"He assisted me behind the scenes" - Devon Petersen on the important role Wayne Mardle played in his career

Although he has fallen off the PDC Pro Tour now, Devon Petersen remains a recognisable face for many darts fans. Well liked for his beaming smile and on stage dancing, Petersen has also proven to be a very capable darter.

Three times reaching the last 16 of the PDC World Darts Championship at the Alexandra Palace, Petersen also has two quarter-finals at the UK Open and even a semi-final at the European Championship on his TV major record. Perhaps a little less known however, is the very important role that ex-pro turned Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle provided behind in the scenes in aiding the South African's success.

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"I think obviously, making my debut at the Ally Pally back in 2010, it's kind of been a venue that I flourish in," 'The African Warrior' reflects in conversation with MDA Events YouTube channel. "It's probably one of those venues that because it's Christmas time and it's the World's and all of those glittery stuff around it, it makes it so much more interactive and sexy so I play well."

As mentioned, Petersen has slipped off slightly in recent years, losing his Tour Card and failing to make the World Darts Championship since the 2022 edition, where he lost in the second round to Raymond Smith 3-0. During his peak years, where Petersen even broke into the top 32 in the world, Mardle was a key figure though.

"He assisted me behind the scenes in the beginning and then from a consultants perspective as well. Just to kind of gain some information from him, as well about my feeling and what he would suggest," the South African explains. "When I came over, I had to change my entire setup because I was sponsored by Unicorn and I think that affected me in the beginning. Then trying to get used to the products and all of those things, I just never settled."

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Petersen is renowned for his crowd pleasing pre-match dance