The World Darts Championship gets under way in London on Wednesday with defending champion Gerwyn Price the headline act on the opening night of action.
Ahead of this year’s event, five-time world semi-finalist turned Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle picked out his five players to watch at Alexandra Palace.
Gerwyn Price
There’s no negatives around Price at all. I don’t see him coming a cropper against a lesser light. He’s got a favourable section in that top half of the draw. Okay, Johnny Clayton and Michael Smith could undo him but Price is one of those that, when he loses, it is only because his opponent has played well.
It’s a bit like Michael van Gerwen, to dismantle him you’ve really got to play well and be on the ball – you’ve got to do the right things at the right moments. The set format means you can win the most legs in the match and lose. These quality players like Price know what legs to win.
Michael van Gerwen
I think it’s Van Gerwen’s time again. I’ve not seen a better player in recent months – I’ve seen the odd game better, maybe better one-off events. He’s just not having that rub of the green. His timing is slightly off. Life is about timing and darts especially – you miss one double and someone takes a 170 out of nowhere and takes you away.
But with the long drawn-out format for the Worlds you get that feeling that the best players keep grinding it out and doing it. I believe that three world titles is not enough for him and, were he to only win three, he’d look back with a bit of anger and not too fondly on the Worlds. I kind of like his draw. There’s Dave Chisnall along the way, who annihilated him to zip last time. It will take a brilliant performance to knock him out of the draw.
It’s difficult to call as she’s got Steve Beaton first and then Kim Huybrechts. I think Fallon is in a really awkward situation. There’s been lots of touting of her being in the Premier League, and the heroics at the Grand Slam of Darts. Why I say she is in a awkward position, she can only be selected if she continues to play world-class darts.
If she loses to Steve in a mediocre game she’s not done herself any favours, she’s dinged the product and knocked it down just a little bit. Losing to Beaton in a pearler of a game or beating and then losing to Kim in a memorable game would be fantastic. If she plays to her normal standard in ladies of 82 then she won’t be in the Premier League but, if she plays world-class darts, she puts bums on seats.
Of course, he can win it. I personally didn’t like what I saw at the Players’ Championship even though he won it. Under pressure, he is amazing and his B or C game was good enough to win the Players but Price and Van Gerwen are both playing way better than Wright as things stand right now for me.
That doesn’t mean he can’t win again. Winning it once would probably be slightly unfair for Peter. Since 2014 when he reached his first final, he has been on the lips of everyone every year.
I think something like the final is a step too much for Barney. But watching a rerun of Sky Darts Gold with Barney against Phil Taylor last week, that was just wonderful. When he’s at his best, you have such a love for the game. I believe he can do some damage but I also know how fragile he can be – it really can go wrong.
I believe he wins his first-round match and then can he beat Rob Cross? Yes. He impressed against Gary Anderson in the Grand Slam and acquitted himself beautifully against Van Gerwen in the Players. I like what I’m hearing from him, he’s making the right noises, he looks at ease with himself. His whole life is like an emotional rollercoaster but wouldn’t it be great if he went on an improbable run?
