Gerwyn Price calls for Covid-hit world darts championship to be postponed
Gerwyn Price has called for the World Darts Championship to be postponed, despite storming into the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Dave Chisnall became the latest player to withdraw from the tournament on Wednesday after he tested positive for Covid-19, following Michael van Gerwen and Vincent van der Voort out of the competition prematurely.
Price responded with a post on Instagram that said: “Tournament needs to be postponed”, and later added: “I’ve been in their position so I feel for the players that have had to withdraw, there’s a lot of hard work gone into getting events like the world championships on, so postponing probably isn’t the best option but an option I wouldn’t disagree with, time to keep myself safe and out of touch ... keep safe all”.
Price beat Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-1 in the evening session, finishing with a 96.66 average and six 180s to go through into the quarter-finals, reeling off 12 legs in a row after having lost the opening set.
But in another blow to the integrity of the tournament Chisnall, who was due to play Luke Humphries in the last-32 on Wednesday, had to withdraw, thereby handing Humphries a bye.
A statement from the PDC read: “Dave Chisnall has withdrawn from the William Hill World Darts Championship after testing positive for Covid-19 ahead of his match with Luke Humphries. Humphries will receive a bye to the last 16 and Wednesday afternoon’s session will continue with two matches. Jose de Sousa will play Alan Soutar, and Nathan Aspinall then plays Callan Rydz.”
The three-time world champion Van Gerwen, after pulling out, on Tuesday said he was “sour” at having to withdraw and called on the PDC to do more. “They actually have to check everyone at the door every day – they didn’t do that,” he said. “According to the British government, this is not necessary, but to protect your own organisation and the world championship, that would have been useful.
“The PDC will at all times say that they have followed the rules of the government, but they could have been looked at more closely. The control has not been strong enough. It is just a big corona bomb now.
“It is as leaky as a basket. Now I pay a high price. I haven’t done anything at all – that makes it extra sour.”
Alan Soutar finished with five 180s in the afternoon session in his 4-3 win against Jose de Sousa. In the only other game of that session, Callan Rydz secured his place in the next round by beating Nathan Aspinall 4-0.
In the first match of the evening the two-time champion Gary Anderson came back from 3-0 down to beat Ian White 4-3, and in the final match Michael Smith emerged victorious in a tight encounter with Jonny Clayton, winning the tie break 6-4 in the deciding set. Smith finished with an average of 102 and throwing 14 180s on his way through to the quarter-finals, while Clayton also had 11 180s.