Gerwyn Price has insisted he is close to returning to his expected level after a pair of frustrating Players Championship outings followed months of Premier League travel and weekly stage action. The Welshman was not coming back from inactivity – Price reached Finals Night at The O2, lost 10-9 to Luke Littler in the semi-finals, and won Premier League nights in Antwerp and Manchester during a demanding campaign across Europe.
The issue, by his own admission, was rhythm. Premier League darts brings one high-pressure match night each week. The Players Championship circuit asks something different, with full days on the floor and repeated matches needed to build momentum. Price made that point after his latest ProTour block, where he was beaten in the second round at one event and the third round at the other. “Two days that was definitely needed,” Price wrote on Instagram. “Not the results I wanted, but the practice after one game a week for nearly four months.”
The wider picture around Price’s 2026 season is more layered than a simple form dip. He has already had major stage highs this year, including those Premier League night wins, and also claimed the European Darts Grand Prix title in Sindelfingen earlier in the season. The Players Championship circuit gives little time to settle. Multiple matches can arrive in quick succession, and a player has to find scoring, finishing and match sharpness across a full day rather than one scheduled stage match.
Price’s message after the latest floor events was still clear. He expects the next block of tournaments to move him closer to his usual level. “A few more ProTours and Euro events and I’ll be back where I should be,” he added. Price’s next chance comes this weekend at the Slovak Darts Open in Bratislava, the ninth European Tour event of the season. He signed off his Instagram post with attention already turning to that assignment: “Onto the Euro Tour at the weekend.”
