News in Picture

The Masters at Wembley is coming to the boil nicely.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has made it through to the semi-finals without being at his very best and his long game, in particular, has not been great at all.

As a result we might see him grind it out a bit, safety-wise, and get in among the balls a bit more.

Ronnie will be up against old foe Mark Williams and I'm so pleased to see the Welshman recapture his form after a few indifferent years.

He is such a clever player and a good scorer that I am expecting a cracking match.

Friday's first quarter-final pits world number two Stephen Maguire against Ryan Day.

Maguire is what I call a 'sleeper' as at times he needs to wake up and play properly.

In 2008 he looked like he was going to be the main threat to O'Sullivan, but he has lost a little bit of form. This is a big chance to get back to winning ways as he is such a heavy scorer and a great safety player.

Day whitewashed an out-of-sorts Joe Perry in the first round and he will have taken that result with glee.

Players don't get paid for overtime, the sooner they can get a match over and done with the better.

The other quarter is between Mark Selby and Mark Allen and Selby absolutely loves Wembley as a venue.

It's strange, as a snooker table is always a rectangle and shouldn't be different no matter where you are playing, but as a player you have an affinity to certain venues and it makes you play better.

Selby has reached the final of the Masters twice in the last two years and he would be my tip to reach it again and face O'Sullivan in a repeat of last January's match-up.

John Parrott commentates on the BBC's coverage of the Masters snooker at Wembley.

John was talking to Paul Birch.

The Masters: 1300-2300, BBC Red Button/online; 1300-1630, BBC One/online; 1630-1800, BBC Two/online; 2100-2230, BBC Two/online; 0030-0120, BBC Two.

The Masters: 1400-1645, BBC Red Button/online; 2000-2300, BBC Two/online; 2350-0240, BBC Two.

Football Focus (1215, BBC One/online); Premier League commentaries (1245, 1500 & 1730, BBC Radio 5 live/online); Final Score (1430, BBC Red Button/online; 1630, BBC One/online); Match of the Day (2230, BBC One/online); The Football League Show (2350, BBC One/online).

Match of the Day repeat (0735, BBC One/online); Premier League commentaries (1330 & 1600, BBC Radio 5 live/online); MOTD 2 (2255, BBC One/online).

Skiing: World Cup, Wengen (1130-1330, BBC Red Button/online).

Skiing: World Cup, Wengen (1215-1415, BBC Red Button/online); Ski Sunday (1645-1715, BBC Two/online); Ski Sunday Extra (1715-1745, BBC Red Button/online); NFL: New York Jets at the San Diego Chargers (2100, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra).