2021 Masters: World champion Gerwyn Price eyes more trophies
- Published
Gerwyn Price missed 11 match darts before clinching the 2021 World Championship title at Alexandra Palace
On Saturday night, Gerwyn Price will walk on and stand on the oche for the first time as world champion.
Also now ranked number one in the world, he begins the Masters in Milton Keynes with a second-round match against England's Joe Cullen.
"I'm excited. Saturday night can't really come quick enough," says Price, three weeks on from his world title win.
"I just want to get on there and have that feeling and buzz of (announcer) John (McDonald) calling me out.
"But I'm there to do a job and to win so I can't let the emotions get to me, but I'm looking forward to it."
It has been a whirlwind since Price beat Gary Anderson 7-3 in the World Championship final at Alexandra Palace and the former rugby player says his success has not yet sunk in.
"I've been inundated," he adds. "Everything is keeping me occupied so I haven't had time to think about it, which has been a good thing I think because otherwise I'm sat in the house with nothing to do and overthink. It would probably get on top of me."
Price dominated the recent PDC Annual Awards, winning four prizes including the players' player of the year and fans' player of the year.
"To win the fans' (award) meant more to me than anything, to know I've sort of changed their opinion round a little bit," Price says.
"It was nice to win all four and get the clean sweep but the fans' one, that one meant a lot to me to be honest."
Price, nicknamed the Iceman, has not always been the most popular player, but hopes this could be a turning point and that the boos which have often greeted his appearances on the oche are a thing of the past.
"Hopefully now when we get back and the fans are back and getting involved, they are not too harsh on me like they've been in the past and will ease off and be quite kind to me," he says.
"Hopefully they will support me as well and get behind me and push me on. I can probably play some better stuff with their support as well."
Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton won the World Cup of Darts for Wales in November 2020, beating England in the final
2020 was undoubtedly the Iceman's year.
He won the World Cup for Wales alongside Jonny Clayton, the World Grand Prix and World Series of Darts Finals titles as well as the Belgian Darts Championship and four Players Championships.
But the Welshman has his sights set on more glory in 2021 - and hopefully in front of fans.
"I'd like to replicate that and do a bit better but with crowds," he says.
"I want to be playing in the Premier League, in the majors and in the world finals and I want to get to a Premier League final, but I want it to be with crowds. It's just not the same without them."
The 2021 Masters has been expanded from the usual 16 players to now include the top 24 in the PDC Order of Merit. Price has not got past the quarter-final stage before.
"Whoever is in the event can win it, it's not just the top eight or four who can win tournaments now, it's right down through the ranks," he says.
"It will be tough for anyone to win it, but hopefully I can get to the final."
Does Price feel pressure now he is the world's top-ranked player?
"I should be but I don't feel that way," he adds. "Maybe when I'm practising before the game on Saturday or maybe while I'm waiting to walk on I'll feel it.
"Even before the world final, I never felt nervous at all and then an hour before, I'd never felt nerves like that before in my life.
"I was calm and collected before that game and an hour before nerves just hit me. Is that going to happen in the Masters? Possibly, but as far as it goes now, I feel calm and I'm just looking forward to it."