Tough Challenge Brings Ronnie Back to Focus | O'Sullivan vs Oliver Lines | 2023 Welsh Open L128

Interesting part of the season this Ken, isn't it, with the World Championship if you like, just around the corner. Yeah, and also John, there's a lot of big tournaments coming up as well. Of course, the Players' Championship and the Tour Championship as well. But he needs a really good run, possibly even to win it this week, to secure that place. Top 16 players only next week and I think he's languishing down around the mid-twenties at the moment. He's up against a young man, Oliver Lyons of course, son of Peter Lyons, also on the Professional Tour. Very capable young player. Good shot and nicely on the black and that will give him a bit of confidence. Well, that's the one thing you can't afford to do at this level, miss blacks off the spot. That won't do his confidence any good. Yeah, after particularly knocking in such a wonderful long red, although the black has gone safe, so it's not pretty straightforward here. I wonder will he get a nice angle on this red when potting this blue and maybe could try and bring the black into play. If he doesn't, he'd probably still be on the blue, but he might knock the black in here. Yeah, trying to get it off the cushion. Get that cue ball topside of the blue. My ringer went to blue, but almost impossible to avoid the kiss. So just for safety, he didn't play that very well. Caught that much too thick. So that mistake from Oliver Lyons hasn't cost him. And so important are these best of sevens, you need to hit the ground running. The last thing you want is when your opponent misses a black off the spot. You don't want to give him another chance straight away. Now he's going to take a more difficult black to try and get it back on the spot. Because that will obviously increase the chance to try and win the frame from this visit if it goes in. Good shot, good positive shot. As the cue ball needs to slow up. Is he on this red? Has the cue ball gone too far? Maybe just about on it. It's okay. Back in prime position. That was a lovely shot. From the black, wasn't it, to that red. Perfect. Yeah, and he just landed at a nice potting angle and played it well. He didn't play to be on this red, but I think it just goes. Particularly with the rest, this is definitely missable. He doesn't have to do anything with the cue ball. Nicely played. And as you said, John, this is best of sevens. Very short sprint. Ronnie will be aware of that and he'd be disappointed to have given his opponent that chance from that loose safety shot. He doesn't have to go into the pack just yet. Concentrate on at least taking one of them at home. That was a poor shot. The last thing he wanted there was to kiss that red. Okay, he can still pot it, but now he's difficult. And he's not really recovered the position. Pretty good. Is he on it? No, it wasn't pretty good at all. He was trying to catch that full ball, that red. Another misplaced shot from Ronnie. Not expecting that. Big margin for error there. Now this could be the key shot. If he pots the blue here, he's going into the red. Should be on a red. If he pots this, then he has done. That's perfect. Great chance to win the frame. That's disappointing. He needed to be the right side. The blue is the wrong side. So once again, what looked to be straightforward, it's not. It's not too bad. He's certainly settled for that. He'll run to the top cushion with the cue ball there. Oh, he's missed it. Wow. That was frame ball. Virtually, you would feel. Didn't expect him to miss that red. What's Ronnie's response? One. Yeah, and this will be a body blow for Oliver. If he was to lose this frame now. That's a golden opportunity. Well, maybe three golden opportunities. Just that lack of cue ball control. Fearing the worst, I would imagine. Nine. It's not topside of the blue. So maybe a glimmer of hope. He's sizing up the yellow. This is a big shot. Yeah, needs to play this with pace. You've got to be very accurate with the putt. Oh, cued it beautifully. Didn't try to over hit it. Eleven. Yeah, that was a lovely shot, wasn't it? And another one. And this time, he's perfect on the blue. I think that's the key with those particular shots, isn't it, John? That yellow. Now just to cue it and not try to sometimes over hit it. You sort of trust your cue action. That's exactly what Ronnie did there. He trusted his cue action. Yeah, I think also when you're playing that type of shot, you have to trace what we call help inside and if you hit them too hard you can get the throw of the cue ball. As you say, he just trusted his cue action. Cued it beautifully. Body blow this for Oliver Lyons. So just three points the difference now. So up to and including the blue. Expecting to miss it but it's just it should have been easier. If it had been top side of the blue, it would have been left with a red that was unmissable. So not the start he wanted. And that now. It's just this. Just the pink actually. Surely this isn't going to be a problem. Right in the heart of the pocket. So well that was you could say one against the head. All afraid it looked like Oliver Lyons was going to take it. Unexpected miss. 1-0 Ronnie O'Sullivan. Interesting thoughts from our panel. And of course Rianne Evans. I have to agree with Oliver was a little bit tempted. It's understandable. Playing Ronnie O'Sullivan. First day on TV. He's going to get another chance here. Full kiss on the green with the cue ball. Once he missed it it was always going to stay there. That pace. What happened in the first frame you've got to put out your mind. There's nothing you can do about it. It's gone. Concentrate on the shots in front of you. I think this is the important visit. Once again he's under hit that positional shot. Should have been straighter on this red. Aim for the red just to the right of the pink in the pack. Is he okay? Can he pot this red and just avoid the red just below and stay on the black. Just missed that red on the way down. Lucky to go in but a tough black. It wasn't easy. Oliver Lane's 12. From the face you leave your opponent with his hand on the table. You expect him to play a better safety shot than that. On the left hand side as we look he's fraught with danger. The black, the pink near the side cushion. This is not straightforward. He's going to play the two cushion escape. You only get a couple of chances as you can clearly see he can hit reds. He's just playing just to nestle up to the but he's left the red to the middle. That's another error of judgement. I thought he was going to possibly knock that red on. He didn't want to go near those reds that far up the pack. Is this in? Just about. One. I think the top red goes into the left corner pocket past the black. That red just left to the pink spot. He's played this nicely. Six. He's just going to glance off the pack here but he could play with a bit of pace if he wanted. Possibly bring a red or two into play. Bottom of the cue ball and left hand side and try and bring some reds into play here. How's your luck? Could have been better. Just a safety. Oliver Lane's 14. Tremendous putt. Beautiful cueing. Got a bit of work to do here. Got to avoid yellow and brown again. He would have loved that red. Run a couple of more inches to red that's close to the cue ball. Yeah, that wasn't easy at all. Yeah, it was almost the impossible shot that but he thought it was worth a go. He was a bit fortunate that having missed the blue he kissed into other colours. Oliver's just having a look. Attempts this red. Can he avoid red and black? He could do. Got very close. Doesn't want to kiss on the brown though. Play with that slightly for the red. It's a little bit easier but he still has this red into the left corner. Nicely played. One. Pink tied up. Black is not available. Even more difficult. Blue not being on its spot. There's one thing about Ronnie or Sullivan John. He'd be looking straight away to get some sort of angle on the red to try and bring that black in to play as soon as possible. What gives him a slight advantage here. He's got reds on either side where if he's landed nice on one of those he could play a little cannon and release the black. Eight. If the black pots into the left corner he could bring it into play here. Nine. Just caught the black instead of catching the red. Full ball. Tricky cut back this. Good shot. Missed the full ball cannon on the two reds. That's how he's lost a cue ball. But good pot. Sixteen. This isn't straightforward. I'm still nine points behind. Is the yellow going to come to his rescue? I think it is. Or is it? No. So full distance of the table. Got to push the cue nice and straight. Didn't expect him to miss it. Went to a bead on the yellow but overran it. He'd be stretching for the green so not an ideal position. Nicely in the heart of the pocket as long as he doesn't get the cover with the yellow he should be OK. Beautifully played. There was pressure on that green but it didn't look like it the way he played it. Eighteen. That shot may tell us top red pots it does and that will release the black a little bit as well. It's only released the red left of it. Eight. A bit short of pace. Wanted to be closer. The cue ball to the yellow. Once again produced a wonderful positional shot. Ten. Not a straightforward run to the winning line in the second frame. Once again Oliver has had his chances. It'll be a big ask though for Ronnie to win the frame at this visit. I wonder, John, could he play the little cannon on the red? Is he going to attempt this black into the right centre pocket? I think he tried to play the cannon off the top cushion, knock the red out of the way and stay on the black but it hasn't worked out so he's just played a safety shot. He could have played that a little bit better. He needs the blue to come to his rescue here and it hasn't. One. Doesn't want to be straight on the black. He's OK. Quick glance at the score. Yellow and green would be enough. Eighteen. Two nil down but he's had really good chances in both frames. Twenty-one. Yeah. And Ronnie's made a few errors but there's one thing for certain which will please the Ronnie or Sullivan fans. Boy, is he getting through the cue ball, isn't he? Just good cueing. Oliver Lyons coming into this match. Knew he had a tough task. It's even tougher now. I'm sure Oliver Lyons will stay in his chair. He does. And Ronnie or Sullivan puts another frame on the board. He leads now by two frames to nil. Yes, and that looks like a good break off. Over the last five or six years, John, I think the break has become such an important shot now whereas before, you never really thought about it that much but normally if you won the toss, you'd break off. But these days, I think if you win the toss, most players put their opponent in first. Yeah, I think it boils down now that you watch the players today. They get one chance to put that first red and they're looking to win the frame. Yeah, and if you ever watch Ronnie or Sullivan and all his break offs, he always breaks off left-handed. He seems to be able to impart enough sire to swing it off the four cushions and get it behind the green. Disappointed with that safety shot. Once again, showing to the ball client and his opponent this long red. No pressure on that because there was a gap at the top cushion. Missed the black and he's perfect on the black. Once again, he's in first. He would feel he has a chance of getting back into this matches by winning frames in one visit. He really has to start scoring and putting his opponent under pressure. Seven. He's had a look. He looks pretty confident it's a plant so there you see it. Fourteen. Fifteen. He's got to start contemplating now to leave a nice angle on the black. Trying to store up some reds. Trying to win this frame in one visit. Twenty-three. Someone's phone's gone off in the audience. Not great when you're at the table. Oh, would you believe it? No, I wouldn't. I mean, if you tried to play that shot, it'd be out to play, wouldn't it? To try and get through that gap. Another safety from Ronnie. Caught a little bit too thick. Let's say by the yellow. Containing safety shot. Trying to miss the black here and get that cue ball behind the yellow. Close to the ball cushion. Once again, very, very careless. This one could be very costly. Very costly indeed. Yellow and brown are too close together, so he can't go in and out of ball. Playing for this red over the right corner. This is not straightforward to get it. Once again, topside of the blue. He'd love to get on the black here. Yeah, trying to force it around and that went all wrong, to say the least. Where's the cue ball going? In the pocket. The worst possible result for Oliver. Yeah, what's worse of course, he's left this red in balk. He can play for the black here now, sure. Not the best. He's underhitted. This black a lot thinner than he would have liked. I didn't expect him to miss it, though. In all honesty. Natural angle for the cue ball. Beyond the black here, if this red goes in. Not quite sure. This red is cuttable. This looks a good line. Looks a very good line. Needs to slow up slightly. I don't know about you, John. I'm just looking at the table. It just doesn't look as pacey as you'd expect it to be. I know it's the first day, but it looks a little bit heavy. Both players are struggling with the pace slightly. Well, it's beautiful here, but it's cold. While we're cleaning up the tables, the doors were left open, so first day can always take a little bit of time to settle down. So close. You'll get the cover. Wants to avoid the blue. He's got the gap. He's also got the plant there. Could have done with avoiding that red. He could have got close to the blue and the black. The black is a bit more tricky, but would be more beneficial. What's he going to play? If he pots it, he's got a great chance. Well played. Good pot. Playing this up for the blue, obviously. Played it nicely. Easy enough pot. Nice angle to come back down for the reds. He's got plenty of options here because these two reds are still a plant. Play it in such a way where you leave the first red over the pocket. Hard to see it going wrong. He may play for a blue after this red. So he's still going to need another red after red and blue. Thirty. Brown is OK here. Well, I say it's OK. Once again, a very tentative shot that, and that's no good. Thirty-four. Fifty-three points in the lead, but still fifty-nine remaining. Now does he take on this plant? A lot of distance. Got to get this safe. That's all he did. He'd be disappointed he didn't take that chance. That's a poor shot from Ronnie. As I say, there's just signs in this frame to me that he's just lost his focus. Don't know why. Don't think he knows. That cue ball should have been near the bolt cushion, not the bolt line. That's a good shot from Oliver. Better safety shot from Ronnie O'Sullivan there. A containing safety shot. He's leaving himself open here. Can he get it behind the blue? It's a good pace. Good shot. Good shot. I don't think he can afford to bring this red and pink into play. So that's the one. Look at it rolling over. It can happen. He's left this red on but it's not easy and Ronnie knows if he misses it, he's lost the frame. Right in the It's not a great chance but a chance I certainly didn't expect. Looking for a nice angle when potting this black on the next red. And when he pots this red, he doesn't have to bring another red out because I think that red to the right of the pink pots, you can see that does, but you need a nice angle when potting this black on the next red to try and bring the pink and red into play if you can. Oh, that looks pretty good. He could pot this red, just brush off the red close to the pink and bring the pink into play here. Lovely shot. Played perfectly. That clearance, now all of a sudden doesn't look that. It's beyond the realms of possibility. The big problem, the yellow. And maybe the green is not ideal, so still a bit of work to do but a chance as I say that I didn't expect him to get. Nothing he can do now Oliver Lyons. He's had his chance once again. Not taken him. Will he get another one? Anywhere but straight on this yellow. If he gets straight, that's not ideal. Now what sort of an angle has he got? A little grimace from Ronnie O'Sullivan, Oliver Lyons. Has a look at him. This is not easy by any stretch. Oh. What a shot he's played there. Well he couldn't have played that any better. That's the shot of the match so far. Absolutely. Still a tricky green. But gravity took over. And now the four remaining colours for a steal. No doubt about it. What a steal. Well it'll be almost like a burglary this frame John. I mean from nothing he's crafted his break wonderfully. Just to leave himself a nice angle. He needs the black as well. Well. A short pace. He might be able to just stretch. If not he can play it left handed. He's going to stretch. What a clearance this has been. Absolutely superb. Ronnie O'Sullivan is absolutely taking him. 3-0 the rocket. What a clearance in the last frame. He's on this red into this left corner pocket just about. Green could be a good guide. Yeah it was. He's on the black. Needs to slow up just about. Delicate little shot this. Particularly playing it left handed. Lovely shot. Such an advantage isn't it John? I remember the first time we saw it was at the World Championship and he played a lane Robbie Dew beat him. A lot of shots left handed and a lane Robbie Dew wouldn't shake his hand. Yeah as we were talking about the break. If you don't cover long red off the break this is exactly what can happen. Particularly against someone like Ronnie O'Sullivan's Ilk. Now when he's in prime position all of a sudden looks like he's got his focus back John here. Obviously trying to close out the match as well. Still okay. He's got a nice angle on the red. Stay for the black. It's okay. Red to the right middle. Little bit trickier than he would have liked but it's a perfect angle if he pots it to come back for the black. Just went off the near jaw. Which is what he's decided to do. Now this would tell us not ideal on this in a normal world you'd play up for the blue. And that's what he's done. Spoilsport. The frame and the match priority. Little bit surprised he didn't stay on the black. He's played this nice but is he on the blue? He's not. So this is Oliver Lyons only hope. Big shot. Beautifully cued. Just one red required. That's all. And it was funny even Ronnie there when he flicked the pink you see the back leg in a bit of body language and he's trying to make the shot right. In it goes. And surely next time Oliver Lyons gets out of his seat it'll be to shake Ronnie's hand. Doesn't tell the story but you've just got to read what's on the score sheet. It'll be 4-0. Yeah. Oliver Lyons will be very very disappointed. Had a chance in each of the first three frames. This match could have been and should have been a lot closer. 83. 84. And just looking at this first round match I did accuse Ronnie of losing a bit of focus but I also loved the way he's getting through the ball at the moment. Well, commentators first. Anyway, Oliver Lyons will be very very disappointed. He had plenty of chances. Just signs there that he is killing well and as per usual he'll be a danger to everyone. He wins. 4-0.