"I tried to hide it, but it definitely affected me” - Ricky Evans survives mid-match meltdown to reach Grand Slam quarters with epic comeback

Ricky Evans battled his way into the 2025 Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finals after a chaotic, nerve-shredding clash full of tension, pain and emotion. The Englishman, known for his lightning-fast style and playful personality, had to dig incredibly deep to edge out Luke Woodhouse 10–9.

What made it even more remarkable was that Evans was once again hampered by his troublesome throwing finger during the match.

“I don’t really know how I did it,” said a relieved but exhausted Evans afterwards. “It felt like everything was going wrong – my finger started twitching and spasming. I was literally just saying to myself, ‘Why now?’ But in the end, it worked somehow, even if I’ve no idea how.”

Evans, who has built a reputation over the years for his blistering pace at the oche, has been battling the issue since last Christmas. “That’s when it first started,” he explained. “It hadn’t come back since then, until tonight. Suddenly my finger started moving and locking again. It’s frustrating because that’s the key finger for my throw. When it goes, I don’t know what to do. It’s like trying to drive without an accelerator.”

Although he tried to mask it, the crowd could clearly tell something was wrong. “Everyone saw it. I tried to hide it, but it definitely affected me,” he said. “Maybe it’s nerves, maybe it’s stress – I honestly don’t know. But it came back at exactly the wrong time.”

At 8–5 down, Evans looked finished. But in typical “Rapid Ricky” fashion, he hit the accelerator. Playing at breakneck speed, he reeled off three legs in a row to turn the match around, sending the Wolverhampton crowd into raptures.

“I was just thinking, ‘Keep throwing, keep going,’” he laughed. “If I throw fast, I’ve always got a chance. That’s my natural rhythm. I’ve tried to slow down over the last few years, but tonight that all went out the window. Throw fast, you win. Simple as that.”

Although scrappy at times, the comeback booked Evans a maiden Grand Slam quarter-final. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet,” he admitted. “I still feel like I’m up there playing. Maybe tomorrow it’ll sink in that I’ve actually won.”

Few players on tour are as candid as Evans. “If I’d lost, people would’ve said I’d had another meltdown,” he said with a grin. “And to be fair, it probably looked like that at one point. But I just kept throwing. The darts started landing, the crowd got behind me, and somehow I got over the line.”

He admitted he still needs to get better at concealing frustration. “That’s something I’ve got to work on,” he said. “When something’s wrong, I show it too much. Then I’m on stage thinking, ‘Here we go again.’ If anyone knows how to hide it, I’ll pay good money for that advice.”

Despite the victory, Evans was still irritated by the finger issue. “It winds me up because I don’t understand why it happens,” he said. “I keep saying I’m not nervous, but maybe I am deep down. It’s weird – I love being up there, but my body doesn’t always agree.”

Still, the humour never left him. “Hopefully it doesn’t happen again in the quarter-final,” he smirked. “A 16–0 win would sort it nicely.”

Evans made a point of praising his opponent. “Luke’s a brilliant player,” he said. “He’s got one of the smoothest throws in the game. I think he’s really underrated – probably the highest-ranked player without a title. If he reads this, he’ll probably rip me apart for saying it, but I mean it. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”

That didn’t stop him from sealing the win when it mattered. “There’s no friends on the stage,” he said. “I just had to get to ten before he did.”

The win carried extra meaning for Evans, who lost his sister last year. “Maybe she was watching down tonight,” he said softly. “Maybe she gave me a hand. I don’t know. But I felt something special. Of course, I’ll take a bit of credit myself too,” he added with a faint smile. “But maybe she was there with me.”

He also credited his partner for helping him find balance. “She’s amazing,” Evans said. “She’s a nurse, she looks after me, even sorts out tablets for my tendonitis and arthritis. Some days I can barely walk. She keeps me calm and positive. She’s not the reason I’m winning – but she definitely helps.”

Like many players, Evans has his superstitions. “I’m a weirdo,” he chuckled. “I put my socks on before my boxers. I had to buy new ones this week because I didn’t expect to still be here. I even use the same toilet as Chris Dobey and listen to the same playlist every night.”

Music, in fact, is his biggest passion outside darts. “No one on tour’s got better music knowledge than me,” he declared. “From Elvis to Taylor Swift, from Celine Dion to Showaddywaddy – I know the lot. Ask me a song from the ’50s and I’ll sing it. The only thing I can’t stand is my walk-on song. There are about 4,000 better ones out there!”

In the quarter-finals, Evans will face Gerwyn Price. Whether the finger holds up remains to be seen. “Hopefully it’s fine,” he said. “If it plays up again but I still win, then it can keep coming back for all I care.”

It wasn’t a flawless night in Wolverhampton, but it summed up everything that makes Ricky Evans so compelling: speed, humour, honesty, vulnerability and resilience. “I’m still a bit angry with myself,” he admitted. “But I’m still here. And that’s something to be proud of.”