Dave Chisnall battled to a 6-4 victory over Czechia's Petr Krivka in the opening round of the European Darts Grand Prix, securing a second-round clash with Gerwyn Price on Saturday. In a match that never settled into a rhythm, Chisnall admitted to feeling on edge against an unfamiliar opponent, saying, "I didn't expect him to hit that treble 18 for the 158 because he hit some good finishing. I was a bit poor up there myself, but he scored some big scores at the right time and he had the opportunity, but he missed, thankfully." He added, "We both struggled a little bit, but we both did. We scored good darts at the right time, and lucky for me he missed the double 19 because I had darts at the last and you never know what's going to happen then."
Chisnall emphasized the pressure of ranking money on the European Tour, stating, "There's lots of pressure because we come here to get that first game and build on it. Obviously, like you say, it's ranking money as well, so I'm happy to get a few grand on the rankings." Despite some encouraging Pro Tour form, including three quarter-final runs and a standout display against Martin Schindler, he acknowledged inconsistency on the European Tour stage, saying, "I'm practising well at home, I'm playing some good games on the Pro Tour and not so good on the Euro Tour, but it'll come back sooner or later. You've just got to keep plodding, and that's what I'm doing."
Away from the oche, Chisnall addressed his recent weight loss, dismissing any link to his performances. He joked, "There's no upside. I've lost weight and people say it's good. It's what we're going to do, aren't we? We can't keep fat all the time." Reflecting on past form, he added, "Like I said, I played darts last year when I was pretty poor in the Euro Tours when I was heavier than I am now, so I don't think it's to do with the weight." With the win secured, Chisnall now turns his attention to the high-profile showdown against Gerwyn Price.
