Ricky Evans qualified for 2025 PDC World Darts Championships through the skin of the teeth. The 34-year-old Englishman managed to book a ticket to Alexandra Palace only at the last minute. “Rapid” will kick off the World Darts Championships on Wednesday, December 18. In the first round he will face Australian Gordon Mathers. If he wins, there will be a showdown with sixth seed Dave Chisnall.
Evans had never made it past the third round in nine previous World Darts Championship appearances, which was also his end last year following a 4-2 defeat to Daryl Gurney. Nevertheless, Evans also has fond memories of Alexandra Palace, where he often appeared on stage in special Christmas costumes in the past.
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“I’ll probably take a few props with me to Ally Pally. If this brings people to my page, you never know, I might need them in the last set,” laughs Evans in an interview with Online darts. “I’m always excited to come back. I always say that every year it’s all about getting to Ally Pally and of course I did it because I’ve done enough.”
“It’s probably one of the best years I’ve ever played personally. The results just haven’t moved forward and it’s just a testament to everyone else because the standards are mental these days,” the lightning-fast pitcher continued. “I’m down 6-5 with a 96 average and I got to that point in tournaments where I thought if I cut a few legs my average would be lower and maybe I’d win. Really, it’s been on my mind and it’s bothering me.”
Ricky Evans in action at this year’s UK Open
Evans sees another reason that prevents him from achieving success. “I believe that if I lose a lot of weight, a few shirt sizes, I will probably win things. It’s a long day on the Pro Tours, and when I get back to Europe, and that’s my goal, the last days of the European Tours you play four matches a day,” he explains. “I come off the stage and I’m sweating. Look Luke Humphrieshe has lost so much and it seems that not a single drop of sweat has fallen on his head. The idea is that maybe if I lost a little weight, did the right things at the right time, away from darts, maybe that would help me.”
