Gerwyn Price still claims that he may not return to the World Darts Championship (Picture: Getty Images)
Gerwyn Price is not rowing back on his claim that he might not play in the World Darts Championship again, after his frustrating and eventful exit from the tournament this year.
The Iceman lost his cool in a 5-1 defeat to Gabriel Clemens at Alexandra Palace, with abuse from the crowd getting to him, forcing a remarkable response from the Welshman.
At 3-1 behind Price returned to the stage with ear-defenders on in an attempt to drown out the London crowd, although the ploy was unsuccessful as he lost the remaining two sets and looked a bit daft in the process.
Writing on Instagram immediately after the defeat, Price said: ‘So frustrating. You play all year round preparing for this one tournament.
‘So gutted I wasn’t let play [sic] but good luck everyone left in. Not sure I will ever play in this event again.’
It seemed like spur of the moment stuff from the 37-year-old, but he is still not sure he will return to Alexandra Palace, saying that, if he has had enough success over the season leading up to the World Championship, he may not bother.
‘Obviously it was disappointing going out at the quarter-finals for the last two years,’ Price told the BBC.
Price lost the only set he played with the ear-defenders on (Picture: Getty Images)
‘If I’d been given a fair crack and fair opportunity in those games the results could have been a lot different.
‘If I’m going to go out of the tournament in the quarter-finals or last 16 it’s pointless me even turning up. So if I can do well all year, and if I can win a couple of majors, then I don’t have to go, you never know.’
The ear-defenders may even get another run out in future, although Price admits that they had the complete opposite effect to what he had hoped.
‘It gets me focused and sort of drowns out any minute noises around you, like one or two people shouting out or a few boos or whistles when you’re going at doubles,’ he said.
‘But when I did put them on, the whole crowd starts, so it was totally the opposite to what I wanted to happen.
‘I’m not saying I’ll never use them again but hopefully the crowd will just understand I need them for my focus, I need them for my game when those individuals are not giving me a fair crack.’
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‘If I’m going to go out of the tournament in the quarter-finals or last 16 it’s pointless me even turning up.’
