Gerwyn Price believes Wales are 'the team to beat' at this year's Cazoo World Cup of Darts ahead of tonight's opener against Finland.
World number one Price and Premier League champion Jonny Clayton will team up for a fourth successive year, having brought the trophy back to Wales for the first time in 2020.
Ahead of tonight's start of their title defence against Finalnd's Marko Kantele and Veijo Viinikka at the Sparkassen Arena in Jena, Price explained why he feels Wales are favourites to retain the title.
“I believe we are the team to beat," said Price. "Jonny did fantastically to win the Masters and Premier League and doing well on the ProTours. Then obviously I’ve won the Grand Prix and World Championship, we are definitely the in-form team.
“It’s different to last year with crowds there as well, I’m looking forward to it.
“We are both individual players even though it’s a team game. We just have to concentrate on our own game. There’s ways of setting up shots, he knows what doubles I like to go for and I know what he wants.
“We don’t fear anyone. I used to worry about taking on certain other players in the past but the only thing I worry about now is which one of me is going to turn up.
“That showed up at the weekend in Hungary. I started off rubbish and I could have easily gone out.
“But in the semi-final and final the true me turned up. As long as that version of me turns up more I’m happy. I don’t need to worry about any other players anymore. This is a team game and I’m sure Jonny and I will turn up."
Between them, Price and Clayton have lifted five PDC televised titles in a game-changing 12 months which has seen Welsh darts become the envy of the darting world.
Price continued: “We are very proud to make Wales top of the world.
"It’s not just Jonny and I, there’s loads of good other players including Lewy Williams, Nick Kenny, Jon Worsley and Jim Williams just winning his PDC Tour Card.
"I’d like to think we have inspired a lot of other players and the younger generation in Wales. We’ve definitely put Wales back on the world map."
Price also has an eye on the future of the Welsh game, and plans to leave a legacy in the form of a darts academy in Markham which started up last week.
"I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am," Price explained. "Without the PDC or world of darts I wouldn’t be able to have the lifestyle and things that I do.
“I’m just trying to give a little bit back. I just want to give local children the opportunity to get to where me and Jonny are.
"If that can happen and I can pluck out a World Champion out of this academy, for me that would be job done.
“The ages are from seven to 17 or 18. We are teaming up with a lot of other academies around the area and play other teams. There are connections with Glamorgan, other parts of Wales and even up to Scotland."
Tickets for the Cazoo World Cup of Darts can be purchased via PDC Europe.
The Cazoo World Cup of Darts will be broadcast through Sky Sports, RTL7, DAZN and worldwide broadcast partners, as well as through PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers (outside UK & Ireland) and matchroom.live.
2021 Cazoo World Cup of Darts
Schedule of Play
Thursday September 9
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
8x First Round
Hungary v Lithuania
Czech Republic v Poland
Gibraltar v Singapore
USA v Sweden
Scotland v China
Netherlands v Denmark
Wales v Finland
Australia v Italy
Friday September 10
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
8x First Round
Russia v Japan
Spain v South Africa
Republic of Ireland v Portugal
Austria v Philippines
Northern Ireland v Hong Kong
Germany v Canada
England v Brazil
Belgium v Greece
Saturday September 11
Afternoon Session (1400 local time, 1300 BST)
4x Second Round
Evening Session (2000 local time, 1900 BST)
4x Second Round
Sunday September 12
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Semi-Finals & Final