"This is the World Championship, it's what you're judged on and that's not downgrading any other event because they're all special in their own right. Michael van Gerwen isn't judged on winning 80 majors, he's judged on winning three world titles."
Thursday 3 December 2020 17:44, UK
After a mouthwatering draw for the PDC World Darts Championship, Wayne Mardle takes an early look ahead to the tournament with the strength in depth throwing up a host of tough-to-call first-round matches and some banana skins for the big names.
It's great news, it's the ingredient that makes darts darts. The players will love it and the lucky fans who will get to be there will love it.
It's that element that I think the game needs, and especially this event - it's the Worlds; it's the most important event that any player can ever play in.
You have 20 debutants and at the other end of the scale you have Steve Beaton making his 30th World Championship appearance, superseding Phil Taylor. This is what it's all about The Sid Waddell Trophy. It's majestic that it is the Sid Waddell Trophy.
This is the World Championship, it's what you're judged on and that's not downgrading any other event because they're all special in their own right. Michael van Gerwen isn't judged on winning 80 majors, he's judged on winning three world titles.
Steve Beaton's won the one, like we just said, he's back for his 30th. Phil Taylor is called a 16-time world champion, he's not called a 7,000-time tournament winner......you know what I mean!
I'm looking forward to seeing a few outside of the big three; Luke Humphries is showing some promise again and Joe Cullen is a lively runner. One of my boys, Devon Peterson of course…
Having said all that, we have to talk about strength in depth in previous years. There have been floaters to avoid, names to avoid in the early rounds to look out for but this year - even in the first round - it's names playing names.
Damon Heta vs Danny Baggish, the winner to play Adrian Lewis… Adrian will be thinking to himself I hate that Mardle! It's probably the worst draw he could have because Heta will be thinking playing Adrian now is not that bad, it could have been worst.
It's the opposite for Adrian, he is playing well but he can't win games at the moment.
Two-time BDO winner Scott Waites takes on Matt Campbell, that one really sticks out for me. As it came out I was thinking I must remember that one because the winner faces Nathan Aspinall, a semi-finalist the last two years, but then another draw happened and another.
"Andy Boulton is playing Deta Hedman and Deta….what a story. After all these years she gets her chance to really shine and be a leading light and do something in a World Championship - how she hasn't won a women's world title, not even she will know."
Jamie Lewis has qualified, I am so happy for him and he has Luke Woodhouse who is starting to play really well - Gerwyn Price.
I'll tell you another one, Luke Humphries against Paul Lim with Dimitri Van den Bergh for the winner, that is a horrible draw for all three, just at the time when Luke is starting to play well again.
But what do you expect from the Worlds, the Worlds is going to be fun!
I do believe it's open with a lot of big names there for the taking, I don't believe that there will be an unexpected winner.
If you look down the roll of honour from Dennis Priestley to Rob Cross to Michael van Gerwen, none of them were outsiders. Will there be the ultimate upset? I'm not sure.
They're getting a rest now. It's harder for those who live far away, they're getting two days less. All of the players will be recharged and rejuvenated. I've personally turned up at World Championships feeling beaten before, but you get to a point where you think this is the worlds.
You've never tired at the Worlds, you're tired after but you're never tired there.
The adrenaline that you get from being there and that players will get from crowds being there, it's that adrenaline that they need and particularly the likes of Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright, Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall to name but a few need, it will help them and push them through.
You won't miss a dart this Christmas thanks to the dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel which returns from December 15 until January 4 for every session from the World Darts Championship
