VIDEO | "I was going to quit darts at the beginning of last year, but the wife said no" - Martin Lukeman honest about past struggles
PDC
Martin Lukeman has qualified for the second round of the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship. The 39-year-old Englishman recovered from a set down to defeat Indian qualifier Nitin Kumar 3-1 in his opening match and now gets to take on 21st-seeded Andrew Gilding.
Lukeman still lost the first set, but then won three sets in a row to eventually prevail quite comfortably 3-1. "I'm through, that's the main objective. I just need to get through," Lukeman said when speaking to the assembled darts media afterwards. "I've not been feeling well the last week, I've been down in the dumps. But listen, I got the job done today, so I can get some practice in now."
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Lukeman reached the final at the Grand Slam of Darts a month ago. As such, he understanbly comes to the Ally Pally high on confidence. "How many outsiders have there been this year? Or how many outsiders have gone far? Jermaine Wattimena, myself, Ritchie Edhouse, Mike de Decker, so why not? (Go deep at the World Championship ed.)," Lukeman asks. "It's an open game now. If the two Lukes go out, it's game on!"
Away from the board though, Lukeman has had more serious things to worry about, nearly bringing the Englishman to an early darting retirement. "The wife's got massive operation tomorrow. So I'm going have to look after her, cook her dinner. But we'll get through," he explains. "I was going to quit darts at the beginning of last year, but the wife said no."
Lukeman will take on Andrew Gilding in the second round. "I know what to expect, he's methodical, but a quality player," Lukeman previews. "But I'll beat Gilding and then come back after Christmas."
