2007 888.com World Championship

MATCH BY MATCH LIVE MATCH NOTES [CLICK ON MATCH FOR LIVE COMMENTARY, NEWS, QUOTES]

READ ALL THE CUE SPORTS LATEST NEWS - JOIN THE NEW GLOBAL CUE SPORTS FORUM

NEIL ROBERTSON

v

RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

Round Two - Match 20

(Best of 25 frames, 3 sessions)

Sunday 29 April - 14.30

Monday 30 April - 10.00

Monday 30 April - 19.00

Match Notes - LIVE information as it happens.... Good afternoon, welcome to Sheffield for this eagerly anticipated second round match... Neil Robertson, full of confidence after two ranking tournament wins this season and a first round victory over Ryan Day, against the irrepressible Ronnie O'Sullivan... the winner of this match will go through to face the winner of John Higgins v Fergal O'Brien, John ended their first session last night with a 6-2 lead... You can see that we have a fabulous exclusive competition for you.. the chance to win tickets to the semi finals and final of the championship, thanks to the generosity of sponsors 888.com... so put your thinking caps on and works out the points totals and send your entries in quickly... you only have until midnight tonight to enter the semi-final competition... here we go then, a wonderful welcome for all the players from the packed Crucible audience and O'Sullivan breaks off... a very warm welcome to all our visitors from Australia, following Neil's progress on GCS.. and what a start as he fires in an astonishing long red... this match promises to fast and furious and if both players produce their best form it could be the match of the Championship... Neil is quickly into his strides, he's rattled on to 22... he can score a lot faster than I can type... the tables have been re-clothed overnight and it's to be hoped that this will eradicate the problem of the bounces off the cushions which have caused all the players problems so far... Neil's reached 29 but he's giving the next shot some thought... he's going to take green with the rest but he's no guarantee of landing on a red again... and he's not, so 32 at this first visit... he's got a good white to the baulk cushion... Ronnie's caught his safety a little thick but I think he's got away with it... No he hasn't, another long red flies in off the Robertson cue... and straight into the bunch... don't blink... This is a blistering start from Robertson and will probably have the effect of inspiring O'Sullivan to produce his form in this match... this is the sort of match O'Sullivan enjoys, open, clean break-building and attacking play... 22 now to add to his earlier 32 and he only needs a couple of reds to win the frame.... the white has launched itself off the cushion, that's a bad sign, but he can still pot the black and that's the frame over... Robertson continues on his merry way and Ronnie can only sit and watch in admiration... of course Robertson has already beaten Ronnie twice this season... he's got just enough on to clear with a century... but the pinks stays out so a meagre 87...

... so Robertson to break in frame two... and he's got his white right back to the baulk cushion... Ronnie turns down the difficult long red in favour of safety... the black and pink are tied up at the moment... Robertson misses a tricky red to the centre pocket... Ronnie's a long way out with a straight long red... he might have had a kick on that... there's a sublime red by Ronnie at a narrow angle down the table... he takes brown to centre and now he's on the reds... and in no time at all he's cleared the path for the black... a good chance now.... Ronnie's asking for the photographers to keep quiet... we're in a glass front booth at the Crucible, but some of the less experienced snappers break the code and click the camera before or while the player is taking the shot... it's all a matter of timing, finger on button, click as the cue goes through the shot... meanwhile it hasn't stopped Ronnie moving on to 30 and opening all the reds up... the tables is like glass this afternoon, an effect of the slippery new cloths... the break moves to 49 and this should be a frame-winning visit now... this is a lesson in the art of break-building... the frame is safe now... Ronnie has his eyes on a century now... and he could beat Doherty's 135, Ronnie has 139 on here... there's the century... 104... that's the 30th century this year on our Snooker Sizzler...

... Ronnie's not got the white tight with his break-off and Robertson slots home the long red... He wastes no time in splitting the reds and racing up to 36... he's lost position on the black so he's forced to play safe and the break ends at 37... perfect length with the safety from both players... they're not just potters... but this time Ronnie's safety is poor and Robertson has a red with the rest... but he can't create an opening this time... both black and pink have been knocked safe so whoever gets in will have some work to do... a red has sprung out from Ronnie's safety... Neil pots it but there's no position at all for him... he's got a useful 45 point lead in this frame... with the balls scrappy and now the blue has gone safe as well, it could be a low-scoring frame... Ronnie's fired in a long-red and he's got the black into play.... the black's gone on the pink spot which eases the congestion a little for the remaining 4 reds... he tried to play very precise position for the blue and he's got the blue but didn't disturb the reds so he's only made 30 as an attempted plant stays out... Robertson takes red and black but he can't get on the last two so will play safe... he leads 53-30... the frame has got some mileage yet, the yellow is one the side cushion, the green is tied up with the pink.. Ronnie's played a superb safety on the last red... Robertson will try and swerve and that's a great shot... the only safe ball now is the yellow and it's not too far from its own pocket, down the rail... so it's all about the safety exchange on the last red... and Ronnie has laid a snooker... Ronnie can pot the red now... but a poor positional shot from Ronnie... so he's laid a very nasty snooker behind the green... this is very difficult to find an escape route and, of course, Robertson needs to get the yellow safe... another great escape by Neil and he's got it safe.... Neil goes in-off and the yellow is on for Ronnie... but it's still not straightforward to clear the colours... Ronnie's come all round the table from the green, he's still not got a potting chance on the brown.. so lays another snooker... Neil leads by 12, another good escape and result... the frame reaches the thirty minute mark... but that's not so good from Robertson... will Ronnie take the difficult pot on... no he plays safe again... and he's left a bit of a chance for Neil and the blue is over centre pocket and that's all he needs.... some how he's missed an unmissable blue... so another chance for Ronnie to clinch the frame... which he does...

... so into frame four and more pin-point safety... Ronnie's caught the green with his safety now and he's got away with it, didn't leave anything and Neil has hit his safety far too thick... Ronnie will want to get the black into play as soon as he can, he's having to play off blue at the moment... 25 so far and he still can't get on the black... at last he's on the black and that opens up the whole frame... Ronnie is not playing as quickly as we've sometimes seen in the past, and he's missed a red and scattered the pack all round the table... he's made 46 but that's not nearly enough... Neil can come right back at him here... but he's not played good position, he'll have to take yellow to get back up to the reds... he's moved on to 23, one open red and the last two on the side cushion... he can't get on the last two reds so plays safe with 31 points on the board... Robertson gets a double-kiss on a red but lands perfectly safe... this has become rather cagey... Ronnie is a long way off his attempted long pot and he gets away with it... Robertson has got Ronnie snookered on both remaining reds, very tight behind the pink on the side rail... not easy to hit a red, let alone get safe.. and Ronnie goes in-off, it goes back again... he's wide with the second attempt, 8 more useful points for Robertson who only trails by 7 points now... miss number three... he gets it at the fourth attempt and leaves it on... Robertson can't get onto the last red and he's dropped Ronnie into another snooker... and Robertson has now gained a 2 point lead... a good swerve by Ronnie, he nearly pots the red but he hasn't left it on... but Robertson has, and Ronnie misses the first pocket and flukes it in the other corner... he should clinch the frame now, just the brown needed.... and Ronnie leads 3-1 at the interval...

The players are back and frame four gets underway... and in no time at all Ronnie has rattled up 24 but now he get another dreadful kick, the red dropped but it's cost him position... and he's missed the far more difficult pink... Robertson has an easy enough red but the colours are in bad positions now... black and pink are both covered by reds and Robertson is taking a blue with the rest and extension to the top pocket... he's got that which helps a lot as blue goes back on its spot now... good shot on the blue, all round the table to get on the next red... and again in an out of baulk to get on the last open red... he's missed the black and Ronnie has a red on but he'll have to try and split the last one off the pink... the problem being that the red is forming a plant with the pink... Ronnie's tried to move them but snookered himself behind the pink... a brilliant escape and leaves it safe... Ronnie gets the last red, with the black so he's 26 up on the yellow... in it goes, Ronnie leads 4-1...

... Ronnie tried a long red to get going in frame six but didn't trouble the pocket and Robertson picks a red out from the pack... and this time the black is on its spot and pottable... but Robertson only makes 23... they'll scrap for the next opening... and it goes to Ronnie... he' s made 22 but he's miles away from his next ball.. he's taken on a near impossible red, and even Ronnie can't pot those very often... end of break and a chance for Neil... neither player seems fully settled after the interval... Neil got down very quick for that red and missed it.... Ronnie is making better progress with this second chance... up to 27 and leads by 19 with three reds left... and all of a sudden O'Sullivan's pace of play has speeded up, maybe too much, he misses the red, he's 35 up with 43 left on... rather careless... but now he pots a wonderful long red... so now he's 42 up with 35 left on.... and that's helped him even more, as he flukes a snooker on the last red... down goes the last red and it'll be 5-1 to Ronnie... Neil needs to get back into this match quickly... he's gone off the boil ever since he missed the "unmissable blue"...

... two frames left this afternoon and Robertson could do with winning both of them to keep in touch with O'Sullivan... Ronnie has hit the break off far too thick, but Robertson misses the long red by a wide margin... he looks very uncomfortable at the moment... Ronnie isn't firing on all cylinders but he doesn't need to be at the moment... now he's missed one as well.... they'll wish they could start this frame again, it's a chapter of accidents so far, as O'Sullivan goes in off... Robertson rattles a long red into the jaws... Robertson gets a red but can only garner 12 points as there's no position...  Robertson has got Ronnie 'chinesed' over the yellow and snookered on most reds... and that's paid dividends, Ronnie's escape has left a red on... and this is better now from Robertson... he's whistled up to 38 and is 62 ahead... he's secured the frame in style, he'll feel a lot better now...

... so into the final frame of the session... a long red from Ronnie, but he's under-hit a very thin black and it doesn't reach the pocket... here's an early chance for Robertson... the pace of the cushions catch him though as the white flies off two cushions and lands nowhere, so frustrating but Neil has to play safe and sit down... both players have missed attempted long red and O'Sullivan's gone in off as well now... there's an easy red in baulk to get Robertson started... well not for long, he's played a poor position from the green, got no position and now he's gone in-off his safety... Ronnie marginally leads in the billiards this afternoon having gone in-off twice! Ronnie's misses another long red and now he's left a golden opportunity for Robertson to make a substantial break... and he doesn't take it... just 9 points and he misses the brown to the green pocket... now can Ronnie pick up the pieces... Ronnie moves along to 40 now and still in good position... just one more red need to secure a 6-2 overnight lead... no problem, he can clear with exactly 100... and he does this match resumes on Monday morning...

...Good morning, welcome back to this match which continues with another 8 frames this morning... Robertson is first into his stride and having slipped 6-2 behind he will be anxious to make early inroads today... he's a long way off with that attempted red... and he's left O'Sullivan on a red, which he misses... it will take a few minutes for the players to settle down and get their cue arm moving... another red refuses to drop for Ronnie... and another chance for Robertson... he won't get many chances from O'Sullivan and he needs to assert himself in this match now... he manages 21 and misses the black... he's left a red for O'Sullivan to get some points on the board... but I don't know what he did to the blue, he's landed tight on the side rail with his white... so only 6 points and he's forced to play safe... he hasn't found his touch yet this morning... This is Robertson's third good chance in this frame... he's left himself cueing awkward for that pink, but it safely goes in the centre pocket, he's got plenty of open reds on... but black is on the top cushion... this looks better now from Robertson and a great black along the cushion secures the frame...

.... That start will settle and encourage Robertson... can he make further inroads into the deficit... that's an awful break off by Robertson... he's left a red on for Ronnie... Good red to centre, he's on the blue and it's all about position here, the black is covered by two reds and Ronnie has already moved one of them... He looks awake and settled now, quickly onto 23 points, black on its spot, little flicks to bring more reds into play.... he's up to 39 in no time at all... another delightful shot to break more reds out of the pack... the break will end at 68 as this time the white sticks on the reds.... 6 reds left so he hasn't quite won the frame yet... the problem for Robertson is that the black is up near the yellow pocket and he needs that back on its spot ... but he's missed a tricky red to centre... so it may be academic as Ronnie pots the red... and that was frame ball...

... Ronnie is still being disturbed by the photographers... It isn't GCS causing the problem I can assure him... you click AFTER the shot not when the player is ON the shot... but many of these snappers turn up once a year for the 888.com World Championship and don't cover snooker the rest of the year.... Disturbed or not Ronnie has created himself a marvellous chance here... he's onto 25 and has opened all the reds up... but it's hard work this break, he's using the blue and pink for most positional shots... but he's moved along to 51 and the traffic is clearing a bit... and there's another frame on the board, superb stuff from Ronnie who still looked half asleep when he first walked into the arena this morning... a stunning red, left-handed, he's chasing the century now... 135 is the current high break target on our Snooker Sizzler... well it ends at 105...

... The gap is growing ominously now and Robertson has to find a way to slow the Rocket down a bit...  and he's got the first red of the frame this time as there's a rare missed red by Ronnie... well he can't get the balls in good position so forced to play safe with just 11 on his total... He's got another chance now... Despite the black being tied up, Neil's got the pink into play and moved along to 33 now, he's looking more settled with every pot... but the breaks ends at 37... everything is safe at the moment... Ronnie's found a red and laid a tight snooker... there are still five reds left... Ronnie wins the safety exchange and fires red into the yellow pocket... this is an excellent recovery by O'Sullivan, the balls were not in easy positions and he's crafted a break of 36 and now leads by 4 points on the green... Robertson gets the green and brown, blue is easy but he'll have to pot the pink down the rail... it stays out... Neil needs pink, Ronnie needs black as well... Ronnie's left the pink on... and he's now four frames behind again as they go to the interval...

... play resumes after the interval... Robertson's fired in a long red and got on the black... and he's made 49 but couldn't get on the black again and has to play safe... he's got another chance as Ronnie missed an attempted plant... he's left reds everywhere for Neil... and he clinches the frame with minimum of fuss...

... Ronnie makes 18 to start frame fourteen but can't hold position... Neil's fluked a red off his safety but doesn't gain position but he's made a brilliant yellow and now he's spotted a plant... he breaks down and a safety exchange now... but Robertson hammers in another great red and is nicely on the blue... he's got the reds open but black will on go on the blue spot and pink is way up the table on the green spot... he's rattled along to a 53 break and leads 62-18... nearly another frame on the board... Ronnie needs one snooker... that red by Neil puts the frame beyond doubt and now he's only two frames behind...

... and Neil is straight into the balls in the next frame... he's getting on a bit of a roll here... he's progressed to 22 and now looks at his fluent best... 46 and counting... can he get more reds open... he's found one... he's got a kick off the pink, it's potted okay and he's just on a red... he's 69 ahead now with 6 reds left... this is frame ball... and he's got it... we've got a match on now... Neil makes 77, misses a red by a long way and signals 'wide', it's not the Cricket World Cup Neil... and of course we have to congratulate Australia on their brilliant performance in winning the Cricket World Cup again...

... in no time at all we're into the final frame of the session... Ronnie has gone off the boil a bit, he's missed a red there... down it goes for Robertson... if Robertson can win this frame and level the match we are in for a real treat tonight when the match will be played to its dramatic conclusion... as will the match on the other table this morning, between Peter Ebdon and Mark Selby, and what a fantastic match that has been so far... three consecutive centuries by Selby this morning... the break reaches 50 and he's got more reds on and should win the frame at this visit and level the match... the frame is safe, can he make a century to round off a good morning's work... he's up to 89 now... 96, just red and black for the ton... and there's the century... another one on our Sizzler... he could set a new high break target here with 140... brilliant long blue, it looks on now and it is, fabulous....

... so here we go the final frames of the thrilling match... beautifully poised at 8-8... which of these great players is going to pull ahead... so Ronnie breaks off, not a good one, he's caught the blue... Robertson pots a long red but no easy position... but the blue comes to his rescue... another long red whistles in and Robertson already looks in blistering form tonight... he's moved on to 26 and gets a hard red to keep the break going... Neil reaches 34 but no red on for him now... Ronnie's left a long red but just for once Robertson rattles it in the jaws and it doesn't drop... he's got away with that, there's no pot for Ronnie... the white has vaulted off the top cushion but it's safely into baulk... The reds are open wide now from the safety, Ronnie's got a tough shot here, hard safety  or even harder pot... he tried the pot but didn't get it... Robertson gets one though and can add to his 35 point lead... but only anther 6 points and they'll spar for another opening... another fabulous red from Robertson, how do you play safe against this guy... he's 50 ahead now, still 6 reds on... and he's not on any of them now so just a safety shot and he sits on a 57 point lead... good shot by Ronnie... but there is a red visible and that's all Neil needs at the moment... but it needed a swerve and that was enough for him to miss the pot... he's got away with it... Ronnie tries a long red and doesn't get close... Robertson cracks in a red down the rail to the green pocket, he's got five reds left, 4 in the open and one on the top cushion... he's caught the middle knuckle off the green and is a long way from the reds now so a chance goes begging... and he's getting the running in this frame, he's fluked a snooker... a miss by Ronnie and he's left a red on... the lead is 65, and there goes frame ball red... and he leads for the first time in the match, a remarkable turnaround...

...Ronnie gets the  opening red, he's got the black onto its spot... onto 48 and counting and the audience is already on the edge of its seats... but the frame is more important at the moment... it's a wonderful atmosphere tonight and a huge roar from the adjoining table at Mark Selby rattles in yet another century and our Sizzler is really Sizzling now... and Ronnie's on to 88, there's the century, what a wonderful match this is now... well he can only make 136 now, but it's still a quite brilliant break... he doesn't bother with the black so 129...

... so level again... and into frame 19... A miss red by Ronnie, and he's caught the yellow and left a dolly red to get Robertson started... good shot to get on a red that's blocking the black... Robertson has accumulated 51 so far and he's still in good position, it's become one-visit snooker all of a sudden... he needs this blue and then red and colour to clinch the frame... he's 70 up with 67 on... and Ronnie concedes...

... the first red has fallen to Ronnie, a good shot from brown to a loose red along the top cushion... the reds don't split very well off the blue... but he's got one to the green pocket which keeps the break going... Another century from Selby on the other table, even Ronnie and Neil aren't producing that sort of scoring... meanwhile Ronnie has clinched the frame here, he's onto 69... stunning snooker, we all need a breather as they go off for the interval... well can he get the last red down the rail, left-handed, to make another century, no he can't just 96 that time... join us again in 15 minutes... 10-10 and what a thrilling conclusion we're guaranteed in this match...

... well here we go, a best of five to determine who goes through to the quarter-finals... and we've started with a tactical exchange... some tip-tapping in and out of the pack... Ronnie's got the white back into baulk, so normal safety resumes... this is spreading the reds a little, but one red is tight on the black which will hamper break-building a little... Ronnie's caught the pink and both players laugh as referee Eirian Williams looks in horror at all the balls moving, but Neil had a red on, although he can only make 4 before playing safe again... This has become one of the longest safety exchanges of the match and it's all adding to the tension... the baulk colours and blue are all off their spots, but the black is open now... Ronnie has missed a red, there's one of for Neil to try... and he's potted it, now he needs to negotiate a path from yellow up to the reds... he's done that and has opened a 27 point lead as the break reaches 24... he's moved along to 42-4 but it's hard work this break, he's had to take the yellow a couple of times and come right round the table... the break ends  as he misses frame ball pink, still a chance for Ronnie, he trails by 55 and there's 59 on.... everything is on for Ronnie, he could clear at this visit... what a big frame this is now... good blue left-handed and he plumb on the yellow... he's the wrong side of the blue and the pink is up near the black spot... what a shot now he's got to find.... he's got a really hard pink, his white is on the cushion... no he's turned that down and played safe... Robertson nearly fluked the pink full length of the table, pink is on... position on black is very hard... fabulous shot.. and in goes the black, a brilliant recovery by Ronnie and he regains the lead at 11-10... what drama....

... Robertson finds the opening red as we're into the twenty-first frame of a possible twenty-five... he's unlucky and lucky there, played to split the reds off the blue, they didn't split but he forgot to pot the blue... Ronnie's got a red, a good shot off the brown to get on a red, this will clear one that is blocking the black... Ronnie's unlucky, a little nudge on the black has covered his next intended red... he's taking on a long red to the yellow pocket but doesn't get it... he's left it for Neil... It really is the definitive Crucible tonight, it's a pressure cooker atmosphere on both tables, he got that but the next red, down the rail, stays out... so chances gone astray for both players in this frame... there's a long red chance for Ronnie but he chooses safety... he left a long red which Neil potted superbly but he's gone in-off at a near impossible angle into the centre pocket... unlucky... Ronnie lets him off, misses a long red... the nerves are kicking in now, Neil misses a mid range red as well... a roar from the other table and Selby has clinched victory... it seems fitting that this match will be enjoyed by the entire arena now... Amidst the noise Ronnie gets a red and he's now in good position... Ronnie leads by 35 with 3 reds on... there goes one of them... great shot to move the red he needs into a good position and down it goes, it will be 12-10 in a minute... and it is... one more frame needed for victory... and a quarter final match against John Higgins...

... Ronnie to break off in frame 23... a possible three frame left and Neil needs them all... he turns down a long red... Ronnie gets a red into the green pocket but he wasn't trying to... and just a roll up to the brown now... that was hard to get safe and there's a red to centre for Ronnie... an amazing pot on the brown and he's on a red... black is tied up by a red but pink is open, he'll have to split the bunch soon... he's opened a few, this is beginning to look like a match-winning opening... as the break moves along to 31... and now up to 45, the next red is very tight, it doesn't go, he's made a plant to the centre... the match is at his mercy now... this looks like the end for the Aussie... and it is, a brilliant break to end a great match... Join us at 10.00 on Tuesday for the first of the quarter finals...

FRAME SCORES

1. 0-119(32,87)

2. 104(104)-0

3. 57(30)-59(37)

4. 48-72(46)

5. 23-69

6. 23-82(35)

7. 94(70)-0

8. 23-105(100)

FRAME SCORES

9. 74(48)-6

10. 0-98(68,30)

11. 0-105(105)

12. 55-41(36)

13. 68(49)-0

14. 70(53)-18

15. 77(77)-0

16. 140(140)-0

FRAME SCORES

17. 117(34,52)-0

18. 0-129(129)

19. 70(70)-0

20. 0-96(96)

21. 59(52)-61(44)

22. 12-60(38)

23. 0-89(88)

24.

25.

QUOTES

...