"I'm battling myself and not playing the player": Darting demons affecting Wright after escaping in World Series opener

Peter Wright was again slightly below par in his victory over Darren Penhall to kick off his New South Wales Darts Masters campaign. Despite escaping with the win, the scrappy nature of his performances continues to frustrate 'Snakebite'.

Having been trailing 2-0 early on, Wright roared back to take six straight legs and seal the victory. "I got away with it. Darren didn't play like he can. He let me off hitting too many 60s just like I did last week," Wright told Online Darts post-match rather glumly. "My points are too long and I don't think I brought a point changer. They're just kicking to the right and I'm battling with myself and not playing the player. I'm just getting annoyed with myself."

"Last week I felt good even though I was getting battered. I thought I could still come back and win but there was a little bit of wind on stage that affected my darts," Wright continues, referencing his first-round defeat to Jonny Tata in the New Zealand Darts Masters. "This week no excuses apart from the points being too long."

Nevertheless, a win is a win and Wright marches into the quarter-final in Wollongong, keeping his hopes alive of another World Series of Darts success. "My practice is going good. I know I can beat anybody," Wright concludes defiantly.