Gerwyn Price has dialled up his rivalry with Luke Littler and Luke Humphries by claiming he is the best darts player in the world. The Iceman kept his cool to win a thrilling Premier League night 12 in Liverpool.
Price boosted his play-off chances with big victories over Chris Dobey and Rob Cross before he overcame Humphries 6-4 in the final. It is his third nightly win – only Littler, with four, has won more. The Welshman has lamented his own inconsistency over the last few years, and now insists that he is the best player in the world when he is at the peak of his powers. That is despite Littler and Humphries being widely recognised as the sport’s top two stars.
“When I’m on my game, I’m the best in the world. I don’t care,” Price boldly claimed after beating Humphries.
“You know, Luke’s as good as he is, Michael [van Gerwen] is as good as he is on his day. But if I play my A game, they don’t beat me, and I think they know that as well. But, you know, it’s about which [version] of me turns up.”
Price has an excellent record against Littler, winning their last six meetings. However, he has beaten Humphries only three times in 10 matches since the start of last year.
Last week, Price fumed at the conditions on night 11 in Rotterdam. After losing his quarter-final against Nathan Aspinall, the 40-year-old said it was a “pointless” event with “darts flying everywhere” due to wind.
He insisted each player reacts differently under those circumstances and urged the PDC to move the Premier League away from the Rotterdam Ahoy venue.
“When the conditions are good and it’s a fair game I play some good darts,” Price said in Liverpool. “Sometimes I do throw my toys out of the pram when things don’t go my way, but I had a reason last week. We don’t deserve to play in those conditions.
“They say we have to play in Rotterdam every year, but surely they can find a venue where it is fair for everyone? People say it is the same for every player but it definitely isn’t. Some throw heavier darts, longer points, thicker flights, it’s not the same for everyone.
If you had the World Snooker Championship and lifted one leg up on one end, put it down on the other end, I’m sure Ronnie [O’Sullivan] wouldn’t be happy with that.”
