Resurgent Anderson eyeing more World Championship history

When it comes to delivering on the Alexandra Palace stage, there are few players that can compete with the irrepressible Gary Anderson.

The Scottish icon is one of only three players to win back-to-back World Championship titles in the capital, with Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis making up that star-studded trio.

Anderson’s tally of 51 wins at Ally Pally is bettered only by a certain Michael van Gerwen, which adds further intrigue ahead of a potential last 16 showdown between the pair at this year’s event.

Taylor and Van Gerwen – widely regarded as the greatest arrowsmiths of all-time – are also the only players to have landed more ton-plus averages than Anderson on the sport’s biggest stage.

“The World Championship…Ally Pally - it’s what every dart player aims for,” declared Anderson, one of eight former champions in this year’s field.

“It’s an iconic building and it’s perfectly suited for the World Championship. Driving up that hill and seeing the Palace up there, it is some feeling.

“That’s when the stomach starts to churn, and I’ve done it for many years, so imagine the feeling for a first-timer coming up that hill and seeing it. That is what it’s all about.”

Anderson has won a hat-trick of PDC ranking titles in 2024, which included a memorable victory at April’s European Darts Grand Prix – ten years on from his maiden European Tour triumph.

‘The Flying Scotsman’ has also claimed a brace of Players Championship titles throughout the last year, producing some mesmerising displays to reaffirm his status as one of the sport’s premier players.

Furthermore, Anderson’s seasonal average of 99.86 is the highest of any Tour Card Holder Qualifier, usurping the likes of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.

“I probably am playing better than ever,” admitted the two-time World Champion, who recorded a personal best average of 123.83 in July.

“The amount of 110+ averages I’ve hit – I’ve had averages over 120, I’ve had 114s, 113s, 112s.

“I just turn up and enjoy it. The ProTour events I love.

“We have a bit of a banter and then I chuck a few arrows, and it seems to be working a treat for me!”

Anderson hasn’t been as prolific on the big stage, although he performed magnificently at last month’s Grand Slam of Darts, eventually succumbing 16-15 to Littler in an epic semi-final.

This was preceded by wins over Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting, Gian van Veen and Noa-Lynn van Leuven, while he also averaged 113 in a sensational group stage victory over Ryan Joyce.

Anderson also led Scotland to June’s World Cup of Darts semi-finals alongside Peter Wright, and he’s now hoping to deliver the goods on the biggest stage of all.

“I’m not on stage as much nowadays, but it’s coming good,” continued Anderson, who will make his 16^th consecutive World Championship appearance this year.

“If my floor game goes on to the stage every game, it would be looking good, but whether that happens is a completely different story.

“It would be nice to win this title again, but I don’t look that far ahead!"

Anderson will enter the tournament at the second round stage, as he prepares to mark his 54^th birthday with a tie against either Sweden’s Jeffrey de Graaf or debutant Rashad Sweeting.

Three-time World Champion Van Gerwen and Ross Smith are also among the high-profile stars in Anderson’s quarter of the draw, in what promises to be a wide-open tournament.

“Before, you could pick a dozen potential winners - now you’ve got two or three dozen players who could possibly lift the title,” claimed Anderson – priced at 10/1 with title sponsor Paddy Power.

“You’re going to have your favourites – Luke Humphries, [Michael] Van Gerwen, young Luke Littler.

‘Then you’ve got outsiders like Mike De Decker, Ritchie [Edhouse], Ryan Searle. It’s going to be an interesting one I think.

“I think there’s going to be that many top players all at the same level, and it’s going to be some battle.

“It could kick up some stink. There could be someone who comes from out of the blue to win it.”