"He should be favourite for this tournament": Peter Wright wants to emulate player and it is not Littler or Van Gerwen

Peter Wright played down the idea of mind games after he took Luke Humphries to the cleaners at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship.

Wright won 4-1 and is into the Quarter-Finals defeating the defending champion but despite producing a near perfect doubling display and averaging over 100, he still wasn't happy.

This is despite all of his recent travails on the board which had some sections asking about his future after this event.

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"Obviously I'm over the moon with the win but I wasn't pleased with my performance. I just struggled throughout the whole game, just trying to get the throwing action and placing the dart. It didn't go. I hit a 180 at a crucial time and it was the only throw in the whole match that it felt good," said Wright.

"The round before I felt more comfortable and didn't play as well but just the way it goes. I felt confident anyway playing Luke over this shorter distance, if i didn't beat him in this round, he would've won and retained his title as I don't think any other player would've got close to him over a longer distance so that was my only chance to try and beat him over the shorter sets and lucky enough it worked."

"I know I can beat the likes of Humphries and Littler but I also said those two guys inspire me to carry on playing darts. I'm not ready to go to the senior side yet because I can still play this game."

But he also wants to emulate a certain other player that is not the leading names who has been blazing a trail this tournament.

"I want to play like Callan Rydz. He's just going up there and enjoying himself and playing fantastic darts. He should be favourite for this tournament. He's playing superb darts and may it carry on."

"That was the best atmosphere. I was thinking poor Luke. I was thinking oh my god I'm playing the reigning World Champion and this crowd was behind me all the way."

He also played down the mind games that could be perceived to be there and why he managed to beat Humphries.

"Everyone's got their own opinion who was going to do well in this tournament. I thought Gary (Anderson) would be in the final, 80% in here would probably feel the exact same."

"Luke weren't quite on his form as he was last year, he was untouchable last year. This year he was getting wins through B games, I thought if he turns up 98, 99 (average), I've got a chance. If he turned up like the Luke Humphries of last year, he would've bashed me up the wall."

Also he spoke about a frank and honest chat he had with Michael van Gerwen after his 2024 exit who said he didn't want to be there questioning Wright's desire.

"I was in tears last year, he said you don't want to do it anymore do you. I said I don't know maybe I don't maybe I do but I'm not going to give up. That's the main thing."

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