Gerwyn Price: I would rather win every major and not go to Ally Pally for World Darts Championship | Darts News

Gerwyn Price believes he would rather win every other major than have to go and perform at the Alexandra Palace; Price won the Worlds in 2021 behind closed doors; we’re back for the World Darts Championship from December 15, 2023 to January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports

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A look back at the most memorable moments from the 2023 World Darts Championship including Michael Smith’s nine-darter, Gerwyn Price wearing ear defenders and more!

Gerwyn Price knows how to win a World Darts Championship but he has a difficult relationship with playing at the Alexandra Palace.

Price won the Worlds behind closed doors in 2021, beating Gary Anderson 7-3 in the final, but the lack of fans ultimately helped his campaign that year.

Playing the set format is also not to the Welshman’s advantage, admitting he has to “grin and bear it” when competing for so long.

For Price, winning “every other major” would be preferable to the tough Ally Pally tournament and he believes that if the Worlds were staged anywhere else, he would be a multiple world champion by now.

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Price wastes two more match darts – taking the total to 11 – only for Anderson to squander three more set darts! Price comes back to find D5 and secure the Sid Waddell Trophy.

“Ally Pally is not my favourite venue. If I could pick it up and bring it to Wolverhampton I’d be a multiple World Champion already,” Price told Sky Sports.

“For me, it’s the longevity of the tournament. It’s like playing four different tournaments in one tournament.

“You go and get through your first round and then when you return it’s like playing another tournament so it’s not my favourite, it’s not my favourite format, I hate playing the set format so I have to grin and bear it.

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Gerwyn Price believes if fans were in attendance at Alexandra Palace in 2021 then he may not have won the Sid Waddell Trophy.

“I’d rather win every other major and not even go to Ally Pally. That would do me.

“I reached three finals at the Grand Prix so when it is a set format, I should prefer that sort of format than all those short little sprints.

“I think it’s just a bit of a leveller when it’s a set format.”

Despite the fans sometimes getting on Price’s back, the ‘Iceman’ famously wearing ear defenders during last years World Darts Championship, he has had a good run of support in the Premier League and hopes it continues when he walks out onto the Alexandra Palace stage.

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Gerwyn Price returned for the fifth set of his 5-1 quarter-final defeat to Gabriel Clemens wearing ear defenders to block out the raucous Ally Pally crowd last year

“I won the Worlds behind closed doors, so I’d love to win it again just based on the fact that there was nobody there when I won it the first time. But not just that, the family and everything after it. I was just sat in my kitchen doing nothing so it would be nice to win it again and parade it, show it off a bit,” Price added.

“This year the crowd has been awesome for me since the Premier League when I wore different coloured shirts to represent the country I was playing in.

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Gerwyn Price’s victory, as well as making him £500,000 richer, also sees him end Michael van Gerwen’s long stay as world No 1.

“Green in Ireland, red in Wales and blue in Scotland but then it was a different added pressure because you’ve got the crowd with you, so it’s been a good year with the crowd so hopefully it continues.

“Say you’re playing an English player in England or a German player in Germany you kind of expect the crowd against you to a certain extent but that’s what happens sometimes.”

The firm favourite heading into the Worlds this year is Luke Humphries after his great run of form, most recently picking up the Grand Slam of Darts title, his third major in a row.

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Luke Humphries reeled in The Big Fish to stun Gerwyn Price in the final of the World Grand Prix.

Price is projected to meet Humphries in the final this year and although Humphries is the man to beat, Price is confident that the pressure of the tournament could go against ‘Cool Hands’.

“Luke Humphries is a great player, a young player and full of confidence at the minute. That’s what this game is all about. When you’re confident and you’re winning games it just breeds more confidence but he’s playing brilliant,” said Price.

“Luke might be playing fantastic but there are so many players to beat on any given day and if you’re off your game a little bit. Luke, Michael or a qualifier, it doesn’t matter because you’re not going to win.

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Speaking on Love The Darts, Luke Humphries says that the crowd may have affected Gerwyn Price’s performance in the World Grand Prix final and that he does not deserve to be booed.

“There are favourites and there are players who might look more likely, but I think anyone can win it. I wouldn’t write anyone off.

“I’d rather play the worst player on Tour in the final than play Luke. He’s won three majors on the bounce and when he’s hitting that treble he just looks unbeatable. I’m more confident in my own game if I did play Luke tomorrow or in a World Championship final.

“He’s in some great form but that doesn’t really count for nothing apart from his own confidence going into the World Championship. It’s a completely different day, different tournament, format and a lot of added pressures.

“I think he’d give all those three trophies up just to win this one.”

When is the World Darts Championship?

The sport’s biggest event will be held from December 15, 2023 to January 3, 2024 as 96 players compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5m in prize money at Alexandra Palace.

You can watch all the action live on our dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.

Watch the World Darts Championship from December 15, 2023 to January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports. Stream your favourite sports and more with NOW