"A return to Ally Pally would mean a huge amount" - Max Hopp back hitting 100+ averages and back dreaming of World Darts Championship success

Max Hopp experienced his comeback on the PDC Pro Tour early this year. After three seasons without a Tour Card, the former German number one is back in full force. The first German ever to win a PDC tournament has steadily improved his form and is currently clearly on course for a spot at the World Darts Championship. It feels like a revival of the time when he was the great example for a new generation of darters in Germany.

Speaking to BILD, Hopp said how good it feels to be back competing at the highest level. "It's just wonderful to be back and to throw a few 100+ averages again. It really does me good and all the guys were happy to see me back on the Tour," he said. After several years full of setbacks, it is a special moment for the 27-year-old to be back on the big stage.

Asked about the secret of his renewed success, Hopp pointed mostly to his regained self-confidence. "Especially inner self-confidence. At the time, it was a big deal for me that I was one of the very first professional darters in Germany - the young talent. Lately, I have often been compared to Mario Götze: someone who gave a lot to the sport and then suddenly dropped out of the picture a bit."

The darter from Hesse has one clear goal in mind: a return to the stage at the iconic Alexandra Palace. "A return to Ally Pally would mean a huge amount to me, purely for myself. I've been there eight times, but this is the place - the World Darts Championship. It gets bigger every year, and this time it is a record-breaking event in every way. There are more and more German players coming, and I simply want to be part of that again."

Hopp makes no secret of how strong the desire is to be on the World Championship stage again. "My fingers are itching to be there again, there is nothing better. It would be 'The Return of the Max' so to speak - and I really feel that." With those words, Hopp leaves no doubt: he not only wants to return, but to prove that he can once again be among the world's best.