Shocks at World Darts Championship underline growing threat to established elite
Wednesday 20 December 2017 18:03, UK
The 2018 World Darts Championship has got off to a blistering start, with Michael van Gerwen underlining his title credentials and Phil Taylor making a winning start to his farewell campaign.
Nevertheless, the main feature of this year's event has been the number of high-profile seeds crashing out in the opening round.
Ten seeds have been dumped out across the opening six days, compared to last year's figure of six.
There is still some way to go to eclipse the record of 13 seeded casualties from 2006, although five of those who have fallen at the first hurdle are players ranked inside the top 16, which is the joint-highest tally since the field expanded to 64+ players over a decade ago.
Does this indicate that the established names are on the decline, or is it a consequence of the strength in depth throughout the PDC circuit? Sky Sports expert Wayne Mardle believes it's a combination of both.
"It's definitely to do with the strength in depth and the fact that James Wade was struggling coming into this, Chizzy was struggling coming into this," Mardle said. "There are those that people outside the game won't know a lot about, like Jermaine Wattimena.
"What a good player he is and he took care of Joe Cullen, so there's that kind of dynamic going on, but there are too many names, the big-stage players that are not playing well and they are panicking. They really are panicking and they can't arrest that slide."
The three most notable casualties have been players who featured in this year's Premier League - Adrian Lewis, Dave Chisnall and James Wade. Although there's no denying their talent, the trio have struggled to make an impression in major ranking events this year.
Lewis underwent back surgery during the summer but his failure to recapture his form has seen him fall outside the world's top 16, whilst Wade has fallen out of the world's top ten for the first time in over a decade.
Although Chisnall has retained his top-eight status, he's also flattered to deceive. The St Helen's star has failed to go beyond the last 16 in any TV ranking event since last year's World Championship, and Mardle insists the current crop have to re-evaluate where their careers are heading.
"He (Chisnall) and his manager Roger (Schena) have got to take a week out and evaluate the situation and say 'where are we going, what's the plan, what's happening, where do you see yourself?", Mardle added.
"A lot of these players, I am not saying Chizzy in particular, think it is going to last forever and it doesn't. By the age of 38 my competitive career was over. You have that talk with the wife and say 'what am I going to do?'
"A lot of these guys have got to start thinking what is happening to their careers? They are all under so much pressure day in day out to perform. Losing here will drop Dave down the rankings even further.
"You start going out of the top eight and then you have to beat one of the top eight to make the quarter-finals in any event. Is he (Chisnall) playing well enough to beat a top-eight player at the moment? Probably not. He has got to sit down and have a talk."
A lot of these guys have got to start thinking what is happening to their careers? They are all under so much pressure day in day out to perform. Losing here will drop Dave (Chisnall) down the rankings even further.
Despite this, the four-time semi-finalist at the World Championship admitted that mentally it can be extremely tough to stop the rot.
Mardle said: "To stop it is awful, it's impossible at times. Week in week out they're getting beat now, whereas they're used to winning. That's awful; awful for them and they've got to stop it and the only way to stop it is to improve."
"I've been there, I know, talking through experience and you get to that point where everyone is watching them and the scrutiny they're under, the pressure on them to perform before they're even inside the venue. It's too much for some."
However, whilst some seeds have suffered chastening exits, the likes of Van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Raymond van Barneveld, Daryl Gurney and Rob Cross have fired in ton-topping averages to kick off their campaign in style, and Mardle believes the cream will rise to the top.
Mardle said: "I don't see a lot of difference between those outside the top six or seven- from those just inside the top 10 to the top 24, they're beating each other so often. They're losing to absolutely anyone.
"It is really the top six for me, the top five or six that are a different class at the moment. It's one of those World Championships where, expect the unexpected, but once it comes to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, I think it's going to be routine."
Live World Darts Championship
The 2018 World Championship from Alexandra Palace continues on Wednesday night with coverage underway from 7pm on Sky Sports Darts and ending with the final on New Year's Day.
Keep up to date with the news as the PDC celebrates 25 years on Sky Sports. So get all the latest at www.skysports.com/darts and join in the conversation @SkySportsDarts - don't forget to use #LoveTheDarts
Sky Sports Darts can be accessed across TV, online and via mobile and tablet devices with Sky Go. Non-subscribers can either enjoy one or seven days access to the Sky Sports Darts channel and Sky Sports other dedicated channels contract free on TV and a range of devices with NOW TV.
