After a relatively quiet period in terms of darts, it all begins again with tournaments most weekends until the World Championship and for Wayne Mardle, he sees Peter Wright as the man to beat going into the Alexandra Palace.
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"Peter Wright is on an absolute roll. He has been a constant since the Premier League, because I remember saying about Peter that unlike him, it was inconsistent in that event, but since then he's worked hard on his game and he's put it right," Mardle told Sky Sports.
"A lot of people can kind of wilt when they reach 50, look at Raymond van Barneveld, look at Phil Taylor, not that he wilted, but he was finding it tough."
He also believes that the health of his wife, Jo improving has also helped him mentally and made him even more fired up.
"Peter is not finding it physically tough or mentally tiring but I believe he's had a real fillip in the last few months and that's his wife Jo. She's now had an operation on her back and although she's not 100 per cent, she's getting there and I think that has given Peter a new lease of life and a new buoyancy about life in general.
"We know if you're happy in life, you're also happy in whatever hobby, sport, or any job and Peter Wright at the moment is without doubt the man to beat."
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
Michael van Gerwen needs to find some consistency, but Peter Wright is the man to beat in the second half of the season. Here's @Wayne501Mardle thoughts 🎯👇