Gerwyn Price is aiming to continue his Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts love affair in Wolverhampton this week, as he targets a fourth successive title at the Aldersley Leisure Village.
Reigning champion Price has won all three Grand Slam events staged at the Wolverhampton venue, defeating Gary Anderson in an infamous 2018 final to celebrate his first televised title.
The Welshman extended his haul with comprehensive wins against Peter Wright in 2019 and 2021, averaging 107 and 103 in the respective finals to continue his dominant record in the popular event.
Price is now bidding to become only the second player in Grand Slam history to lift the Eric Bristow Trophy for a fourth time, as the 2021 World Champion headlines the 32-player field battling it out for glory from November 12-20.
“The Grand Slam and Aldersley holds good memories for me, and hopefully it continues to be held here for as long as possible,” said Price, the top seed at this year’s tournament.
“I’ve never lost a tournament at this venue, so it always gives me a bit of extra confidence knowing how well I’ve done there.”
Price begins his campaign against World Youth Champion Ted Evetts on Saturday afternoon, while he’s also been pitted against 2014 runner-up Dave Chisnall and 2012 champion Raymond van Barneveld in Group A.
However, the world number one heads to Wolverhampton in confident mood, fresh from scooping his fifth PDC title of the season at Players Championship 29 last Friday.
“The good thing about this tournament is that if you slip up once then you’re still in with a chance,” admitted Price, making his seventh Grand Slam appearance in 2022.
“This is a good tournament for me, and I’m off the back of a good win in the ProTour last weekend, which is filling me full of confidence.
“I never feel like I’m invincible, but I know if I play my A-game then I’m going to be really tough to beat.”
Price has endured mixed fortunes in 2022, suffering a broken hand midway through this year’s Cazoo Premier League which saw him miss out on Play-Off Qualification for a fourth consecutive campaign.
The 37-year-old returned to form by guiding Wales to a fourth World Cup of Darts final in June, before reaching his maiden World Matchplay final a month later – landing his fourth televised nine-darter of 2022 en route.
Since then, Price has claimed televised wins at the New Zealand Darts Masters and the World Series of Darts Finals, and he’s eyeing further success over the coming weeks.
“I was playing for the best part of three or four months with a broken hand and that knocked my confidence,” conceded the 2020 World Cup champion.
“I couldn’t win a game, I couldn’t hit a double, I couldn’t average over 90. My back was up against the wall and I was really struggling.
“After the UK Open, things took a turn for the worse, but as soon as my hand was better, my confidence was back and I was starting to show the real me again.
“We’re at the business end of the year now and I’m coming back into my own.
“I haven’t found my top gear yet, and hopefully it’s building up for the Grand Slam, the Players Championship Finals and of course the World Championship.”
2022 Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts
Saturday November 12
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Groups A-D Opening Matches
Simon Whitlock v Mensur Suljovic (B)
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Martin Schindler (D)
Joe Cullen v Ritchie Edhouse (C)
Dave Chisnall v Raymond van Barneveld (A)
Rob Cross v Adam Gawlas (D)
Danny Noppert v Christian Perez (B)
Gerwyn Price v Ted Evetts (A)
Michael Smith v Lisa Ashton (C)