Michael van Gerwen may have to win the World Darts Championship if he is to maintain his position at the top of the world rankings
At this time of year, the race to be Christmas No. 1 is always a talking point. In darts, the challenge of becoming a No. 1 world right now goes hand in hand with the battle to be crowned as the PDC world champion when the tournament kicks off on Sunday.
“Over two years, you throw it out there: ‘I’m doing a little damage here. If you want to get past me, not only do you have to beat me, you have to improve me , “two -time PDC world No 1 told Colin Lloyd Podcast Darts Show.
We are probably a week away from changing the guard at the top of the world ranking of darts. However, that may not change at all. More importantly, over the next seven days, the world champion will be crowned.
But the race to become a world No 1 is an interesting sub-story as this year’s PDC World Darts Championship kicks off with the third round from 12pm onwards Sky Sports Dartan on Sunday.
Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price are leading the race in the race to be crowned world champion after these impressive and sporting years.
On Sunday, January 3, the winner of the Sid Waddell Cup will pick up, take home a £ 500,000 winners ‘check and, unmatched for recent World Championships, the sport’ s world 1 status.
“You have proven to yourself that you can not only compete, but that you can win, because if you are very consistent, you will continue to pick up the points as it was back then. then for me, “said Lloyd Podcast Darts Show.
“It’s a money list now but it shows that your game is going in the right direction because you are raising that money.
“Now there’s a little more spice, but for now the boys won’t even think about the world of No. 1. All that worries them is growing like a champion of the PDC world because that’s the competition they’re in. “
4:13 Van Gerwen says he feels sharp and desperate to go while running for a fourth world title
Alan Warriner-Little, Dennis Priestley, Rod Harrington, Phil Taylor, Peter Manley, John Part, Colin Lloyd, Raymond van Barneveld, Michael van Gerwen
Only nine players in 27 years have maintained No 1 status – he has been at Van Gerwen since January 2014 when he defeated Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor after an Ally Pally win over Peter Wright .
If the tournament ends with all three eliminated over the next two days Wright will start 2021 at the top of the world rankings, so the schedule makes for an interesting read. .
Third round of the World Darts Championship – Play Order Monday
| Evening | Krzysztof Ratajski vs Simon Whitlock |
|---|---|
| Kim Huybrechts vs Ryan Searle | |
| Dimitri Van den Bergh vs. Jermaine Wattimena | |
| Evening | Joe Cullen vs. Jonny Clayton |
| Peter Wright vs. Gabriel Clemens | |
| Michael van Gerwen vs Ricky Evans |
Live World Darts Competition
December 27, 2020, 6:00 pm
Live on 
Van Gerwen will first return to the night when he faces Ricky Evans’ ‘Rapid’ on Sunday with Wright against Gabriel Clemens of Germany just after. Price will face Brendan Dolan on Monday night.
Because the ratings are measured by a two-year moving money list, Van Gerwen’s position at the top of the rankings has not come to a risk so far. He is defending the £ 500,000 he won two years ago and that is what has opened the door for Wright and Price.
“I didn’t do anything secret about the fact that I want to be a No. 1 world and I believe I can do that within a year or two.”
Gerwyn Price, October 2020
The two made no secret of their list ranking No. 1. In fact, in his press conference after defeating Van Gerwen to win the title last year Wright said he would be back in north London in 12 months to win the title. retain and take MVG position at the top of the game.
Wright has completed his course after a successful start to defending the title, dressed as the Grinch on the opening night of the tournament. After a 12-day hiatus, he returns Sunday night, and Price has to wait another 24 hours after working past Jamie Lewis in the second round.
2:02 Peter Wright gets a World Cup party starting with a Grinch suit for his opening game against Steve West
However, after a year in which he won more titles than anyone else, the Iceman – the only one of the three yet to be crowned world champion – could end 2020 as a World No. 1 title.
He won eight tournaments including the World Grand Prix, the World Cup and the World Series of Darts Finals, he arrived as the man of fear.
Third round of the World Darts Championship – Play Order Monday
| Evening | Jose de Sousa vs Mervyn King |
|---|---|
| Dirk van Duijvenbode vs Adam Hunt | |
| Nathan Aspinall vs. Vincent van der Voort | |
| Evening | Gary Anderson vs. Mensur Suljovic |
| Gerwyn Price vs. Brendan Dolan | |
| Durrant Valley vs Danny Baggish |
Live World Darts Competition
December 28, 2020, 6:00 pm
Live on
If Price beat Wright in the final in a week’s time, Van Gerwen would find himself down at third in the rankings.
The Dutchman is their favorite to win the tournament and become a world champion for the fourth time. After a very impressive victory over Ryan Murray, he stopped questioning the rankings but there is no doubt that Van Gerwen is keen on being the sport ‘s playground bully.
As a No. 1 world, he has also been a great ambassador for the sport.
2:00 Gerwyn Price says he misses the energy of the crowd despite getting on his back, after beating Jamie Lewis 3-2 in the Worlds.
The added incentive for Price and Wright may add to the pressure. At the moment there is a competition to be won, as Lloyd explains.
“When I went to world No. 1, I had to win an event too. This was the last event before I went to the World Grand Prix. Phil Taylor was three points ahead of me.
“Phil didn’t, and Peter Manley was two points ahead of me. Peter was hit early and suddenly I was feeling some pressure. I was thinking: ‘If I win this, I’m going to be a status No. 1 in the world. ‘
“I didn’t physically slap myself around the face but I thought: ‘Just do the work by hand, Colin. You’re here to win an event, just win an event. Whatever comes with it, beautiful.”
Michael van Gerwen has been a PDC world champion since January 2014.
In October 2019 MvG released Phil Taylor ‘s record 67 months in a row at the top of the rankings.
While rankings and lists will still be the basis for discussion presentations and articles, the battle for world No. 1 rankings will ultimately be a myth as players focus on the challenge to become world champion in 2021.
There is still the small margin of five more victories before the trophy can be collected, and a No. 1 spot will be decided however the tournament will play out – even if Van Gerwen, Wright and Price all lose out on lifting the title.
On its day MVG is the sport’s main force, but those days have been a bit more frequent over the darting year, despite two major TV titles and four other floor successes this season.
Ending his six-year ruling at the top of the rankings would add to the ‘relative’ disappointment of the year. It would also reinforce the status of those rising up under the Dutch.
Van Gerwen has started several years without a previous world title, but it is almost eight years since he was not a player at level 1. That could hurt a little more if the Masters come in 2021, a traditional curtain builder of the year, if it were not at the top of the seed for the first event of the year.
And we already know that getting a good look would mean a lot to Wright and Price.
You will not lose a spear thanks to the consecrated person Sky Sports Dartan channel all the way to January 4 with all sessions from the World Darts Championship, including the final on Sunday, January 3. Check out Darts daily news at skysports.com/darts, the app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts