Former Players Champion and current darts commentator and pundit Paul Nicholson picks his five talking points from the recent Betfred World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens...
1. Michael van Gerwen is back (officially)
Over the past few seasons, we have established a standpoint that if you win unranked big events, you need to go and win a ranked one just to legitimise your form.
This was the case with Jonny Clayton in 2021, and now that MVG has gone and won this talked about best ever World Matchplay, we have to realise that Michael is very comfortable with being back in the winning mix again.
Plus, nobody is going to intimidate or outgun him no matter their form. We define greatness, not by what people win, but how they respond to adversity.
Just think about our darting trio at the top of the rankings for example. They are like our Nadal, Djokovic and Federer. Price has had injuries, crowds against him, DRA cases and lots else. He smashes all of that out of the park and should be regarded as a great in our time.
The same goes for Peter Wright, as he was maybe one month away from walking away from the sport that he loved due to financial constraints and pressures in 2014. Look how they responded to that adversity, just like MVG is doing now.
Not only that, he’s done it twice. After winning The World Masters as a kid, he didn’t know how to answer the pressures of that until maybe 2012. Then, he was written off by many saying he’d had his stint, but now we’re halfway through 2022, that stint has company to this sports delight.
2. Get ready for Price to pick and choose
I genuinely think that Gerwyn is right now, wondering how to balance his personal life and darts career to maximise his talent. His talent should never be called into question, but he is doing something that is often questioned.
That is picking and choosing events to make sure he isn’t burning himself out or hampering his physical or mental wellbeing. More players should be doing this.
The ideal example of this is Phil Taylor. Did you see him playing every tournament, chasing ranking money and that endless amount of cash that would allow him to retire a year earlier? NO. Many players in other sports do this and we need to follow that trend.
Golfers will usually play a maximum of three weeks in succession. Tennis players are much the same. Only on rare occasions do we see someone play more than that, and it's usually because they have to.
Is it a coincidence that the two who chose to rest ahead of Blackpool made the final? I will leave that with you.
3. Fallon Sherrock shouldering pressure again
We pundits all know what final we wanted to see in the Women’s World Matchplay. We didn’t get it, but we did get a fabulous start to that event’s history with Sherrock lifting the silverware, somewhat briefly as that incredible trophy was very heavy for her.
There were shades of when the Sid Waddell trophy first came in and took World Champions by surprise!
I will never understand the pressure that Lisa Ashton and Fallon Sherrock feel as figureheads in the women’s game. To be able to go up there and perform with that kind of scrutiny is a thing of wonder.
Sherrock has continuously shouldered this pressure and written a story that will be told for generations. Maybe the legacy of Fallon won’t be talent, her smile, her achievements or the trophies she lifts.
Maybe it will be how this slight, Milton Keynes superstar conducts herself while the whole world waits to see her fail. The toxicity of social media and the watching landscape wait with their bated breath and she keeps batting them all away with history-making moments.
Her legacy is far from written, but this win will make her feel proud as punch and rightly so.
4. Jose De Sousa needs the big stage for his mojo
Players were written off going into this Blackpool event, and we thought maybe some were on the slide. It hasn’t been a fruitful year for the likes of Krzysztof Ratajski and Jose De Sousa, but they found some life at The Winter Gardens, particularly Jose.
Having not been selected for the Premier League after being runner-up in 2021, people watched and waited to see his response. He didn’t really say anything about it, he just plodded on and played.
However, statistics didn’t lie on this occasion and they told us that the 180’s had left him and the confidence had been dented. A winless 2022 also pointed towards a drop in positivity.
Then, Blackpool starts and we thought maybe he would be slain by Gabriel Clemens and it wasn’t the case. The 180’s returned and the swagger came too.
I am of the very strong opinion that he has missed that big atmosphere and he's found his mojo back in the North West of England.
The tears against Rob Cross in that epic game proved it. Welcome back Mr Calculator, we can’t wait to see you over the next few months as you look to keep your place in the top ten of the world rankings.
5. Danny Noppert’s rise will be gradual and sustained
In the BDO, Danny’s name was mooted as one that might come to prominence. That happened and he is now regarded as a big hitter. But, hold your horses a little.
In 2018 when he came through Q-School he did so via the Order of Merit, not winning it outright. He hasn’t been a prolific winner since coming over but has made an inordinate amount of big runs in events, albeit picking up three titles along the way, that UK Open from this year included.
This guy is the epitome of what a modern dart player should be. Mentally strong, sharp in everything he does, passionate, committed and he never ever panics. We could all learn a thing or two from the guy who made the semi-finals this year in Blackpool.
Remember, he hadn’t even won a game at that venue before this year. Did he panic? Did he show fear? Did he relent? He trusted himself and did his job against tough opposition like Dolan, Gurney and Dirk and came out shining.
I will be flabbergasted if Danny doesn’t win another major title, and even more surprised if he’s not in next year’s Premier League, because he is what darts is about now.
Alongside the likes of Price, Humphries and Cullen, I think players like Danny are doing what my generation couldn’t, and that is educating the general public about what a dart player is these days. That makes me very proud.
Asset out for now.
Follow Paul on Twitter @TheAsset180