The players are back out after the mid-session interval to a warm welcome from the York spectators.

Ding Junhui produced arguably the performance of the tournament in the quarter-finals when he thrashed world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-0.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

As always at the Masters, there are no weak matches at all.

Image source, .

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

There's no hiding place at the Masters. You know your first match is against a really good player and you've got to be on your guard. That atmosphere at the venue really is something now.

Oooh that's something to look foward to

Robertson v Murphy, Higgins v Lisowski, O'Sullivan v Brecel...

Mark Selby v Zhao Xintong

Judd Trump v Ryan Day

Ronnie O'Sullivan v Luca Brecel

John Higgins v Jack Lisowski

Neil Robertson v Shaun Murphy

Kyren Wilson v Stuart Bingham

Mark Allen v Barry Hawkins

Mark Williams v Yan Bingtao or Ding Junhui

HERE WE GO...

Jason Ferguson and John Parrott are on hand to make the draw for the Masters in Janiuary.

Mark Allen's run to three successive ranking finals has come after a dramatic weight loss, dropping five stone in four months.

He spoke to BBC Sport about his drastic lifestyle change with his trademark brutal honesty - it's worth a minute and a half of your time to watch this.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

Ding will be happy with the way he's striking the ball - he looks very comfortable out there in among the balls.

The fascinating thing now is that Mark's been on the back foot in a number of his matches and he's been able to stick in there by being tenacious and dogged - it's whether he can do it again.

You don't want to keep going behind in matches because somewhere along the line the other guy goes off into the distance.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

There's less pressure in the final than the semi-final a lot of the time because you desperately want to get to the final, so the semi can be a real hurdle - and Ding didn't look right all day yesterday.

Partly that because he was huge favourite to win (against Tom Ford) - but he looks bang on it today, I have to say.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

Image source, BBC Sport

This is one of three events in snooker's Triple Crown - along with the World Championship and the Masters, which takes place at London's Alexandra Palace between 8-15 January (with live coverage on BBC TV).

The Masters features the top 16 players in the world rankings at the end of the UK Championship and we already know 15 of them. The only place still up for grabs is going to be taken by either Yan Bingtao or Ding Junhui, who needs to win today to get back in the Masters.

The Masters draw will take place in the first session mid-interval after the first four frames (in a few minutes' time), with the top eight being seeded and each facing one of the unseeded players.

The draw will see Jason Ferguson, chairman of the WPBSA, and 1991 world champion John Parrott draw out the names and in the rehearsal earlier on Ronnie O'Sullivan was paired with Zhao Xintong.

For the purposes of the draw, these are the numbers to look out for...

1. Neil Robertson (reigning champion), 2. Ronnie O'Sullivan, 3. Mark Selby, 4. Judd Trump, 5. Mark Allen, 6. John Higgins, 7. Mark Williams, 8. Kyren Wilson, 9. Zhao Xintong, 10. Jack Lisowski, 11. Luca Brecel, 12. Shaun Murphy, 13. Barry Hawkins, 14. Stuart Bingham, 15. Ryan Day, 16. Yan Bingtao or Ding Junhui.

Image source, BBC Sport

That's more like it.

The first three frames were attritional but a wonderful contribution there from the 'Dragon'.

Four more frames to come this afternoon - but first a little break for the players.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

It's been a tight, scrappy first three frames, with two of them lasting more than half an hour, but that was a superb break of 126 from Ding - the first century of the match - to go in to the mid-session interval leading 3-1.

126 for Ding Junhuipublished at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 20 November 2022

14:54 GMT 20 November 2022

Allen 1-3 Ding

A brilliant century from Ding Junhui, a near-total clearance of 126 brings the Barbican to its feet as the players depart for the mid-session interval.

It could have been 133 but he misses an exhibition black.

Ding Junhui quickly putting that scrappy third frame behind him - a nice red to middle keeps the break going.

Then he powers into the pack off the blue and the frame is there for the taking at 43-0 up already.

Image source, Getty Images

Eventful start to frame four.

Ding very unlucky to leave a long cut red over the left corner - but fortunate to leave Mark Allen slightly snookered on it.

The 'Pistol' comes off a cushion to try to nick it in but hits the red too thick and leaves a dolly of a starter for Ding.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

That was a very hard-fought frame - but it was tactically very adept from Mark Allen. It was tough stuff but important that he won it.

He didn't want to be going 3-0 behind to Ding Junhui who has a pretty formidable record here at the Barbican.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

Mark Allen maintains his bizarre record of falling two frames behind in every match of this tournament, but never three frames adrift.

He was 2-0 behind against Jordan Brown and Kyren Wilson and won 6-4 and 6-3 in rounds one and two respectively, then trailed 4-2 before winning 6-4 over Sam Craigie and then was 5-3 adrift against Jack Lisowski before winning that one 6-5 on the final black.

Two of the opening three frames today have taken more than 30 minutes apiece and that was a vital one for Allen to avoid falling 3-0 behind.

Mark Allen takes the last red to lead by 18 but it's a tough black so he just puts it safe to protect his advantage.

Ding leaves him a long yellow which he pots, perfect on the green and the Northern Irishman is on the board.

Allen didn't think the blue was in, he'd gone back to his seat - but just as he sits down, it drops! Frame was over already but it gets a chuckle from the crowd.

Shaun Murphy
2005 world champion on BBC Two

There was no apology from Mark as he walked back to his seat - perhaps he thinks Ding's had a bit of luck so far.