“It doesn’t get the energy going”: Gerwyn Price reaches Grand Slam semis but isn’t convinced by new walk-on

Gerwyn Price is into a fourth Grand Slam of Darts semi-final after a commanding 16-9 victory over Ricky Evans, but the three-time champion admitted afterwards that he’s still not fully sold on his new walk-on track.

The Iceman has temporarily ditched Ice Ice Baby for Gerry Cinnamon’s Discoland, yet the volume, he says, just isn’t hitting the mark.

“It doesn’t really get played as loud as I want and it doesn’t really get the energy going,” Price said in his post-match press conference after dispatching Evans. “So when I’m up there, I’m like: just give a little bit, get the crowd going, get the energy going, get my heart pumping, and then I seem to play all right.”

It didn’t hurt him too much on Friday night. Price averaged 99.4, survived Evans’ barrage of ten 180s, and stayed in control for practically the whole tie as he booked a showdown with Luke Humphries for a place in the final.

Evans should have been far closer, far earlier. He started with four 180s in the opening session but missed seven darts at double as Price stormed into a 4-1 lead. Even Price admitted the damage was done early.

“I thought I played pretty decent,” he said. “I slipped up in a couple of legs and kept Ricky in, but maybe I could have won another three, four, five legs in that game.”

His level rose further in the seventh leg when he threw seven perfect darts before cleaning up on tops for a 12-darter. His average climbed above 101, his lead stretched to 5-2, and by the second interval he looked completely in control.

Price broke again for 7-3, punishing Evans’ doubles while maintaining a steady 43% himself. As Evans’ maximum tally continued to climb, Price simply refused to buckle.

Evans finally found some scoring rhythm mid-match, dragging the deficit back to 7-5 with a 101+ average of his own. But Price quelled that surge instantly, producing a superb 116 checkout for 9-6 before pushing clear once again with another break.

Asked how he kept his composure with Evans regularly firing in 180s, Price said he actually prefers a bit of pressure. “I’m always a bit edgy in that game, but I prefer that because it keeps me on my toes,” he explained. “Ricky would hit a 180 out of the blue and put me under pressure, but seven, eight, nine times out of ten, I was hitting it.”

He moved 12-7 up after pinning 59, was briefly pegged back after missing two darts for a six-leg cushion, but then broke again on double six to reach the brink of victory. A clinical 101 finish sealed a place in the final four.

Price has never reached a Grand Slam semi-final without going on to lift the trophy. He didn’t even realise that stat. “To be honest, I didn’t even know that,” he laughed. “But I am a bit superstitious, so that’s nice to know.”

The Welshman insists he still has far more to give. “I’m probably playing at 60–70%. There’s a lot more in the tank. My scoring game isn’t there at its highest peak. My checking out game is decent, but it can be a lot better. I think I’ve got at least 40–50% left.”

Considering he hasn’t been pushed hard in the knockouts yet, the warning signs for the rest of the field are clear.

Price will face Luke Humphries on Saturday after the world champion demolished Michael Smith in the night’s other quarter-final. Both Humphries and Smith have been dealing with niggling injuries, but Price couldn’t be less concerned.

“I don’t care how they’re injured or if they’re playing brilliant,” he said. “I never worry about the other player. I concentrate on my own game. They have to deal with whatever they’ve got to deal with.”

He also reiterated why the Grand Slam is the event where he tends to feel most at home. “The first game for me is always the toughest one. I slipped up against Ricky in the groups, but luckily here you’ve got a second life. That’s maybe why I love this tournament. You can just play yourself in.”

After Wolverhampton, the calendar shifts to the Players Championship Finals, another prize that has eluded Price despite topping the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

“I haven’t won that tournament yet, which I want to win,” he said. “I’m the number one seed, so hopefully I can live up to that and lift the trophy. Two more tournaments left at the end of the year and then a bit of a break.”

For now, though, all eyes are on Humphries vs Price in a blockbuster semi-final between two players who look ready to peak at the perfect moment.

Price may not be convinced by his new walk-on song, but everything else about his game is starting to sound exactly right.