Daryl Gurney: Winning the World Matchplay would be like winning the World Championship

Paddy Power News: (PPN): You got to semi-finals at the Premier League, was that kind of a successful campaign in your eyes?

Daryl Gurney (DG): Oh definitely, In my first year I thought if I can avoid relegation – I’m doing well. I always try to do better than I did in previous years, so this year for me was all about the top four.

I couldn’t get into the practice room before I played in the Premier League finals. I  usually do 90 minutes to two and a half hours, two nights leading up to the Premier League.

In two days I got 20 minutes and that’s why I struggled in that game against Michael van Gerwen. I felt like I didn’t have enough preparation going into that match.

PPN: You’ve said before that you can be quite a negative thinker, is that a kind of a motivation thing to push on and keep going?

DG: It’s good in one way that I don’t think I’m better than I am. I always do the same practice that I did when I was 120th in the world rankings, to what I am now. It keeps my feet firmly on the ground, keeps me working hard at it. I don’t get lazy at practising. I still always do my two hours every night. When I’m on my own – it’s more like four hours.

I know I’ve won a few Majors but I still want to win more. I’d love to be World champion one day.

PPN: You were a semi-finalist in the Matchplay before – what would it mean to you to go that couple of steps further and win it?

DG: It would be like winning the World Championships – I don’t think there’s really much between them. If I won this I’d feel like a World Champion.

To go down on the winners list with all the greats would be a dream come true.

PPN: What’s it like to play at the Winter Gardens? 

DG: It’s iconic and one of the hardest places to play because of the way the ballroom is situated. It’s domed and there always seems to be a lot of heat in the venue – when the crowd arrives it’s very, very warm – even if if it’s raining outside.

I had sweat beads on my head in my last game against Ricky Evans.

PPN: You were very unlucky to go out last year in the Champions League.  Have you  unfinished business with that tournament especially with what happened last year?

DG: No, not really. I was happy I won two games and that was my plan, win two games at least anyway and give myself the chance to get through and I did that.

Gary Anderson beat MvG by taking out an outrageous 140 finish when the match was at 9-9 with Michael waiting on a double.

This year it might happen the opposite way for me, I may look like I’m getting eliminated and another result puts me back in. Hopefully, I’ll get a little back of luck that way but unfinished business? No.

It was great playing against the other seven best players in the world; I won two games against quality players and was beaten by the World No. 1 and multiple world champion MvG. I really couldn’t complain about it.