Peter Wright hails renewed confidence after stunning Michael van Gerwen to win first PDC world title
Peter Wright said Michael van Gerwen “wasn’t playing the old Snakebite” after he overcame his final hoodoo to win his first PDC world title.
Scot Wright defeated Van Gerwen with a superb 7-3 win at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night.
Wright had previously lost 10 of his 11 major finals — and seven of those defeats had come against Van Gerwen. But the 49-year-old played brilliantly to overcome the world no1.
“I was confident coming here I could get to the final and I believed in my own ability,” said Wright, who survived a sudden-death shootout in round two.
“They were not playing the old me, whose bottle went. I came here confident.
“I never took the game seriously because I liked joking away, going up and enjoying myself. That is why so many people like watching me.
“But I learned a lot. It has made me more professional. That is why I was more professional and took it more seriously in the final.”
Wright is the second oldest winner of the PDC world title. Phil Taylor won the last of his 16 crowns aged 53 in 2013.
“Champion of the world sounds amazing,” said Wright. “You should never give up, it does not matter how many times you get beaten.”
Wright’s 55 per cent double success rate proved to be an important factor, with Van Gerwen left to rue several missed opportunities.
“Of course I am very disappointed,” said the Dutchman, who was bidding to become a four-time world champion.
“I can only blame myself for missing at important moments. Everything I missed, he took out. His finishing was phenomenal.
“I had six darts to break throw in the fifth set and if you do not take chances like that, you do not win, simple as that.”
