Scott Williams 2025 begins PDC World Darts Championships on Thursday, December 19. “Shaggy” will face German Niko Springer in the opening round at Alexandra Palace. If he wins, he will face former world champion Rob Cross in the second round.
Williams, of course, caused a sensation at last year’s World Darts Championships, reaching the semi-finals as an unseeded player. He defeated the likes of Danny Noppert, Martin Schindler, Damon Heta and Michael van Gerwen along the way before ultimately falling into the semi-finals after a 6-0 defeat to the eventual world champion Luke Humphries. That’s why the 34-year-old Englishman can’t wait to return to Alexandra Palace.
“Last year was very good and obviously Luke Littler was the main story, but in anyone else I was the big guy. It doesn’t bother me that I’m not the big guy for a change,” he says Online darts with a smile. “I like being the center of attention, I like doing things to make myself known, but what he has done for this sport is just different. He raised the bar.”
Williams was one of the stars of the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship
Despite his brilliance at last year’s world championships, Williams is currently only 37th in the PDC Order of Merit rankings. “The form on the court is OK, as far as average is concerned. This year I won more games than last year on the court, I played more Euro Tour tournaments, the problem is that everyone around me is in the same situation, they were just a little bit better,” he says. “Obviously there’s Mike de Decker who won his first major, Richie Edhouse who won his first major, there’s Martin Lukeman who made his first final. So there are a lot of different players in my area, which means I’m just not stepping up, which is what I should be doing.
Williams also recalls his semi-final disappointment against Humphries at the previous World Championships. “I showed him too much respect. I like him too much. But every other match I was happy to be an asshole,” he recalled. “That’s what it’s all about. But yes, I have to be ruthless.”
