Hearn hopeful fans can return for snooker final as ‘show must go on’

Barry Hearn hopes fans might be allowed back to the Crucible in time for the World Snooker Championship final after the government brought an early end to the experiment of socially-distanced fans on the first day of the tournament.

The World Snooker Tour chairman said the handful who did make it in on Friday morning had the "ultimate golden ticket" as they saw defending champion Judd Trump put on the back foot by Tom Ford, who led 5-4 at the end of the opening session after winning the first three frames.

But after those fans had taken their seats, Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a lunchtime announcement in which he said the pilot schemes - which also included racing and cricket - must end due to fears over a rising number of coronavirus cases across the country.

Fans with tickets for Friday's play were allowed in for the afternoon and evening sessions, but the tournament - which concludes with the final on August 15 and 16 - will continue behind closed doors from today.

"It leaves us on Plan B, we are going to be resilient, we'll get through as we always will and Plan B is to revert to behind closed doors," Hearn told BBC Sport.

"There is a chance, I'm ever the optimist, a return for the final.

"In the meantime, I'm gutted, of course, for the work the team has done.

"It’s an amazing job getting this ready and they must feel terribly deflated.

"From day one we followed every single safety guideline, we have a new guideline and we follow that as well.

"Health and safety is paramount and the show must go on and this show is going on!

"Congratulations to those guys who were here today (Friday) because they've had the experience as ever, the ultimate golden ticket!"

The decision to remove fans came after Ronnie O’Sullivan expressed concerns, and qualifier Anthony Hamilton withdrew from the event saying he feared for his health as a chronic asthmatic.

That led to criticism from Hearn and others that he had prevented someone else from playing. Following Friday's news, Hearn remained unmoved.

"He pulled out, made his position clear," he said. "Good luck, see you later.”