“We won’t talk about the double 12, because I really did bottle it” – Anderson fuming after perfect leg close call but relieved with victory

Gary Anderson sat visibly exhausted but satisfied in the press room after his third round at the PDC World Darts Championship. The two-time world champion had just come through a real war of attrition against Jermaine Wattimena, edging it 4-3 in sets.

It was a match full of highs and lows, missed chances, relentless scoring, and moments that had the Alexandra Palace crowd on the edge of their seats. Anderson was strikingly candid about his own role in how the tie unfolded. “I bottled it a few times in that game — simple as that,” said the Scot bluntly. “I could have had it wrapped up at 4–1. I think at 3–2 I still had darts to win it at 4–2. Bottled it again — and we won’t talk about the double 12, because I really did bottle it.,” he said, referring to his missed nine-darter.

Yet after seven sets Anderson stood as the winner on stage. He owed that primarily to his formidable scoring power. With fourteen maximums in one match he took his tournament tally to 29. A stat to make many salivate, though Anderson himself stayed grounded. "Jermaine did it at the start," he stated. "I think in the very first set. He was banging them in left, right and centre but missing doubles, which gave me the edge. Towards the end it flipped: I was hitting the 180s, missing doubles, and he was checking out."

That produced a curious dynamic, with both players constantly keeping each other in it. Wattimena, who has made big strides in recent years, played at a rapid pace and kept Anderson under constant pressure. “He's a fantastic player,” Anderson stressed again later. “Very fast. I’d love to play that pace for a whole match, but if I do that, I’m done. It was just darts — no mucking about. That’s how it should be."

Despite the missed chances Anderson’s level was impressive. He again posted a three-figure average, making him only the second player at this Worlds to do that multiple times. Even so, he refuses to declare himself a title contender just yet. “ I can still play — whether I want to or not," he commented. "I’ve got a lot going on now: businesses, young kids, and Ty’s playing darts, so my life’s done. That’s it. I think it’s going to revolve around darts for as long as I live now, with Ty playing. But yeah, it still gives me a buzz."

That relaxed attitude is a sharp contrast to the tension he used to feel. Anderson admitted that in his younger days he could be physically sick with nerves before going on stage. “I used to be ill before going on stage. Properly ill. I needed a bin beside me. But the last four, five, six years, it doesn’t bother me. Now it’s simple: if I win, great. If I lose, I get to go home. Win-win."

That mindset also explains why Anderson is happy to play the role of outsider while the spotlight is mainly on the new generation. Names like Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are routinely named among the favorites. “Let the youngsters do it. I’m just here to cause a headache. I like that," Anderson said. When I was younger, all I wanted was to play Phil Taylor, Ronnie Baxter, Kevin Painter — and I managed to over the years." There was one regret he had. "I played Luke Littler at the Grand Slam last year and I’m still kicking myself. But could have, should have, would have."

The Ally Pally crowd clearly relished it too. Where Scottish players often have a tough time in London, this time there was loud singing for ‘The Flying Scotsman’ from the stands. “That’s great, but it also adds extra pressure,” Anderson admitted. “The atmosphere was fantastic. And well, we Scots take knocks everywhere, so we’re used to it.”

A possible classic awaits in the next round. Anderson could face Michael van Gerwen, with whom he has fought countless epic battles on the Worlds stage. “Michael knows what to expect from me,” Anderson said. “But it’s always the question which Gary turns up. If I can keep my scoring going and tighten up on the doubles, it could be a cracker. Michael might not be constantly at his peak, but he’s still got it. He was in the final just last year.”

That Anderson is still competing at the highest level sometimes seems to surprise him least of all. Age does play a part, he admits. “ I’m bloody old. Fifty-five might not be old to some, but it is when you’re up there playing games like that. At the end of the day, it’s a game. If you don’t do it this year, maybe you do it next year. And if not, it’s your game year. There’s always time.”

A key source of joy is his family, some of whom are at this Worlds. His son Ty, who caught the darts bug at a young age, travels with him whenever possible. “It’s wonderful to have him around,” Anderson said. “I spent years alone in hotel rooms, in Brent Cross, in Islington, you name it. Now it’s chaos, but a good kind of chaos.”

Ty is talented himself too, much to his father’s delight. “His arithmetic is better than mine,” Anderson laughed. “At eleven already. He’s left-handed, he loves the game and I don’t push him. We throw together now and then, but that’s it. Will we ever stand on that stage together? He’ll have to be quick, because by then I’ll be sixty.”

Earlier in the day, Ryan Searle stated that he, Ryan Joyce and Gary Anderson care the least about darts compared to anyone else. He shuts down these rumours. "It’s not that we don’t care. Once that foot goes on the stage, you want to play darts — it’s in the blood. It’s like a boxer sparring versus fight night. Once you’re in the ring, the hunger comes back."