Peter Wright should be allowed to walk away from the sport on his own terms, according to former pro Mark Webster.
The two-time world champion has managed just one tour victory this year and has slipped outside the top 32 after a difficult spell of form.
At 55, Wright has already been urged by some pundits to step away from the oche and take a break. However, Webster believes stepping back is not a simple solution — even if he admits time could be catching up with the Scot.
Speaking on the Love the Darts Podcast, Webster said: “It is concerning, the performance level of Peter Wright.
“He’s won one game on tour this year and he’s finding it really tough.
“You have to keep playing through it. Ideally, it would be nice to take a break, but the game moves on quickly and you get left behind.
“You’re constantly competing and staying in the process — but where does it go from here?
“This hasn’t happened overnight. It’s been coming for a couple of years.
“For Peter, maybe it is approaching the end of his career.”
Wright is back in action on Friday afternoon at the UK Open, where he faces Darius Labanauskas in the third round.
The Scot lifted the title in 2017 — his first major crown — but has not advanced beyond the sixth round since.
Webster added: “Minehead holds special memories for him. Winning his first major there is something he can draw on.
“He needs to string a few rounds together, rebuild some confidence and then see where it takes him for the rest of the season.
“In terms of winning the whole thing, he probably knows he’s not at that level right now.
“He’ll be frustrated because nothing seems to be clicking.
“When he was winning, changing equipment was seen as innovation. Now, because results aren’t there, it looks desperate.
“He just needs to rediscover some rhythm and balance in his game — otherwise he risks drifting off the Tour.
“He’s had a fantastic career, Peter Wright, and you’d like to see him step away on his own terms.”
Comments are closed.