DECISION TIME OVER O'SULLIVAN AND ROBERTSON

The BBC top brass were agonising on Monday afternoon about which of the quarter-finals to show live on Tuesday afternoon, with a potentially difficult choice between Ronnie O’Sullivan v Shaun Murphy/Marco Fu, and Neil Robertson v Judd Trump/Ryan Day at the time of writing.

The case for showing O’Sullivan, who gives the TV ratings a huge spike whenever he is on let alone at the Crucible and the World Championship, pretty much states itself. But bosses were leaning towards the Robertson match.

The prospect of possibly seeing the world No1 reach the historic milestone of 100 century breaks in a single season live on the BBC was one they were extremely reluctant to forego, and the chances were that if Trump prevailed against Day, making the quarter-final an especially attractive match-up, that might tip the balance.

The fact that Murphy and Trump emerged as the winners if anything made the decision, which is awaited with interest, even harder.

COMMENTATORS RENEW GOLF RIVALRY

With no play on the Monday morning of week two at the Dafabet World Championship a number of the BBC commentary team, aided and abetted by professional Matt Selt and assistant tournament director Martin Clark, took advantage of the fine weather and headed for the golf course.

The pairings for the latest leg of the matchplay challenge series were John Virgo and Clark v Willie Thorne and Dennis Taylor, and Selt and Stephen Hendry – fortified by the purchase of some new clubs in Sheffield - v John Parrott and Ken Doherty.

The auspicious occasion took place at Rotherham Golf Club, a fine parkland course of 6,327 yards with a par of 70. No one challenged the course record of 62 – but there were wins for the impressive Taylor and Thorne by 2 and 1, and Hendry and Selt by 4 and 3.

WHERE WILL STEVE PETERS BE THIS WEEK?

Ronnie O’Sullivan put off calling upon Dr Steve Peters during his last-16 match against Joe Perry until the final morning because he recognised the importance of the work the sports psychiatrist was doing with Liverpool, attempting to win the Premier League for the first time.

So you can only wonder what is going to happen this week, with the demands on the mind management guru and his high-profile clientele reaching breaking point. Liverpool’s demoralising home defeat to Chelsea on Sunday tossed the title initiative away and would have been especially hard on captain Steven Gerrard who blundered badly for the Blues’ opening goal.

O’Sullivan will have a Crucible quarter-final on Tuesday and Wednesday, while Brendan Rodgers’ team will need picking off the floor with their destiny no longer in their own hands after 24 years chasing the dream.

Where will the renowned Peters be spending his week? Some shuttling between Sheffield and Merseyside seems the most likely.

MURPHY SUITED AND BOOTED

Whatever arrangement Shaun Murphy has with his new tailors Owen Scott, it seems to be delivering for all parties. The way these things work it is highly unlikely that the 2005 world champion paid much if anything for the bespoke suit worn in his first-round win over Jamie Cope, a Twenties-style number that drew references to the Great Gatsby. With shops in Huddersfield, Leeds and Savile Row the outfitter has a growing number of celebrity clients and with the help of coverage on the BBC and Murphy’s web site and Twitter page more are likely to follow, with reports they have been inundated with requests for fittings. The BBC’s Jason Mohammad is understood to be just one taken with the designs.

CLASSY KEN BACK IN THE BOX

Despite the raw disappointment of his 13-8 defeat at the hands of Alan McManus and seeing the rare chance of a Crucible quarter-final place disappear over the horizon, Ireland’s Ken Doherty remained in resolute good humour during his post-match press conference.

And before it had even started, the popular former world champion had a kind word for BBC Radio Five Live’s interviewer George Riley, who had filled in for him on his scheduled commentary stint alongside Dennis Taylor earlier in the day for the Barry Hawkins/Ricky Walden match.

“Well done George, very good job earlier,” said Doherty taking his seat before mischievously joking: “I reckon Willie Thorne might be getting a bit nervous, he’s coming under a bit of severe pressure there!

“But I will be taking your spot back now George. I think the other guys will be delighted because they have been doing double shifts since I got into the second round.”