Price admits winning World Darts Championship last year was an anti-climax
Gerwyn Price has admitted winning darts’ biggest prize at last year’s World Championship was an ‘anti-climax’, as he looks ahead to defending his title at the Alexander Palace this winter.
Price secured his maiden world crown in January after defeating two-time world champion Gary Anderson 7-3 in the tournament finale.
Despite claiming the sport’s most lucrative trophy Price has revealed ahead of his title defence this week that the winning feeling was an anti-climatic one.
Speaking to the Evening Standard the Welshman said: “It’s an anti-climax. I’d won but was thinking ‘what do I do next?’ I just needed to think what I wanted to do. I had to set myself new goals.”
The 36-year-old also admitted that he had been forewarned by 13-time world champion Phil Taylor about feeling underwhelmed, but at first refused to believe the Power’s surprising claim.
“Phil said it would happen and I was like ‘no way’,” commented Price.
“But two weeks later lo and behold, I felt like ‘what is going on?’. I didn’t know what was happening. I was home and I felt a bit down sometimes.”
There is no doubt that the Welshman is known for playing the sport’s pantomime villain whilst up on the oche in front of the iconic Ally Pally crowd, who are often known to boo the world champion.
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Coincidentally when the Welshman secured his title it was without any crowd distraction as the event was played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions.
However the 36-year-old admitted whilst in some scenarios the jeers may hurt, they more often than not motivate him to play his best darts.
He continued: “If it came to a World Championship final playing Michael van Gerwen in a last-leg decider and people were booing, that would hurt.
“I think it could happen but hope it doesn’t.
“But every time the crowd boo me I try to turn that negative into a positive and seem to have done that better.
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“Sometimes it drives me to play better and concentrate more when they’re booing. Sometimes when they’re not on my back, I can’t get in the zone.”
Once again the aim for the 36-year-old this time around is to leave Alexander Palace with a second title, and successfully defend his crown.
And when asked about potentially taking on three-time champion Michael van Gerwen, he described the idea as a ‘dream’, but only if he comes out on top.
Price said: “I’d rather play my daughter in the final and make things easier!
“But really I like things tough and coming through a tight game against the best. That’s a dream final but only as long as I win.”
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