Barry Hearn, 76, to break record for world's oldest pro player as he gets tournament wildcard

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Barry Hearn, the begetter of Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie, has dismissed critics of his quality astatine the UK Open Pool Championship this summer, saying helium "doesn't truly care" what they deliberation arsenic the snooker main bids to triumph a crippled astatine the property of 76

Barry Hearn is acceptable to go the oldest pro excavation subordinate successful the UK(Image: Getty Images)

Snooker main Barry Hearn is acceptable to go the oldest nonrecreational subordinate to look successful a UK excavation tourney aft entering the UK Open Pool Championship.

The 76-year-old has been fixed a wildcard to diagnostic astatine the tournament, which is acceptable to commencement astatine the Telford International Centre successful May and volition play astatine slightest 2 games.

Hearn, the begetter of Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie, has been 1 of the astir power figures successful snooker successful the past 50 years aft popularising the athletics and processing the talents of stars similar Steve Davis.

His institution Matchroom tally the World Nineball Tour, meaning securing a spot successful the tourney was straightforward. He has dismissed critics of his appearance, saying helium "doesn't truly care" what they think.

Hearn has already appeared astatine the US Open Pool Championship past summer, wherever helium was thrashed 9-1 by Konrad Juszczyszyn - but won a stake with lad Eddie that helium would triumph astatine slightest 1 rack.

"The US Open was a imagination achieved, but determination was thing planned afterwards until now," helium told The Sun. "If I thought I was keen earlier that, I’m 4 times keener now. I person had the taste. I won 1 rack, which outgo Eddie a fortune. He had to instrumentality maine retired for this lavish meal. The stake was 'you won’t triumph a rack'. And helium had to wage for the astir costly luncheon you tin ever arrange, which we did."

Hearn - whose travel volition beryllium featured successful the Netflix documentary Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen - says helium volition practising each time up of his quality astatine the tourney and is aiming to spell 1 amended than past twelvemonth and triumph astatine slightest 1 game.

Hearn has been 1 of the astir influential figures successful the athletics and is present aiming to triumph a crippled successful the tournament

"Nineball has go an addiction with me," helium added. "I thought the US Open was expected to beryllium a one-off and a bucket database point ticked off. It has caused chaos successful my household but I person cleared retired a country and my ain array volition get successful the adjacent fewer weeks. I volition play each day.

"Now, I privation to triumph a game. I’m the oldest idiosyncratic successful the tournament. I’m 27 years older than Ronnie O’Sullivan and he’s contemplating status from snooker. I’m conscionable starting this travel successful the sport. I person nary excuses for not getting better.

"I deliberation I person earned my wildcard. I don’t attraction what radical think. I person paid my dues. I’m not reasoning I’m a hazard to the eventual winner. There should beryllium nary boundaries successful sport. Ability is the lone criteria. I americium not bully capable to triumph it but I mightiness bash amended than astatine the US Open and that is my goal."

TalkSport presenter Andy Goldstein volition besides beryllium among the 256 players progressive successful the tourney arsenic the different star-studded sanction to beryllium included, aft ex-Watford prima Troy Deeney pulled retired of past year's event.