SPECSY THING
They say seeing is believing but Anderson can’t believe he won two world titles when he could see diddly
GARY ANDERSON will wear glasses on the Alexandra Palace stage for the first time tonight, promising: “I won’t make a spectacle of myself.”
Ace of shades Anderson launches his bid for a hat-trick of titles at the William Hill PDC World Championship against Mark Frost, who has the best seasonal nickname in darts: Frostie The Throwman.
You’ve been framed? The Flying Scotsman certainly y has been – his partner Rachel dragged him into the opticians for an eye test and he was shocked to learn his darts had been little more than bolts from m the blur.
Now Anderson’s only d doublebl vision is the two stars on his shirt representing his back-to-back triumphs at London’s Ally Pally.
And far from being self-conscious in his new jam-jars, he is in no mood to hand over the Sid Waddell Trophy. He said: “I’m absolutely over the moon that I can actually see the board again. I know it’s only 7ft 9in away, but it looks so crisp. No more guessworkwork – I can see the target clearly now. ow.
“I’ve had to change my y throw because I always used to brush my right ear when I let go of the dart,and it kept knocking my glasses off.
“Now the point of release e is more in front of my rightght cheekbonecheekbo and, if I takek my time,time they go where I want. “I’ve had to learn how to playp all over again. It’s made me patient and it keeps me honest.
“Although James Wade, StephenS Bunting and other ladsla all play in glasses withoutwith giving it a moment’s thought,th ht it’s not straightforward. “Phil Taylor tried wearing them on stage a few years ago but it did nothing for his game and he binned them after a few weeks.
“But now I can read books, newspapers and messages on my phone clearly, and I don’t go out for meals and have to ask what’s on the menu because I can’t see it. “At At the eye test I was shocked at ho how bad my eyes were an and I came out of there w wondering how on earth I managed to w win back- to- back w world titles when I c couldn’t even see properly.” er M Michael van Gerwen, who h has won an incredible 25 tournaments and banked £1.5million in prize-money this year alone, is odds-on to win his second world title.
But Anderson believes MVG will be relieved to be in the other half of the draw, saying: “He will be pleased that, as the top two seeds, we can’t meet until the final. I like playing him but I don’t think he likes playing me.
“I like being the underdog. It suits my nature.”