A darts star has revealed a very real Christmas dilemma after producing one of the biggest shocks of the World Darts Championship, admitting his festive plans are now hanging in the balance.
The upset came at the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, where Dutch outsider Wesley Plaisier stunned former world champion Gerwyn Price with a straight-sets 3–0 victory.
Price, the 2021 world champion, arrived in north London confident of mounting another title challenge, making the result one of the most surprising of the tournament so far. But it was Plaisier who seized the big moments, breaking throw at crucial stages and holding his nerve under intense crowd pressure to claim the biggest win of his career.
Speaking after the match, the 35-year-old admitted that his unexpected run has thrown his Christmas plans into doubt.
“I didn’t expect this at all,” Plaisier said. “I had everything planned for Christmas at home, but now I don’t know what’s happening anymore. That’s a good problem to have.”
The Dutchman, who famously balances darts with his day job as a forklift truck driver, said he had only hoped to make the match competitive.
“I was just hoping to win a set or two and give him a good game,” he explained. “To beat Gerwyn like that… I still can’t believe it.”
Plaisier also opened up about handling the hostile atmosphere inside Ally Pally as the crowd rallied behind the former world champion.
“I expected the boos in the last set,” he admitted. “Gerwyn is a big name and people want the big players to go far. I just tried to stay calm and focus on my doubles.”
The shock win not only sent Price crashing out early but also ensured Plaisier’s festive period would now be spent at the Palace rather than at home. Victory in his next match would further boost his ranking prospects and confirm his place among the sport’s rising stories.
For now, though, the Dutchman is simply enjoying the moment — even if it means Christmas plans may have to wait.
