"I was hitting 180s until 1am": Gawlas owes UK Open run to change in darts days before tournament

Adam Gawlas reached the semi-finals of the UK Open losing out to eventual champion Andrew Gilding and summing up his run, he was ecstatic but full of shock that he managed to produce his best darts yet including a superb win over Rob Cross.

“I cannot believe it,” said Gawlas.

“I played against Rob at the Grand Slam of Darts last year, so I knew what to expect. This was the best win of my career.

“I was closing my eyes and trying to put the missed darts out of my mind. I was so focused.

“Saturday was the best performance of my career on the stage, so I’m really happy with what I am achieving.

“I am really enjoying myself, and every second that I spend on the big stage – I cannot describe this feeling.”

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But what does he put his upturn in fortunes down to? More practice and also a recent change of darts only days before the UK Open which have apparently been modeled partly off Max Hopp barrels.

“I have started practising more,” added Gawlas.

“At the beginning of this year, in the first Players Championship weekend, I didn’t average over 90, and I was thinking: ‘Will I be able to keep my Tour Card?’

“Since then, I have been practising for six hours a day and now I made the UK Open semi-finals, so maybe the practice is paying off!”

“When I lost against Ryan Searle in the second round of the World Championship, I was like: ‘I need a change'."

“I said to Bulls [his manufacturer] that I wanted a new set of darts, and I only got my new darts on Wednesday.

“I was hitting 180s until 1am, so I decided that I was going to use them at the UK Open. It went well! I am really happy.”