Peter Wright advised to take break from darts as slump hits new low: “He has earned a fortune. He doesn’t need to play, does he?"

Concerns around Peter Wright are mounting after another setback on the floor. At Players Championship 6, the Scot was swept aside 6-0 by David Sharp in the second round. With a 70.77 average, ‘Snakebite’ turned in one of the weakest performances of his professional career.

It was another disappointment in a year that has been difficult for Wright. At the floor events, he has already gone out in the first round four times this season, and he failed to qualify for the first two Euro Tour events.

Former pro Chris Mason sees the struggle continuing and thinks a temporary step back might be the best solution. “Peter Wright must still be playing to a certain level in practice to put himself through this. I mean, he has earned a fortune. He doesn’t need to play, does he? Let’s have that right."

According to Mason, Wright deserves respect for his perseverance, but it’s questionable whether forcing it is the right path. “Fair play to him — many by now would have gone, ‘No, you’re alright. I think I’ll have a little bit of time off.’ Maybe that is the solution for him — just to take himself off on a nice cruise for a couple of weeks and forget about it, then go again.”

Wright himself, however, remains committed to returning to the top. The current world number 33 realizes his performances are below par, but also sees an upside in the reduced attention.

“I suppose so because I’ve been playing rubbish all year. All their eyes are on the two Lukes and Gezzy, so that’s good. I’m surprised anyone wants to talk with Wrighty,” Wright said. “I think I prefer that as well, to be honest. Obviously because I haven’t been performing, so really, the big names are not really looking out for me as a danger, I think."

Still, it nags at him. “Obviously, I feel bad for all my fans, the way I’ve been playing. People don’t realise that. The thing is I’m playing brilliantly in practice and it’s just not coming out on stage at the moment," he concludes. "If I was playing rubbish in practise, then I might be thinking like, wind it down, slowly drop away.”