Gerwyn Price 'close to darts retirement and last PDC World Championship could be this winter'
Gerwyn Price has made no secret of his desire to retire from darts and his participation in this year's World Championships could be his last, according to Dennis Priestley
Former darts world champion Dennis Priestley has suggested that Gerwyn Price might be set to call it quits on the sport.
The Welshman claimed victory at Ally Pally in 2021 but may be considering the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship as his final appearance at the tournament, according to Priestley, who fears he could follow through on his retirement threats.
Price's openness about hanging up his darts "sooner rather than later" combined with a somewhat indifferent attitude towards the sport has raised concerns about his future career. Earlier this year, he stated bluntly that he is unconcerned about whether he competes in tournaments, underlining a lack of motivation to win as previously.
Priestley reflected on Price's situation, pointing out that it seems he no longer desires to be part of the game, suggesting that struggles away from the oche could be distracting him. "It's as if Gerwyn doesn't want to be there [playing darts]. It sounds like he's had enough of the circus," he told OLBG.
"It could be getting to him that he has to fight to win games in the first round of tournaments now, whereas back in 2020 you just knew he'd be in and around the final most of the time. His competitive spirit keeps getting knocked down and he's having to play in qualifiers and eliminators now which aren't easy."
Priestley also suggested Price's fractious relationship with darts fans could be contributing to an impending exit stage right. He added: "Given Gerwyn Price's previous retirement hints, the World Championships could quite possibly be his last in darts.
"It's all down to his will and his attitude, but it's not looking good. When he has those battles with the crowds, it either gets to him or he feeds off it but it looks like it's getting to him now.
"Gerwyn is a difficult man to work out. He's his own man, he's been used to top class sport before whereas other players haven't had a pro career prior to playing darts."
Price talked about his conflicting feelings on darts earlier this year in August. Success in other ventures such as his fish and chip shop, Chippy501, might lead him to retire sooner than expected.
"I think, in previous years, it's been darts first and family life after but that's going to change now," he revealed to Online Darts. "It's going to be family life first, darts after. My main priority is back at home.
"When I first started, I was eager, I wanted to win, I wanted to be in everything and now, I've sort of done everything I've wanted to do and I don't have that urgency anymore. Hopefully it'll come back.
"I'll keep trying as long as I can you know, but yeah, now the chippy is doing well you never know, retirement could be sooner rather than later."
Price, who currently holds the seventh spot in world rankings, is the reigning champion of the Nordic Darts Masters and Australian Darts Masters - high points in an inconsistent year for the Iceman.
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