Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

He is a fighter and the situation he's finds himself in is allowing him to be more relaxed. If he were to get closer to Ronnie O'Sullivan, perhaps his smile would get more serious.

It's good for Ronnie O'Sullivan to walk out the room and recompose himself. Ronnie O'Sullivan rarely collapses from a lead and knows the importance of every frame.

The sixth red to be followed by a blue. O'Sullivan doesn't worry about the maximum, he just wants the title. He needs another 27 points...

Five and five. Let's not think about it just yet.

Four reds, four blacks. Has he got an angle on the fifth black?

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

It's an little bit early for the twitching hour to have been reached for Ronnie O'Sullivan. Nevertheless he'll want to get it over with as soon as possible.

All credit to Mark though. He's a Masters champion. You don't win those useless you know about sticking around, hanging in there and doing your best. That's what he's doing at the moment.

Now then. O'Sullivan won't get a better chance than this. Long red, then a black with which he can pile on the pain.

Are you sure snooker is for you, Leonard?

Leonard Odicean: It is too difficult. They should add 2 more pockets to make 8 altogether. Then the frames wouldn't drag on and on.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

The first signs that Ronnie O'Sullivan is perhaps getting a little bit anxious. He doesn't need to panic yet but one more frame from Mark Allen...

"They need to stop serving you, Davey," quips Allen to a fella in the audience. He's his mate, or he's guessed at his name. Either way, the Northern Irishman is only three behind.

A miss! But Ronnie can't capitalise. Both players feeling the heat. Allen will wrap this up now.

54 ahead, 59 remaining. One more red should do it...

Is he on the black? Just about. In it goes as we tick past four hours.

Red falling nicely. Allen thinking three or four shots ahead. Coughing epidemic continues. It's more likely than not that we'll get a 16th frame.

Can you believe it? O'Sullivan, perhaps concentrating too hard on holding for the black, misses a red to the right centre. Allen with a shot at resurrection.

Mistake from Allen! Loose red for O'Sullivan to knock into the bottom-right corner. That might be all she wrote.

Image source, BBC Sport

Absolute stalemate. Neither player wanting to drift towards that brown, but all of the reds are in that quarter of the table. Settle in, this could take a while.

All happening. Horrible kick for Allen leaves his free-ball brown (effectively a red) lying over the bottom left pocket. This frame could get dragged through the dirt.

Oh my. What a pickle. Ronnie pots his second red, but absolutely stumps himself for a colour. Two cushions for one in baulk, missed by miles. Free ball to Mark Allen and a huge opportunity...

It's there! Bottom left corner. Is that the beginning of the end?