"In every situation, everybody has a breaking point": Paul Nicholson has sympathy for Gerwyn Price after sudden ProTour walkout

After Gerwyn Price abandoned his match against Brendan Dolan on Monday in Players Championship 1 and decided against turning up for Players Championship 2 on Tuesday, darts player and pundit Paul Nicholson believes more sympathy should have been sent Price's way.

While both tournaments were held at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan, it is understood that many players felt it was too cold, and for Price the 'amateur conditions' simply weren't up to scratch for the events to be worth his time.

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Gerwyn Price has pulled out midway through today's Players Championship event in Wigan ❌

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Social media was heavily critical of the withdrawal, but Nicholson sees Price's criticism as overstepping the mark.

In an article for Sporting Life, he said: "I’m not going to criticise Gerwyn Price one bit. It happens in other sports - including Ronnie O'Sullivan famously walking off in snooker - and people will always question it. But in every situation, everyone has a breaking point, don't they?

"If there are rules in place where walking away from a game without a perceived legitimate reason is fineable by the Darts Regulation Authority, then that's entirely their business. He made a decision in the heat of battle that he thought was right at the time and we've all been in that position before."

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"I couldn’t breathe, it was ridiculously hot today" - Michael Smith aims jibe at Gerwyn Price after sudden ProTour withdrawal

Given the particularly thin metal roof at the centre, weather extremities such as freezing temperatures, heatwaves and rain storms can cause conditions to be challenging.

For example, Nicholson reflected on Minehead in 2018 at the UK Open when conditions were so that matches had to be played behind closed doors at temperatures of minus-one.

He said: "Everyone just had to get on with it. Mark Walsh had a hoodie on but Mickey Mansell got fined for wearing a beenie hat to stay warm! In the rules, you're only allowed to wear a hat for religious reasons.

"Price could get fined for this but let's look at the bigger picture. Were the conditions that bad? Ask the players. Ask the tournament director, the Pro Tour manager. Let's just have a little bit of understanding here."

While we are yet to know if Price will be fined for the decision, he was criticised heavily on social media for his choice and with the Premier League set to kick off in Glasgow tonight, it is likely he will receive a hefty reception from the crowd.

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Paul @TheAsset180 Nicholson is firmly in Gerwyn Price's corner after he walked out mid-match in Wigan while he also tells the unusual story of how Mickey Mansell got fined in sub-zero temperatures...

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