"My mum and dad must think I’m a refugee or something, they must think, ‘Who are you?’ because I’m never at home": Ricky Evans tired of living out of a suitcase

Ricky Evans has been on the PDC circuit for almost fifteen years. Despite the lack of a tournament win, the 35-year-old Englishman has established himself as a respected figure on the Pro Tour. Evans is also hugely popular with fans, mainly thanks to his spectacular walk-ons.

Evans is never short of a joke and in recent years has consistently taken to the World Darts Championship stage dressed as Santa Claus. The Alexandra Palace crowd loved it and ‘Rapid Ricky’ became a cult figure.

Behind the humour, however, lies a more serious side. Evans spoke candidly about the harsh reality of life on tour, especially for players outside the absolute elite. “I’m playing a lot more darts than most people do,” he explained to Tungsten Tales. “But I’m knackered.” He doesn’t just mean physical fatigue. “I’m always in the suitcase. My mum and dad must think I’m a refugee or something, they must think, ‘Who are you?’ because I’m never at home.”

For players outside the world’s top tier, that workload is even tougher. “I can’t imagine what the Humphries and the Gezzys are like, because they’ve got their own houses as well. It’s a hard game when you’re travelling.”

While top players sometimes deliberately choose to rest, Evans doesn’t have that luxury. The need to collect ranking points and qualify for major tournaments compels him to keep playing. “If I was in their situation, I’d pull out. I’d say, ‘No, I don’t want to play this anymore,’ but I can’t,” he admitted.

His aims are clear: qualification for big stages like the Worlds at Alexandra Palace and possibly a late run at other majors. “I need to get to Ally Pally,” he said. “I’ve never missed one event in the 13 years I’ve been a tour card holder.”

He added with typical honesty: “That just shows how rubbish I am, because I’ve never won one!” Even so, he keeps the faith. “I believe if I missed an event, that could be the day I win one. That’s my stupid head for you.”

Despite all the fatigue, doubt, and frustration, one thing remains constant: his love for darts. “I love darts. That’s the reason I’m here,” said Evans. And when he heard that he could still take part in the tournament in Wieze last weekend, after other players withdrew, the decision was made quickly. “As soon as I got told last week, my manager was like, ‘You’re booked, Brussels, you’re in. Boom, straight in.’”

He added: “It’s a free shot, isn’t it? Because I didn’t qualify.” Evans ultimately reached the second round at the Belgian Darts Open, where he lost 6–5 to Ryan Searle.