Peter Wright has opened up about his recent darting struggles and a renewed perspective after a strong performance at the UK Open in Minehead. The experienced Scot ended his opening day with a win over Cameron Menzies, describing it as a duel of constant pressure and heavy scoring. "We were just hitting each other with steady scores, loads of 180s and stuff like that," Wright told DartsNews.com. "Every time I hit a 180, I followed it, which was a bonus. It was nice to see that I can still do it."
Wright admitted the past two seasons have been disappointing, with a run of poor results seeing him slip down the rankings. He even briefly considered retirement, saying, "Yeah, I did for a little while." However, he has since shifted his focus from obsessing over averages and wins to appreciating his achievements, which include 49 titles, two world championships, a European championship, and a Matchplay title. "I've just started to reason: what other players behind me have won that?" he said. This new mentality helps him move past bad days, like a recent 70 average, which he now dismisses with, "Crap happens."
The former world champion also addressed the tough phase of being an elite athlete in decline, noting how perceptions change. "It's horrible when people go, 'Oh, I want to draw him because he's playing rubbish,'" Wright revealed, comparing his situation to Glen Durrant's difficult spell. Despite this, he remains an inspiration, with Menzies describing himself as a fan after their match. Wright added meaning to the moment by recalling he used to play darts with Menzies' father in Ayrshire, who was in attendance recovering from a heart attack.
At 56 next week, Wright joked about his evolving persona, saying, "I'm not dancing across the stage as much because I'm old" and quipping he might "come on with a Zimmer frame." He emphasized his love for the sport and the professional players around him, and while his wife wanted him to retire five years ago, he's not done yet. "I haven't earned enough money to retire yet, so I need to pull my socks up," Wright stated, adding he now practises more than ever because he's enjoying it. With targets of reaching 50 or even 55 titles before retirement, he's taking each game as it comes, ready to face Danny Noppert in the fifth round.
