Seven-time champ Hendry: Crucible has got to be done right – or not at all!
Snooker legend Stephen Hendry believes playing the World Championship behind closed doors would be a waste of time.
Snooker’s blue-ribbon tournament was due to start at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre yesterday, but the coronavirus crisis means the 17-day event has been indefinitely postponed.
And now there are plans circulating that the event could even be played in the autumn, staged behind closed doors and even potentially be shortened to fit into a packed calendar.
But seven-time world champion Hendry is not a fan of watering down snooker’s greatest tournament, especially with no fans in to watch the drama unfold.
“If you do it, you’ve got to do it properly – or not at all,” stressed 51-year-old Hendry.
“It would be great if it could be played at some point. But the World Championship is the biggest test, any sort of scaleddown version, or behind closed doors, just wouldn’t be right.
“If the organisers said it’s best-of-nine frames, it wouldn’t work. It’s got to be done properly.
“This time of year all your thoughts would be on the Crucible and looking forward to going there.
“When I was playing I would probably start thinking about the Crucible just after the Masters had finished.
“I did an Instagram live with world champion Judd Trump and he said he starts thinking about the World Championship in January.
“You’d presume the two or three Chinese events which kick off the season wouldn’t be on, so you’d think there would be a space.
“There’s lots of things to consider, but whether they could get the Crucible again remains to be seen.
“I’ve heard the Worlds is more likely to be played in the autumn, but I’m just going on snippets I’ve heard. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
Barry Hearn, the World Snooker Tour chairman, has targeted re-staging the event from July 25 until August 10, the same dates the Olympic Games were due to be held in Tokyo
But Hearn, who is recovering from a minor heart attack, has now raised his concerns that those provisional plans will have to be scrapped because of the travel chaos caused by the pandemic.
Top Scot Hendry, who won a staggering 36 ranking titles during his illustrious career, was due to commentate at the Crucible for the BBC, a venue which he still ranks as his best ever.
“The Crucible is very special, it still gives me goosebumps going in there,” reflected Hendry,
“It has always been my favourite place to play snooker.
“In the Nineties, my pipe and slippers were almost under the table because I spent so much time there.
“But everyone is in the same boat. It’s not a good situation at all. It’s the same situation with football, especially in the lower leagues. It’s a very strange time.
“It’s not just two players playing on the table, it’s the whole thing that has to go on behind-the-scenes to get the show on the road.
“And you need a crowd, they provide the atmosphere. It would be really strange without a crowd.
“All it takes is one person to come down with the virus and the whole thing would have to come off.”
Defending champion and World No. 1 Judd
Trump was a big favourite to win a second Crucible crown this season, having won a record six ranking titles this term.
But even though it might be five months before a ball is potted again on the professional stage, Hendry believes Trump is set to dominate the green baize game for years to come.
“Judd has been incredible,” said Hendry. “It’s pretty much been domination of the sport.
“He’s got what I had – that greed. He just wants to win in everything he plays in.
“It’s great to be greedy for success. It’s one of the best assets you can have.
“I think it could be total domination of the sport for the next 10 years.
“I’m not surprised, but I don’t think even he would have expected to win six tournaments in the same season. And he did it with two tournaments left.”
Trump, 30, has now won 17 ranking titles, which still leaves him 19 behind Hendry’s record haul of 36.
But Hendry has seen enough of the fearless left-hander to realise that he has the world at his feet.
“It requires a special ability to keep winning and winning,” said Hendry.
“Very few people can win a tournament and then go the next week and go again. Judd is one of those people.”