World Darts Championship: What next for Gerwyn Price after wearing ear defenders in quarter-final exit? | Darts News

Gerwyn Price wore ear defenders and then earplugs during his quarter-final defeat to Gabriel Clemens in the World Darts Championship; Important questions about Alexandra Price’s Palace exit and what may be in store for the ‘Ice Man’ in 2023

Gerwyn Price caused controversy in the darting world for using ear defenders during his World Darts Championship quarter-final defeat, but what’s next for the Welshman after Alexandra Palace exit?

Price lost 3-1 in the quarter-finals against Gabriel Clemens on New Year’s Day when he returned to the stage wearing ear defenders, an apparent move to muffle the noise from the raucous crowd, before eventually losing 5-1. the loss to Germany was impressive.

The ‘Ice Man’ switched to his ear after the fifth set and stayed for the rest of the match, with Price’s loss completing a frustrating 2022, and he was bothered by the drop.

Gerwyn Price has reached the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship

Why is Price wearing ear protectors?

Price has received hostile receptions from many darts since his ill-fated 2018 Grand Slam of Darts victory over Gary Anderson, although he has never used ear defenders to try and drown out the booing.

Michael van Gerwen questioned Price’s decision to use defenders and earplugs, despite accepting he will have a “difficult period”, while Sky Sports’ Wayne Mardle admitted the start could work for the 2021 champion.

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The best action from the evening session of the quarter-finals at the World Darts Championship

“I actually tweeted “this is genius” because I think he has turned and turned the booing crowd into decent people,” Mardle said. Sky Sports. “Then it was taken off and it got a little angry again.

“Why did they have him in the first place? He really had permission [from the PDC], So this is not a spur of the moment chapter and not a case of ‘oh, tonight they are bothering me, I want to get some ear defenders and put them on.’ This was thought of before!”

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Wayne Mardle says Gerwyn Price’s decision to wear ear defenders is a sign he is under pressure

Are ear guards allowed?

The PDC had to give Price permission to use headphones and notify opponents, making him the first player to use them on the Alexandra Palace stage, although former world champion John Part believes the decision has backfired.

“I just think it doesn’t work very well on a lot of levels,” Part said. “I think it’s Price’s own fault that it doesn’t work well. If you’re going to take the step of asking permission to wear earmuffs, it’s probably in your best interest not to make fun of people about it. Really? That’s just low class, you don’t do it.” .

“Any genuine sympathy I had for him went out the window, along with the rest of the world, when he was there taunting and stuff with him like a fun game. The enemy that I was probably shouldn’t have been allowed in the first place.

“As far as I’m concerned, he deserves something. I’ve never seen anything so disturbing and so pantomime. What’s real to me is that he feels the fact that it’s part of his interaction with the crowd, like he’s one-up and win or something.

Can Price walk away from darts?

Price wrote on Instagram after the loss to Clemens that he was not sure if he would play again in the World Championship, although the 2021 champion later deleted the post along with everything else on his Instagram profile.

Gerwyn Price (Instagram post)

The 37-year-old said ahead of the fourth round win against Jose De Sousa who “constantly thinks about his old life and when I used to play rugby,” with Mardle believing that he may need additional motivation away from the oche.

“He’s been needing something outside of darts for a while now, because he’s been a bit bored,” Mardle said. “In one interview this week he said he was going to play rugby again and he broke his hand in boxing in March – that’s something a normal No. 1 and former world champion doesn’t do!

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Wayne Mardle says Gerwyn Price’s decision to wear ear defenders is a sign he is under pressure

“I think it comes from the fact that darts was never his first love, so I think he was looking for something else and he said rugby was his first love.

When will Price return to action?

Price is expected to participate in the inaugural Bahrain Darts Masters from January 12-13, joining names including Peter Wright, Michael Smith and Raymond van Barneveld in the 16-man field.

He will also appear at the Nordic Masters in Copenhagen next week, before ending his busy month by playing the Cazoo Masters in Milton Keynes from January 27-29.

Can Gerwyn Price start winning for 2023?

Price could be playing in the Cazoo Premier League for the fourth time in five years, which starts on February 2 in Belfast and live throughout 2023 on Sky Sports.

“What he’s done is that every time he’s out on stage now, whether it’s at The Masters, an exhibition or the Premier League, he’s [the crowd] would want to make fun of him so loudly that it reached the defenders’ ears,” added Mardle. “I don’t think he had thought about it. [using ear defenders] over, I really don’t.”

Watch the PDC World Darts Championship final live on Sky Sports Darts from 7.45pm on Tuesday 3 January.