PDC World Darts Championship, 2020/21: Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price chase title and No 1 ranking

4:13 Van Gerwen says he’s feeling sharp and raring to go as he chases a fourth world title

PDC World No 1s since 1993

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 held the No 1 ranking – it has been Van Gerwen’s since January 2014 when he usurped the all-conquering Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor after victory at Ally Pally over Peter Wright.

Were the tournament to finish with all three eliminated over the next two days it would be Wright that starts 2021 at the top of the world rankings, so the schedule makes for interesting reading.

World Darts Championship Third Round – Monday’s Order of Play

Afternoon 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 Championship

December 27, 2020, 6:00pm

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Van Gerwen will be first to return to the oche when he faces ‘Rapid’ Ricky Evans on Sunday with Wright up against Germany’s Gabriel Clemens immediately afterwards. Price faces Brendan Dolan on Monday night.

Given the rankings are measured by a two-year rolling money list, Van Gerwen’s position at the top of the rankings has not come under threat until now. He is defending the £500,000 he won two years ago and it is that which has opened the door for Wright and Price.

Both have made no secret of the fact the No 1 ranking is on their list. In fact, in his press conference after beating Van Gerwen to win the title last year Wright said he would be back in north London in 12 months to retain the title and take MVG’s position at the top of the game.

Wright is on course to do it after making a winning start to his title defence, memorably dressed as the Grinch on the opening night of the tournament. After a 12-day hiatus, he will return on Sunday night, while Price will have to wait another 24 hours having laboured past Jamie Lewis in the second round.

2:02 Peter Wright gets the World Championship party started with a Grinch outfit for his opening match against Steve West

However, after a year in which he has won more titles than anyone else, the Iceman – the only one of the trio yet to be crowned world champion – could end 2020 as world No 1.

A winner of eight tournaments including the World Grand Prix, the World Cup and the World Series of Darts Finals, he arrived as the man to be feared.

World Darts Championship Third Round – Monday’s Order of Play

Afternoon 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
Glen Durrant vs Danny Baggish

Live World Darts Championship

December 28, 2020, 6:00pm

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If Price were to beat Wright in the final in a week’s time, Van Gerwen would find himself down at third in the rankings.

The Dutchman is the favourite to win the tournament and be world champion for a fourth time. After a hugely impressive victory over Ryan Murray, he brushed off questions about the ranking but there is no doubt Van Gerwen loves to be the sport’s playground bully.

As world No 1, he has also been a brilliant ambassador for the sport.

2:00 Gerwyn Price said he misses the energy of the crowd despite them getting on his back, after beating Jamie Lewis 3-2 in the Worlds

The added incentive for Price and Wright may or may not add to the pressure. For the time being there is a tournament to be won, as Lloyd explains.

“When I went to world No 1, I had to win an event too. It was the last event before going to the World Grand Prix. I had Phil Taylor three points in front of me.

“Phil didn’t go, and I had Peter Manley two points in front of me. Peter got beaten early and all of a sudden I felt a bit of pressure. I thought: ‘If I win this, I’m going to be ranked No 1 in the world.’

“I didn’t physically slap myself around the face but I thought: ‘Just do the job in hand, Colin. You’re here to win an event, just win an event. Whatever comes with it, lovely.”

Mighty Mike’s reign

Michael van Gerwen has been PDC world no 1 since January 2014.

In October 2019 MvG passed Phil Taylor’s record of 67 consecutive months at the top of the rankings.

While rankings and lists will continue to be the basis for debate shows and articles, the battle for the world No 1 ranking will ultimately be a minor storyline as the players focus on the challenge to become 2021’s first world champion.

There’s still the small matter of five more victories before the trophy can be collected, and the No 1 spot will be decided however the tournament plays out – even if Van Gerwen, Wright and Price all miss out on lifting the title.

On his day MVG is the sport’s dominant force, but those days have been slightly less frequent across the darting year, despite two major televised titles and four more floor successes this season.

If his six-year reign at the top of the rankings were to end it would add to the ‘relative’ disappointments of the year. It would also underline the standard of those rising up beneath the Dutchman.

Van Gerwen has started many years without a world title before, but it has been nearly eight years since he was not the No 1 ranked player. That might hurt a little more if come The Masters in 2021, the year’s traditional curtain-raiser, were he not at the top of the seedings for the first event of the year.

And we already know taking top spot would mean a lot to Wright and Price.

You won’t miss a dart thanks to the dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel all the way until January 4 with every session from the World Darts Championship, including the final on Sunday, January 3. Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts

Sourse: skysports.com

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