“My daughter is quite severe, she’s registered as visually impaired” – Ryan Searle hopes to raise money and awareness for hereditary eye condition during Ally Pally run
PDC
Ryan Searle produced the biggest result of his career at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship, reaching the semi-finals for the first time with a 5–2 victory over Jonny Clayton. The contest was tense and scrappy at times, but when the pressure peaked, Searle held his nerve, particularly on the doubles, and that proved decisive.
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“It feels special,” Searle said afterwards. “Me and Jonny didn’t play particularly well there, but I felt that in the highest-pressure moments I was finding some really good finishes.”
A crucial 111 as the turning point
One of those moments came with a 111 checkout to move 4–1 clear. “The 111 to go 4–1 up was a massive moment because he was starting to come back,” Searle explained. “With the ranking money on the line, it puts a lot of pressure on you and it’s hard to perform under that.”
That pressure, he admitted, made it difficult to play freely. “It’s hard to deal with, especially when you expect more from your opponent and from yourself,” he said. “But I’m proud of myself for getting over the line.”
Statistically, Searle’s finishing stood out. Checking out at 57 percent, he underlined his reputation as one of the circuit’s most reliable closers. “That’s tournament-winning finishing,” he said. “I don’t know my overall stats, but they must be near 50 percent.”
Even so, he remained self-critical. “I just need to up my scoring a bit,” Searle added. “Backstage I’ve been hitting trebles for fun, but it didn’t quite happen out there. Pressure can do that to you.”
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Breaking into the world elite
The win also carried major ranking implications, lifting Searle into the world’s top eight for the first time. “Obviously it’s a proud moment,” he said. “Do I feel like I deserve it just off one tournament run? I’m not sure.”
He acknowledged how the current prize-money structure can accelerate progress. “With the money the way it is now, that’s what can happen,” Searle said. “We’ll see where we go from here.”
That new status could open doors, including potential World Series invitations. “It would be nice,” he admitted. “But we’ll see what happens.”
Despite being just two wins away from the world title, Searle refused to look too far ahead. “No, not yet,” he said. “I’ve got two really tough games left and potentially the toughest of all against Luke Littler if he gets past Krzysztof. If Luke wins, I’m probably not expected to win that game, and that can help lift the pressure.”
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Ryan Searle faces Luke Littler in the semi-finals
Pressure like never before
Asked whether the match carried more pressure than previous finals, Searle was clear. “I would say so, yeah, because of where we are and what’s on the line,” he said.
He knew exactly what defeat would have meant. “I knew if I lost today I’d be world number 13,” Searle explained. “Being comfortably in the top 16 now helps a lot. I know where I stand and that’s a big help.”
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Premier League? Maybe one day
With his ranking rising, Searle has been mentioned as a possible Premier League Darts outsider. He remains realistic. “I’ve said privately that the Premier League is something I’d like to do once, just to say I’ve done it,” he said.
Pointing to Chris Dobey’s path last year, Searle added with a smile: “I’m not sure if my face fits. Look at me. That’s as simple as that.” Still, if the call came, there would be no hesitation. “If they ask me, I’d snap their hand off.”
Family, inspiration and perspective
Family support has been a recurring theme throughout Searle’s tournament. “I travel around Europe and the UK on my own a lot, so having them there means a lot,” he said. Even small boosts matter. “It might only be one or two percent, but at this level that can make a difference.”
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A deeply personal aspect of his run has been his openness about his eyesight. Searle lives with a hereditary visual condition that also affects his children. “My daughter’s is quite severe and she’s registered as visually impaired,” he said.
Using his platform to raise awareness has become a priority. “ViaPlay have been brilliant and have helped raise around €15,000 so far,” Searle said. “That could be huge for the charity and I’m really proud of that.”
His condition can even affect matches themselves. “Sometimes I have to ask the caller what I’ve scored, which can put me in a difficult position,” he explained. “But if I can inspire people with similar issues to pick up darts and give it a go, that means a lot.”
Growing crowd support, staying himself
The Alexandra Palace crowd has increasingly taken to Searle, chanting his name as he closed out the win. He believes the reason is simple. “I think I’m just a bit different,” he said. “I get on with the game and don’t mess around.”
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As for preparing for the semi-final, his plan is straightforward. “I’m going to chill out, get some food, watch the last episode of Stranger Things,” Searle smiled. “Maybe have a little throw. We’ll see.”
Kieran WoodDarts Journalist
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
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- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026
- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
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