Peter Wright is into the third round of the PDC World Championship at Ally Pally and has warned darts’ golden duo that he’s a man on a mission – and is coming for the crown
Peter Wright refuses to accept he is raging against the fading light of youth and insists: ‘I’m here to upset Luke Humphries, I’m ready to upset Luke Littler.”
Two-time world champion ‘Snakebite’ Wright battled into the third round of the Paddy Power PDC World Championship on Tuesday night with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Wesley Plaisier.
The sultan of mohawk barnets was relieved to avoid his second consecutive fall at the first hurdle at Alexandra Palace. And at 54, after a dismal Premier League campaign where he won just two of his 18 matches, Father Time may be catching up with one of the sport’s most colourful characters.
But Wright, who has slipped down to No.17 in the world rankings, still believes he has the artillery to shock the Lukes of Hazard. Humphries and Littler are on a potential collision course to meet in the semis after their epic final in last year’s tournament – but Wright says they should beware of the old guard.
He said: “People think, ‘Oh, he should be retiring, he should be going to the old gits’ thing’ (the seniors tour). No, I’m not ready for that yet.
“I’m ready to upset Luke Littler. I’m here to upset Luke Humphries. I believe I can win it again. I won one of the European Tour events (the German Darts Championship), beat Luke Littler in the final 8-5, and won six legs on the trot.
“You can overlook me if you like – I don’t care. What drives me on? Luke Humphries and Luke Littler because I know I can still compete with them. Based on what I’m doing in practice, I can compete with these guys and be better than them. I’m 54 coming up 55 in March, and Gary Anderson (who turns 54 on Sunday) spurs me on as well. These old guys can still do it.”
Wright expects another of the oche’s grand old dukes, five-times world champion Raymond van Barneveld, will upset the applecart against Humphries in the third round. And ‘Snakebite’ hopes he will see off in-form Jermaine Wattimena to set up a humdinger between the two oldest players in the tournament.
He said: “I believe Barney will beat Luke [Humphries] and then me and Barney, after I beat Wattimena, will have the best game you have ever seen on that stage. I believe I’ve got the game. My practice and everything is better than I was when I first came and won it and told you all I was going to win it. That’s how I feel.
“Class is permanent and form is temporary, so hopefully, Jermaine’s form is temporary, he loses it just after Christmas time, and he comes back and plays rubbish!”
Wright ditched his traditional festive fancy dress – he has taken to the stage as Santa, the grinch and a Christmas tree in recent years – in favour of a purple outfit against Plaisier.
He said: “All the people that have beaten me, it’s only down to my own self because I played rubbish. But they have had their presents. They ain’t having no more. You have had them. No present this Christmas.”