🗣️ "I think they will be worrying about me more than I am worrying about them." Chris Dobey believes he’s on the cusp of landing another major piece of silverware, as he prepares to return to the scene of his televised breakthrough at the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts.
"If I do break into the top 16, hopefully there will be no looking back" - Chris Dobey could reach career milestone at Grand Slam of Darts
PDCFriday, 10 November 2023 at 16:00
Chris Dobey hopes to further fill his trophy cabinet at the Grand Slam of Darts with the Eric Bristow Trophy. The tournament in Wolverhampton is where he made his breakthrough in 2016.
At the time, the Newcastle-based darter made a name for himself by reaching the quarter-finals after wins over Adrian Lewis, Scott Mitchell and Jamie Hughes. Each year thereafter, Dobey has managed to progress further, culminating in his first major TV title at the Masters early this year.
It earned him an invitation to Premier League Darts, where he immediately captured a weekly title at the first week of play in Belfast. “Having that experience in the Premier League was fantastic. I loved every minute of it,” Dobey reflected in conversation with the PDC. “Playing in the biggest arenas has helped my all-round game and made me a more complete player. You’re playing against the best in the world week in week out when you’re in the Premier League, so you know you’ve got to be at your best."
"You have to take your chances because if you miss one or two darts [at double] you get punished, and that’s what happened, but I must be doing something right if I’m bringing the best out of everyone. I didn’t beat myself up and although I didn’t get the results, I felt my game was there and I was happy with how I handled myself."
After his appearances in the Premier League, "Hollywood" has had a very consistent year. He reached the quarter-finals at the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and the European Darts Championship. As a result, Dobey has now climbed to eighteenth position in the world rankings.
So a debut in the world's top-16 is approaching. "I feel like I’ve needed to take that step for a while now, and it’s not too far away,” says 'Hollywood'. “It’s been long overdue, and if I do break into the top 16, hopefully there will be no looking back and I can set myself the next target. I’ve been playing well. My consistency is there, so I definitely feel I have a good run in me. Hopefully it comes in Wolverhampton.”
Perhaps with a good result at the Grand Slam of Darts, Dobey can already secure a spot in the top-16. The Englishman will take on Jonny Clayton, Josh Rock and Berry van Peer in his group.
Dobey rates his chances of surviving the group stage well. ''No games are easy and it’s a very strong group, but I’m ready for the challenge,” he insists. “There is no reason why I cannot go there and top the group. It’s going to be a tough ask, but I’m confident going into it, and I know where my game is at. I think they will be worrying about me more than I am worrying about them.”
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