Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen has criticised Peter Wright’s World Darts Championshp claims as “nonsense” and labelled match favorite Luke Littler’s type a “disappointment”.
Van Gerwen booked a quarter-final date with Callan Rydz courtesy of a 4-2 victory over Jeffrey de Graaf on Monday night time and, afterwards, the world No 3 took purpose at Wright’s assertion that Rydz ought to be favorite.
Rydz is unseeded however has produced the 2 highest averages of the match to date – 107.06 vs Romeo Grbavac in his opening match, and 105.31 in a thumping 4-0 thrashing of eleventh seed Dimitri Van den Bergh within the third spherical.
“I want to play like Callan Rydz,” Wright mentioned after knocking out defending champion Luke Humphries within the fourth spherical. “He should be favourite for this tournament. He’s playing superb darts and long may it carry on.”
This got here after Wright had already made headlines when saying he was “ready to upset Luke Littler” and “here to upset Luke Humphries”, who referred to as out his “mind games” previous to dropping to the two-time Alexandra Palace champion.
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Luke Humphries fired again at Wright’s feedback that the reigning champion would not even make the fourth spherical on the World Darts Championship
“Every year at the Worlds, he talks so much nonsense,” Van Gerwen mentioned of Wright’s newest feedback.
“He’s always allowed to talk crap. No one takes him serious on the tour as well because he’s not allowed an opinion at home.”
Requested about his opponent within the final eight, Rydz, Van Gerwen instructed Sky Sports activities: “I think he’s got the highest tournament average so far, so you can’t underestimate him.
“I believe he is enjoying some implausible darts, however we will see. It is going to be first to 5 units, it is a completely totally different sport.”
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Relive Wright’s successful darts and emotional post-match interview after he beat defending champion Humphries to advance to the quarter-finals
He added: “When I play well, I don’t panic. When I keep focus, when I keep believing in my own ability, anything is possible. I’m not here for the jolly, I’m here to win a tournament, and we all know that.”
For Van Gerwen to win, he might must face match favorite, and final 12 months’s runner-up, Littler within the ultimate.
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Highlights of Luke Littler’s fourth-round match with Ryan Joyce on the World Darts Championship
The 17-year-old has twice averaged over 100 in his three matches by to the quarter-finals, together with a powerful 103.13 in beating Ryan Joyce within the fourth spherical, albeit whereas being pressured right into a final-set decider.
His 4-3 victory means Littler has dropped 5 units by the match to date, only one fewer than his whole run to the ultimate final 12 months.
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John Half says Littler isn’t unbeatable on this 12 months’s World Darts Championship
“I think the biggest disappointment so far is Luke Littler,” Van Gerwen added in his press convention, previous to Littler’s win over Joyce. “A lot of people are expecting a lot of him, that’s the reason why he is not 100 per cent.”
Quizzed over Van Gerwen’s feedback after confirming his place within the final eight, the place he’ll face twelfth seed Nathan Aspinall, Littler mentioned: “It might answer a few questions but I’m just happy with the result, happy with the power scoring.”
What’s subsequent on the Worlds?
The motion on the World Darts Championship resumes on New Yr’s Day, with every of Wednesday’s two classes that includes two quarter-finals.
The afternoon session will see Chris Dobey face 2021 champion Gerwyn Worth, earlier than three-time winner Michael van Gerwen takes on Callan Rydz.
What guarantees to be a spectacular night session will begin with two-time champion Peter Wright taking over Stephen Bunting, earlier than Luke Littler goes up towards Nathan Aspinall.
Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match solely reside till January 3 on Sky Sports activities’ devoted darts channel. Stream darts and extra prime sport with NOW.
