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Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson will renew their rivalry on the world’s largest darts stage
After 15 days of dizzying drama, it all comes down to this. 96 players came, now there are only two left. Gary Anderson and Gerwyn Price will battle for the biggest prize in the sport in the final of the World Darts Championship on Sunday, and it promises to be a classic.
Neither player will need more incentive to try and create their own piece of the story, but there are a number of fascinating subplots that will only add to the show.
Anderson’s victory over Dave Chisnall saw him match Michael van Gerwen and Dennis Priestley in terms of PDC world final appearances, but he attempts to usurp his late and great compatriot Jocky Wilson, by claiming a third World Championship crown.
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January 3, 2021, 7:30 pm
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Anderson vs Price – The stats
| Anderson | Price | |
| Years: | fifty | 35 |
| PDC titles: | fifty | 17 |
| PDC TV Titles: | 8 | 4 |
| Head to head: | 8 | 7 |
| World Ranking: | 13 | 3 |
Price has already broken new ground thanks to his run to a first world final, but will become the 10th different world number one in PDC history with the victory over ‘The Flying Scotsman’.
The contrasting behaviors of the couple also add to the intrigue. Anderson’s nonchalant attitude toward the sport has been an integral part of his success over the past decade, while Price thrives on intensity and has admitted that he may “want it too much.”
Make no mistake though, the Scotsman will be desperate to avenge his controversial 2018 Grand Slam loss to Price, having failed to clinch a major singles title since.
Will ‘The Iceman’ keep calm to fulfill his dreams, or can Anderson add another famous chapter to his brilliant story?
Join us starting at 7:30 pm at Sky Sports Darts & Main Event to discover …
Anderson aims for third world crown
Anderson is participating in his fourth World Championship final in the space of seven years.
Anderson’s route to the finale
| Last 64: | 3-1 against Madars Razma |
|---|---|
| Last 32: | 4-3 vs Mensur Suljovic |
| Last 16: | 4-0 against Devon Petersen |
| QF: | 5-1 against Dirk van Duijvenbode |
| SF: | 6-3 against Dave Chisnall |
Anderson has advanced to a fifth PDC world final despite not having reached top speed for long periods of the event, which is testament to his skill and mental toughness.
The two-time world champion outpointed Madars Razma in a first match, before coming back 3-2 against to defeat Mensur Suljovic in a controversial showdown, which generated headlines for Anderson’s post-match comments, rather than his performance.
That victory seemed to propel ‘The Flying Scotsman’, who followed a covert win over Devon Petersen with an emphatic 5-1 win over Dirk van Duijvenbode, averaging more than a ton in 19 matches.
Anderson offered a critical appraisal of his 6-3 win over Chisnall but appeared to be in control the entire time, averaging 100 and shooting 13 highs to maintain his bid for a third world title.
History calls a prolific Price
The Welshman aims to claim his third televised individual title in the space of four months
Price’s route to the final
| Last 64: | 3-2 against Jamie Lewis |
|---|---|
| Last 32: | 4-3 against Brendan Dolan |
| Last 16: | 4-1 against Mervyn King |
| QF: | 5-4 vs. Daryl Gurney |
| SF: | 6-4 against Stephen Bunting |
Price is the first Welshman to reach a PDC World Championship final, although the progression from the world No. 3 has been anything but serene, despite sailing without encountering a top 10 player.
Having seen compatriot Jamie Lewis in a close opening game, Price edged out an impressive Brendan Dolan in a dramatic decider down the stretch, before producing a professional display to dispatch a resurgent Mervyn King.
‘The Iceman’ was feeling the heat until he defied a late attack from an energetic Daryl Gurney to overcome another shootout late in the quarterfinals, which was followed by a historic win over Stephen Bunting.
Price averaged 100.92 and converted a record eight tonnes in boxes as he rallied from 3-1 adrift to defeat ‘The Bullet’, and will perk up into producing his best darts when he has been involved in pressurized affairs.
Anderson: I just want to play darts
4:30 Anderson criticized his performance in the semifinals and insists he needs to play better if he wants to win his third World Darts Championship title.
“I’ve said it before, the last two years I’ve come here without any expectations and I could have pinched him all the way to the final, but we’ve gotten here. That’s not bad.
“To be honest, I was watching a Bunting vs. Chizzy final, the way they’ve been playing. It has to be a lot better. We need to spice things up. We’ll just get there.
“I’ve always said it and I’ll stand my ground, I just want to play darts. If the kid shows up and hits you off the board, shake his hand and say, ‘Well done, all the best.’ It’s all you can do.” .
Price: I am full of confidence
3:04 Price equaled the eight-ton + payout World Championship record in his epic win over Stephen Bunting
“I’m here to win this tournament. I made it to the final and I have every chance of winning this now.
“It’s going to be a very difficult game, but after that game, I’m full of beans and confidence.
“I think the better someone plays against me, the better I play. There is much more [left in the tank]. Gary likes a good fluid game and now I am concentrating on my own game. If it is enough, it is enough. I pray it is. “
Head to head
Price won the pair’s only previous meeting in a grand final, prevailing 16-13 in a short-tempered 2018 Grand Slam showdown.
The pair have no shortage of history, having contested arguably the most controversial final in darts history at the 2018 Grand Slam, the scene of Price’s first televised title.
The Welshman has enjoyed a notable rise since then, and victory over Anderson in Sunday’s masterpiece would see Price come full circle and become the new world number one, ending Van Gerwen’s seven-year monopoly on the summit.
Anderson has a slight advantage in terms of the pair’s head-to-head record, having won eight of their 15 matchups, including two of their four meetings in 2020.
However, Price was left without an emphatic 8-3 winner in his last outing in September, and the 35-year-old has taken the loot in both of his fights in major qualifying tournaments.
Expert verdicts
1:19 Here’s a look at an exciting night of action in the semifinals of the World Darts Championship.
Mark Webster: “I think Gary could pull it off, you know. I’d like to see Gezzy do it for Wales, but I think Gary could pull it off.”
John Part: “I’m leaning towards Price’s side. I don’t know if stamina is a problem for Gary, Price probably has the upper hand on that side of things.”
Stuart Pyke: “I think experience wins the day, and I think Anderson wins it 7-5.”
Watch Sunday’s exciting conclusion to the World Darts Championship, live Sky Sports darts from 7:30 p.m. Check out the daily Darts news at skysports.com/darts, our mobile app and our Twitter account. @skysportsdarts
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