Chris Dobey has made a strong start to the European Darts Grand Prix, securing a convincing win over compatriot Andrew Gilding with a 98 average, sharp doubling, and even throwing seven perfect darts. Dobey admitted it could have been even more spectacular, saying, "It could have been better if the nine-darter had gone in, but as I said on stage, the adrenaline got to me. The crowd were brilliant, and you kind of need to judge that for next time. But yeah, I'm happy with the performance. I played well, and it was a tough game." He now advances to face Gerwyn Price in the next round.
Reflecting on his unique opponent, Dobey noted Gilding's unorthodox style and unflappable demeanor, which can disrupt players' flow. "Everybody's got their own style, and his is very different to anyone else's. I found it hard to adjust to when I first started playing him quite a lot of years ago, but I gradually got used to it and learned to deal with it a lot better," Dobey said. He added, "Take nothing away from him – he's a fantastic player. I wouldn't change anything about him. He's got a great action, it's his own style. Not many people like it, but it's the way he throws. He's a fantastic player, and a good lad as well."
Dobey enters the tournament with boosted confidence after winning Players Championship 9 earlier in the week, though he lost in the quarter-finals the following day. "Yeah, of course you do. When you're playing good stuff, you've got to bring that with you. I'm coming in here in good form. I probably could have done a bit better in the next one – I lost in the quarter-finals the following day – but yeah, I'm coming in with good form. It's about time I proved it and got one of these won," he stated. A European Tour victory remains a key missing piece in his career, and Dobey emphasized, "Yeah, I think that is the next step – winning on the European Tour. You want to compete with the elite, you want to win a major, a European Tour, and Players Championship titles."
With Luke Humphries and Luke Littler absent from the event, Dobey acknowledged the opportunity but stressed the depth of talent on tour. "Yeah, I think everybody feels the same. It's nice when they're in the tournament as well, because if you win it with them there, you know you've done a great job," he said. However, he added, "But there are so many good players – it's not just the two Lukes." Dobey highlighted Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen, and Gian van Veen as other top contenders, particularly praising Van Veen: "He's number three in the world and doesn't get talked about as much as he should, because he's a fantastic player." He concluded, "Whoever's missing, you've got to take your opportunity, and hopefully my weekend is this weekend."
