's gone past the baulk line. I don't know if that
1:44:46 > 1:44:51was his plan. He's put it into a safe position, but ideally those
1:44:51 > 1:44:56type of shots you leave yourself slightly short of the baulk line for
1:44:56 > 1:45:04a good choice of a frame winner so early on. He should get this green
1:45:04 > 1:45:10into the middle. It's a bit of an angle.
1:45:12 > 1:45:15He's got two reds, perhaps three reds, that go into the left corner.
1:45:15 > 1:45:18He's got choices.
1:45:25 > 1:45:30Wants to get way from this side cushion. Cushion.
1:45:31 > 1:45:38He doesn't want to be straight on this red. A bit more difficult.
1:45:39 > 1:45:50Somebody moving in the crowd, I think. Somebody is doing something.
1:45:50 > 1:45:55REFEREE:The light is catching your watch.
1:45:55 > 1:46:03STEVE DAVIS:Unlucky, reflection of someone's watch. Just digging down a
1:46:03 > 1:46:08bit makes this shot a bit harder.
1:46:12 > 1:46:18He'll be happy with that strike. Looks like he's going to go into
1:46:18 > 1:46:23them here, the far part of the pack would be a nice part to go into, not
1:46:23 > 1:46:25screw it in, stun it in.
1:46:29 > 1:46:36Could have gone piano them. There's a couple of loose reds. Perhaps he's
1:46:36 > 1:46:42seen a far more assured way. At some stage he's got to open the pack,
1:46:42 > 1:46:45though.
1:46:50 > 1:46:55Yeah, I agree. Perfect angle, but I suppose this red he can leave this
1:46:55 > 1:46:59low, the red to the left corner, leave it low. Maybe that was his
1:46:59 > 1:47:06plan all along.Screw back across the face of them, nothing wrong with
1:47:06 > 1:47:06that.
1:47:08 > 1:47:12As long as you can guarantee getting that positional shot that he's just
1:47:12 > 1:47:22played. Play it with topspin it's a little bit more in the lap of the
1:47:22 > 1:47:27Gods where the cue ball end up. Oh, my goodness. I mean the screw back
1:47:27 > 1:47:30shot guarantees position on the black. That in itself is probably
1:47:30 > 1:47:37these days considered the wrong shot. He's so worried about where
1:47:37 > 1:47:43the cue ball is going he missed the pot.Yeah, I agree. The decision
1:47:43 > 1:47:48should have been to go into the pack off the black, two shots previously.
1:47:48 > 1:47:51He's given Martin Gould an opportunity to get this match over
1:47:51 > 1:47:51and done with.
1:47:59 > 1:48:07That's not a gimme. He knows as long as he pots it, automatic position on
1:48:07 > 1:48:12a red to either left middle or left corner. Just keep still on this, cue
1:48:12 > 1:48:17it nicely.
1:48:25 > 1:48:30It's been a poor standard. It's just who can possibly keep themselves
1:48:30 > 1:48:36together to over the line in this match. I can't say that any player
1:48:36 > 1:48:48is favourite at this moment.Player with Martin Gould's experience
1:48:48 > 1:48:51should have seized that opportunity.
1:49:02 > 1:49:08Wrong side of the blue, so further away from the reds than he wanted.
1:49:08 > 1:49:13On what we've seen so far, I can't say that I'm absolutely confident
1:49:13 > 1:49:24this is going in.
1:49:28 > 1:49:34Nice shot. APPLAUSE
1:49:36 > 1:49:42Yeah, in the end, it was very well struck. But it's hard to know how
1:49:42 > 1:49:55many chances in the frame that each player needs to get the job done.
1:49:55 > 1:50:00They are good for the morale though when you knock one in, especially
1:50:00 > 1:50:07after you've missed an easy one. Topspin is a strange choice for me
1:50:07 > 1:50:17here. Will be hard to get right side of the blue.Just looking for where
1:50:17 > 1:50:21the break is going to end at the moment, aren't you? It's a terrible
1:50:21 > 1:50:25way to look, but it's just been that type of game, you just don't fancy
1:50:25 > 1:50:29there is going to be a frame-winning clearance from here. We are talking
1:50:29 > 1:50:38about the best players in the world, just having a bad day in the office.
1:50:38 > 1:50:42Motoring down there. Is there a red that goes into the right corner?
1:50:42 > 1:50:47This red to the left corner is OK, but it's not so easy to get back out
1:50:47 > 1:50:54into open play.He may choose to actually use the bunch here. Cue
1:50:54 > 1:50:59ball into the bunch. Every chance if he hits the bunch of reds the cue
1:50:59 > 1:51:02ball could go up to that end of the table, where the colours are,
1:51:02 > 1:51:06possibly be in the pink.If he hits the right part of the bunch, of
1:51:06 > 1:51:17course, yeah.That's exactly what he played. Good shot.Yeah.
1:51:17 > 1:51:24APPLAUSE Good thinking. Criticised him for
1:51:24 > 1:51:36some bad thinking, that was the opposite. No! I don't think he's
1:51:36 > 1:51:43even on a red. He's not a red. From Martin Gould's
1:51:43 > 1:51:47perspective, once again, you must be pleased he's missed blue. Martin
1:51:47 > 1:51:53Gould must come to the table thinking - I've been left the Crown
1:51:53 > 1:51:59jewels. Can he had pot one? Does one goes past? Yes, it does.Can he see
1:51:59 > 1:52:08it? You can have no excuses.No, he's 37
1:52:08 > 1:52:15points behind. He's basically looking at a clearance.
1:52:25 > 1:52:30If he doesn't do it from here, it's only the situation, the fact that
1:52:30 > 1:52:33he's not playing with full confidence. You see another shake of
1:52:33 > 1:52:39the head. Not where he wanted the cue ball to be.Does he consider he
1:52:39 > 1:52:44had a bad contact there that took some of the spin-off the cue ball?
1:52:44 > 1:52:48It didn't sound like that one.
1:52:53 > 1:52:59Play the cannon on the pink and leave the pink to right middle here.
1:52:59 > 1:53:02Pretty straight-forward shot, but I think at this stage nothing is
1:53:02 > 1:53:06straight-forward.Yeah. You can play off two cushions round for the pink
1:53:06 > 1:53:08again.
1:53:10 > 1:53:16A bit short of pace, perhaps. That's a sign of tension.
1:53:18 > 1:53:20Tension in the arm.
1:53:24 > 1:53:31Blue in and out of baulk is never certain, position Ali. --
1:53:31 > 1:53:46opsitionally. -- positionally. There's a lot at take for Martin
1:53:46 > 1:53:50Gould, apart from the fact of a place in the quarter-finals he's
1:53:50 > 1:53:54involved in the mixup for the race to the Masters. Couldn't have played
1:53:54 > 1:54:00that much better.No, I was going to say, that could be the match winning
1:54:00 > 1:54:05shot. Sometimes when you play a perfect positional shot it gets you
1:54:05 > 1:54:10back in, in the right frame of mind. When you're struggling around trying
1:54:10 > 1:54:14to get position, you don't seem to fancy it, but now he's in, I don't
1:54:14 > 1:54:25see him going wrong from here.
1:54:26 > 1:54:34Couldn't have placed it better. Is there going to be one more twist and
1:54:34 > 1:54:38one more mini nightmare for Martin Gould or can he get over the line in
1:54:38 > 1:54:45style here?
1:54:48 > 1:54:51Head shaking going on. He got in perfect position from that good shot
1:54:51 > 1:54:55on the blue, he managed to leave himself needing a cannon, which he's
1:54:55 > 1:55:02done very well. Just a series of little stuns and screws now. The cue
1:55:02 > 1:55:05ball shouldn't be travelling any distance whatsoever.You couldn't
1:55:05 > 1:55:09ask for better. Around the pink sometimes less pressure than around
1:55:09 > 1:55:15the black.You have four pockets to play for, haven't you, rather than
1:55:15 > 1:55:17two.
1:55:42 > 1:55:49Wouldn't want to leave himself dead straight on the pink. The line he's
1:55:49 > 1:55:53got on the red is perfect to make sure that he doesn't leave himself
1:55:53 > 1:55:55dead straight.
1:56:01 > 1:56:08So pot the pink, off the side cushion, out into the open table. It
1:56:08 > 1:56:12really is a guilt edged chance now to get over the line.
1:56:24 > 1:56:28He could play for the blue. If there is tension in your arm, the green is
1:56:28 > 1:56:30a safer option.
1:56:40 > 1:56:46Perfect on the blue. If he got straight on the blue.Yeah not to
1:56:46 > 1:56:51clever. The green is more opportunities, but he looks good. He
1:56:51 > 1:56:59looks like he's got himself together an composed. He takes the lead.
1:56:59 > 1:57:05Ahead by eight points. So he needs another blue. Another blue and he's
1:57:05 > 1:57:08won it.
1:57:23 > 1:57:28A little bit further away from the green than would have been
1:57:28 > 1:57:33comfortable. With the way he's feeling at the moment. Does he have
1:57:33 > 1:57:40to screw for the brown for the same pocket? No, he played it well.
1:57:40 > 1:57:44That's normally the big shot in clearing the colours, getting
1:57:44 > 1:57:47perfectly on the brown. It should be automatic from here.
1:57:54 > 1:58:00Stealing himself for the big effort to win these two balls.
1:58:06 > 1:58:11He's done well, Martin Gould. He's 4-3 down, he's won three frames in a
1:58:11 > 1:58:17row. Guodong has had plenty of chances. He'll look back on this
1:58:17 > 1:58:23match and look back at the mistakes. APPLAUSE
1:58:23 > 1:58:29It's been a good break this from Martin Gould. It's not been a pretty
1:58:29 > 1:58:36match to watch, by any means. Martin Gould wins 6-4, beats Xiao Guodong
1:58:36 > 1:58:41to go through to the quarter-finals. APPLAUS
1:58:45 > 1:58:49Hard-fought win for Martin Gould he is through to the quarter-finals
1:58:49 > 1:58:54they get under way later today on BBC Two. We kick off at 1.00pm. See
1:58:54 > 1:59:00you then, goodbye for now.