Van Gerwen: Time for Wright to retire
Michael van Gerwen has expressed that Peter Wright should step away from darts and stated he was “not surprised” to see the two-time world champion eliminated in the World Championship’s second round. Wright faced a 3-0 defeat against Germany’s Arno Merk on Tuesday, concluding a challenging 2025 with an early exit at Alexandra Palace. Van Gerwen’s remarks came a week after Wright suggested that the Dutchman’s “vision is probably going.”
“I’m not really shocked by his performance because he’s been playing poorly lately,” Van Gerwen remarked following his 3-1 victory over William O’Connor. “I believe it’s time for him to retire anyway.”
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Michael van Gerwen addresses comments at the World Darts Championships from Peter Wright regarding potential eyesight issues.
Since his initial match loss at the World Championship at the end of 2023, Wright has experienced a generally downward trend, resulting in a drop in the rankings. The 55-year-old is almost guaranteed to fall outside the top 32 after this year’s tournament at Alexandra Palace. He secured only two wins during the entirety of the 2024 Premier League Darts series and has not progressed beyond the quarter-finals in any televised ranking tournaments in the past two years. Gary Anderson, another seasoned Scottish player and two-time world champion, believes Wright deserves “a bit of time”.
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“We can’t perform well all the time. People seem to believe we’re robots and if we have a few bad games, it’s ‘he’s done, he’s retiring’,” he expressed. “Just give folks a break, you know. We can’t keep doing that day in and day out. We have witnessed Michael van Gerwen manage that for perhaps the last decade. He has a rough patch, and it’s ‘that’s it, he’s finished’.”
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Arno Merk decisively defeated Peter Wright in the World Championship’s second round.
Mardle: Wright should not make an impulsive decision regarding his futureSky Sports Darts’ Wayne Mardle: “It was painful to watch – witnessing a champion, a legend of our sport, someone who has contributed to its growth, I didn’t enjoy it at all.” “I’m unsure what questions Peter might pose to himself – could it be ‘it’s alright, I’ll persist. I love the game.’ And I genuinely hope that occurs.”
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Take a look at some of the Christmas outfits that Peter Wright has treated the Alexandra Palace crowd to over the years.
“He’s always stated ‘I don’t want to retire, I love it’, so I don’t wish for him to make an impulsive decision because of what transpired at the World Championship. If you play like that elsewhere, it’s manageable. You don’t really dwell on it, but when it happens at the World Championship, and I know this from experience, you end up doubting your ability to compete again. It’s all about competition and victory. He’s a winner. I hope he’s okay because you will contemplate that. Those sleepless nights, I hope he refrains from making one of these rash decisions we’ve seen from other players.” “He’s been an excellent ambassador for darts – infusing fun while also bringing remarkable skill and a touch of class.” “Who will triumph in the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match live on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel (Sky channel 407) until January 3. Stream darts and other top sports with NOW.
Published: 2025-12-23 23:45:00
source: www.skysports.com
