Darts: Gerwyn Price defeats Peter Wright in a duel for number one in the world

Et was just one win on the European Tour, especially in Riesa where he has now won three of the last four events. But Gerwyn Price cheered as if he had just won the world championship for the second time. “There was a lot of pressure on me. If he had won the tournament, I would have gotten rid of the number one. I’m proud of myself,” said the Welshman.

Price had known even before this first weekend on the European Tour that only tournament victory at the International Darts Open would stave off the onslaught of world champion Peter Wright and preserve his status as world leader. The two best pros on the PDC tour had a gripping long-distance duel on Saturday and Sunday, culminating in the final on Sunday evening.

After his opening win in the second round, Peter Wright had delivered an Austin Powers parody to match his seventies elevator: “Maybe soon number one in the world… Yeah… I’ll take over the whole world.”

That would have taken care of his rival’s elimination, but Price advanced to the semifinals after beating Ritchie Edhouse, Damon Heta and Danny Noppert. After beating Luke Woodhouse 6-0 in the round of 16, Wright prevailed 6-2 against the last German in the tournament, debutant Niko Springer. “Niko is a fantastic player, a young German darts player who will continue to grow in his career. If I ever stop, I’ll watch this young man represent Germany in darts. That will happen,” predicted Wright, who narrowly got the better of Michael Smith (6:5) in a repeat of the World Cup final.

The direct duel for the top position began to emerge more and more clearly. “Gezzy told me backstage that he wouldn’t just give away the number one. I have to earn it,” Wright said of behind-the-scenes conversations.

In fact, it was Price who, despite being down 3-0 against Nathan Aspinall, advanced 7-3 to the final. Wright followed in step and turned a 0:3 against Jonny Clayton into a 7:3.

The two by far best players of the weekend met in the final. Price had a tournament average of 98.98 points (Wright: 95.53). The Scot had thrown a 180 more (12:11) and the better check-out rate (54%:43%). Above all, it was the duel for first place in the world rankings.

Both with an average of 107 points

And that was played at world-class level. After the first two legs, Gerwyn Price had an average of 115.25 points and Peter Wright even had an average of 122.13. Some spectators in the Sachsen Arena were amazed even when the score was 1:1.

And Price needed just eleven darts for the next equalizer. 2:2 – the level remained at the highest level, especially since the Welshman made the first break with a 108 checkout, took a 3:2 lead and punished five missed chances for Wright to re-break with the 4:2.

Then both brought their throws through in less than 13 darts before Wright had to accept another loss of serve to 4:7. The preliminary decision for the tournament victory for Price, who finally checked 130 points via the bullseye, thus pushing himself just past the world champion with an average of 106.95 points (Wright: 106.74). In the ranking, too, the lead of 6250 pounds is only a razor-thin.

“I told him he had to wait another week,” said Price, who ended up with a checkout rate of 89 percent and drew attention to the coming weekend, when with the UK Open in Minehead after the World Cup and Masters from Friday third major tournament of the year is coming up.

The results in the overview

1 ROUND

Brian Raman (BEL) – David Schlichting (GER) 6:3

Niko Springer (GER) – Jermaine Wattimena (NED) 6: 4

Madars Razma (LAT) – Wayne Jones (ENG) 6: 4

Daryl Gurney (NIL) – Fabian Schmutzler (GER) 6:2

Vincent van der Voort (NED) – Adam Gawlas (SLK) 6:3

Luke Woodhouse (ENG) – Andy Boulton (ENG) 6:2

Keane Berry (IRL) – Ron Meulenkamp (NED) 6: 2

Ritchie Edhouse (ENG) – Ryan Searle (ENG) 6:4

Left Williams (WAL) – Dennis Nilsson (SWE) 6: 4

Mervyn King (ENG) – Janos Vegsö (HUN) 6: 3

Kim Huybrechts (BEL) – Florian Hempel (GER) 6:3

Dimitri van den Bergh (BEL) – Martin Lukeman (ENG) 6: 2

Krzysztof Kciuk (POL) – Rob Cross (ENG) 6: 1

Nico Kurz (GER) – Gabriel Clemens (GER) 6:3

Simon Whitlock (AUS) – Dragutin Horvat (GER) 6: 0

Jeff Smith (CAN) – Danny van Trijp (NED) 6: 4

ROUND 2

Brian Raman (BEL) – Jose de Sousa (BY/2) 6:5

Damon Heta (AUS/12) – Daryl Gurney (NIL) 6:2

Left Williams (WAL) – Krzysztof Ratajski (POL / 10) 6: 5

Danny Noppert (NED / 13) – Mervyn King (ENG) 6: 3

Nico Springer (GER) – Brendan Dolan (NIL / 14) 6: 5

Kim Huybrechts (BEL) – Devon Petersen (RSA/9) 6:3

James Wade (ENG/8) – Vincent van der Voort (NED) 6:4

Nathan Aspinall (ENG/16) – Jeff Smith (CAN) 6:4

Dimitri van den Bergh (BEL) – Mensur Suljovic (AUT/15) 6:1

Dirk van Duijvenbode (NED/11) – Nico Kurz (GER) 6:0

Joe Cullen (ENG / 1) – Madars Razma (LAT) 6: 1

Michael van Gerwen (NED / 4) – Keane Berry (IRL) 6: 4

Gerwyn Price (WAL / 5) – Ritchie Edhouse (ENG) 6: 3

Jonny Clayton (WAL / 7) – Krzysztof Kciuk (POL) 6: 5

Peter Wright (SCO/3) – Luke Woodhose (ENG) 6:0

Michael Smith (ENG/6) – Simon Whitlock (AUS) 6: 4

ROUND OF 16

Nathan Aspinall (ENG/16) – Joe Cullen (ENG/1) 6:3

James Wade (ENG/8) – Kim Huybrechts (BEL) 6:1

Danny Noppert (NED / 13) – Michael van Gerwen (NED / 4) 6: 4

Gerwyn Price (WAL / 5) – Damon Heta (AUS / 12) 6: 2

Dimitri van den Bergh (BEL) – Brian Raman (BEL) 6:1

Jonny Clayton (WAL/7) – Lewy Williams (WAL) 6:4

Peter Wright (SCO/3) – Niko Springer (GER) 6:2

Michael Smith (ENG/6) – Dirk van Duijvenbode (NED/11) 6:1

QUARTERFINALS

Nathan Aspinall (ENG/16) – James Wade (ENG/8) 6:2

Gerwyn Price (WAL / 5) – Danny Noppert (NED / 13) 6: 4

Jonny Clayton (WAL/7) – Dimitri van den Bergh (BEL) 6:4

Peter Wright (SCO/3) – Michael Smith (ENG/6) 6:5

SEMIFINALS

Gerwyn Price (WAL/5) – Nathan Aspinall (ENG/16) 7:3

Peter Wright (SCO/3) – Jonny Clayton (WAL/7) 7:3

FINALE

Gerwyn Price (WAL / 5) – Peter Wright (SCO / 3) 8: 4