Gerwyn Price is hoping to cap off a resurgent 2025 season by reclaiming the iconic Sid Waddell Trophy at Alexandra Palace in January.
Price will get his Paddy Power World Championship campaign underway against Czech qualifier Adam Gawlas on Tuesday evening, and he’s hoping to create more history in the capital.
The Welshman defeated his great rival Gary Anderson to triumph in the 2020/21 edition of the tournament, which was staged behind-closed-doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Lifting that trophy was definitely one of the proudest moments in my darting career,” admitted Price, one of nine PDC World Champions in this year’s star-studded 128-player field.
“It was obviously something I’d dreamt of since I’ve been playing darts.
“To actually live out your dream, but not live out your dream - because everything was behind closed doors - was strange. There was no crowd, no energy.
“To win it was great, but the circumstances definitely weren’t the best.
“I’d love to replicate that with the crowd there, with my family there, and celebrate it more when I’m back home as well.”
Price has been one of the sport’s outstanding performers over the last 12 months, claiming four Players Championship titles and celebrating Baltic Sea Darts Open glory on the European Tour.
The 40-year-old also landed a brace of nine-darters in this year’s Premier League, and has featured in back-to-back televised ranking semi-finals at the Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals, succumbing to Luke Humphries and Luke Littler in those respective last four tussles.
However, Price concedes the World Championship is a different animal, and believes his pedigree at Alexandra Palace gives him a huge opportunity to scoop the record-breaking £1m top prize.
“For everyone involved in darts, I think it’s obviously the pinnacle of the sport,” added Price, the number nine seed.
“This is what everybody plays darts for. You turn up for 12 months of the year, all leading up to one tournament, and that’s the World Championship.
“There’s a lot of boys who are in some good form, but I am one of them.
“If I produce my A-game at the right times, when it matters, which I usually do, there’s no reason why I can’t win it again, and I’m fully confident that I can go and lift that trophy.”
The 2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
2025/26 Paddy Power World Darts Championship
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round One x4
Ricardo Pietreczko v Jose de Sousa
Danny Noppert v Jurjen van der Velde
Gerwyn Price v Adam Gawlas
Niko Springer v Joe Comito
Best of Five Sets