This seems to have worked for fans’ favourite O’Sullivan, who said after his first-round demolition of Thepchaiya Un-Nooh that the absence of fans means he can stay at a hotel close to the Crucible and puts “less pressure” on his shoulders.
Fake crowd noise, but no coughing
The tight and claustrophobic nature makes the Crucible, which first hosted the championship in 1977, a unique arena. Cosy for the players doing well but a cruel cauldron for those who are not.
Normally during the two-table stage, the spectators are so close they can almost touch the players’ cues.
Animated MC Rob Walker continues to belt out his trademark introductions for the players, accompanied by their walk-on music, but, with fans banned last week after just one day, the atmosphere inside is somewhat flat.
Players are separated by a clear plastic sheet between their seats and have to use their own equipment, but no longer have the distractions of an ill-timed cough or mobile phone going off while at the table.
Organisers have attempted to add to the spectacle by implementing fake crowd noise, with applause ringing out from the speakers when a century is made and at the end of frames.
Does it suit the unseeded players?
Despite the arena being empty, the action has produced some shock results, with Thailand’s Saengkham beating 2005 champion Shaun Murphy and, most notably, world number 89 and Crucible debutant Jamie Clarke knocking out world number four Mark Allen.
Welshman Clarke said: “[Not having a crowd] helped me more than Mark. He relishes that and enjoys the atmosphere.
“I said to my dad and mum that it is better without a crowd as it takes away the atmosphere, which I am not used to.”
But former runner-up Matthew Stevens, who lost to Higgins, called the conditions “horrible” and said he “would not like to do that again”, while Scot Alan McManus likened it to “practising in a club alone”.
Three-time champion Selby, who beat debutant Jordan Brown, lamented the lack of applause after a good pot.
He said: “I potted a red into the corner and screwed back for the blue, something Judd Trump would be proud of, but there was not even a murmur.”
With government advice continuing to change, could we still see a crowd for the final on 15 and 16 August?
As World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn said, “watch this space”.