"If it doesn't happen next year, maybe I'll just call it a day": Beaton considering retirement if resurgence doesn't continue

Steve Beaton will play at his 32nd consecutive World Darts Championship with Danny van Trijp first up before potentially facing Jonny Clayton in the second round.

Beaton saved his Tour Card and sealed his spot mainly due to reaching a final on the ProTour recently and he is relieved to have done both.

"I'm so relieved that I'm in it. It's been a tough year and I'm looking forward to it now," said Beaton to Tungsten Tales.

"Covid got me out of the top 32 due to all the tournaments I was trying to defend so I've been fighting my way back up and say I'd start a fresh and see how it goes this year. The main thing was to keep my Tour Card and then obviously try to qualify for the World's again and I've done both."

"Once you drop out of the 32 and you start dropping down the rankings, you're going to get tougher draws. It was the matter of getting through them games and taking those opportunities really."

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A mainstay in TV tournaments over the years, this has slowly decreased and he said there will be a point if he can't continue his resurgence where he could retire.

"I do miss all the TV ones, the Grand Prix, the Matchplay. I used to be in all of them. It is hard to sit at home and watch them but it's my own fault. I got myself in this position so I've got to get myself out of it and if it doesn't happen next year, maybe I'll just call it a day. See what happens really."

Last year, he faced Fallon Sherrock and was relieved not to get the Queen of the Palace or Beau Greaves or Lisa Ashton with a record breaking three female players involved at the Palace.

"There was three of them in it this year and sitting there fingers crossed. I played Fallon last year, I don't want Beau Greaves or Lisa Ashton or even Fallon again and well done to Mardle and Webster for not pulling me out."