THE PDC World Darts Championship has reached the semi-finals TONIGHT!
Though top seed Gerwyn Price will not be playing, and he has even appeared to say he is QUITTING the Ally Pally tournament after crashing out.
Price was forced to wear EAR DEFENDERS in his one-sided loss to Gabriel Clemens to drown out the boos.
Price wrote on Instagram: “Not sure I will ever play in this event again.”
Tonight’s crunch semi-finals see Michael van Gerwen face Belgium’s No 1 Dimitri van den Bergh, and home favourite Michael Smith against Clemens.
- Start time: From 7.40pm
- TV channel/ live stream: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Darts
- Semi-finals: Smith vs Clemens (7.40pm) / Van Gerwen vs Van den Bergh (9.10pm)
PDC World Darts Championship betting tips, sign up offers and free bets
Follow ALL of the latest updates from Ally Pally below…
- Kostas Lianos
Instagram posts deleted
Gerwyn Price has deleted every Instagram post just hours after crashing out of the World Darts Championship.
Price was thrashed by Gabriel Clemens in what proved a bizarre evening at Ally Pally.
That's because when trailing 4-1, the Welshman wore big ear defenders in the fifth set to drown out the noise coming from the crowd.
The world No1 then reacted to the result by threatening to never play at the showpiece event again.
But Price has since taken further action by getting rid of Instagram stories and removing every post from his account
- Kostas Lianos
More on Van Gerwen
Michael van Gerwen’s tactics were jeered by those in attendance at Ally Pally as former players and fans slammed the 33-year-old.
Commentator and ex-Belgian darts player Erik Clarys said: “It's so disrespectful.
"It's like saying to your opponent: go ahead, you can't do it anyway.
“When such a great player does something like that, it should be punished every time”
- Kostas Lianos
Michael van Gerwen slammed
Michael van Gerwen was labelled “disrespectful” after his checkout snub during his clash with Mensur Suljovic by Wayne Mardle.
Mardle said: "He's not going for it, he thinks someone averaging 101 is not going to take out 161.”
Mardle continued: “That is insane, that is insane.
“Look at his face, look at his face. That is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen”
Credit: Rex
- Kostas Lianos
More darts schedule
Here is how you can watch tonight's match and tomorrow's final at 8pm:
The PDC Darts World Championship will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK.
While DAZN will be showing the event in countries such as Germany , Austria and Switzerland
- Kostas Lianos
Get your fix
The PDC Darts World Championship is approaching its business end at Ally Pally.
Here is tonight's scheduled match:
Monday January 2 (1930 GMT)
2x Semi-FinalsMichael Smith vs Gabriel Clemens (from 7.40pm)
Dimitri van den Bergh vs Michael van Gerwen (from 9.10pm) - Kostas Lianos
Gerwyn Price reacts
An emotional Gerwyn Price took a swipe at the Ally Pally fans as he threatened to call time on his darts career and boycott the 2024 Worlds.
Price posted on Instagram: “So frustrating, you play all year round, preparing for this one tournament.
“So gutted I wasn’t let play but good luck everyone left in.
“Not sure I will ever play in this event again"
- Kostas Lianos
Ear we throw
Gerwyn Price cancelled out the noise of the Ally Pally boo-boys – but was ultimately silenced by Gabriel Clemens.
In one of the most bizarre sights in the 30-year history of the PDC World Darts Championship, Price wore EAR DEFENDERS for one set of this incredible quarter-final tie.
The 37-year-old is regularly targeted by darts fans, who jeer his throws at key moments, and he put on headphones that are used by industrial workers to drown out the punters' abuse.
Earphones and headphones, in general, are forbidden during tournament match play but the Iceman applied for and received special permission from the PDC beforehand to wear the contraption often seen on air traffic controllers and he felt he had nothing to lose at 3-1 down.
Yet the tactic – which made him look like one of the Cyberman out of Doctor Who – failed to work as he was booted out 5-1 by the outsider Clemens
Credit: Rex - Nick Emms
Down to the final four at Ally Pally
Welcome to the semi-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship – but top seed Gerwyn Price will NOT be playing.
Michael Smith vs Gabriel Clemens and Michael van Gerwen vs Dimitri van den Bergh contest tonight’s semi-finals.
The Iceman Price crashed out of the tournament last night, suffering a one-sided 5-1 loss to Clemens.
And Price has since appeared to QUIT the Alexandra Palace tournament in the aftermath of his defeat.
Price – who wore EAR-DEFENDERS to block out the boos – wrote on Instagram: “So frustrating, you play all year round, preparing for this one tournament. So gutted I wasn’t let play but good luck everyone left in.
“Not sure I will ever play in this event again.”
Home favourite Smith vs Price’s conqueror Clemens opens up proceedings tonight before Van Gerwen faces Van den Bergh.
Three-time winner van Gerwen was in scintillating form as he battered Chris Dobey 5-0 to reach the semi-finals last night.
Stick with us here on SunSport as we bring you ALL of the latest build-up to tonight’s semi-finals here…
- James Orr
Tonight's semi-finals
Home favourite Michael Smith vs Gabriel Clemens kicks things off from 7.40pm.
Before three-time winner Michael van Gerwen takes on Belgium No 1 Dimitri van den Bergh at around 9.10pm.
All in all a couple of crackers right here!
Credit: PA
- James Orr
Wayne Mardle on Gerwyn Price
Wayne Mardle, the five-time world championship semi-finalist and Sky Sports pundit, said: “I have never seen the like before.
“Apparently this has been coming, he had his ear defenders prior to the game and it was something he thought about it doing. Which is totally allowed.
“The fact he had those ear defenders here from a week ago shows there is a little bit of frailty.
“Clemens was better than him. Simple as that. Gerwyn couldn’t find anything in this event, which was odd and particular.
“He was feeling the pressure and wasn’t 100% comfortable.”
- James Orr
Van Gerwen speaks on Price
Michael van Gerwen has spoken on Gerwyn Price wearing his ear defenders last night.
Van Gerwen told Sky Sports: "In his position, with how big he is in darts, I wouldn't have done that but he's going through a rough period.
"(Wearing ear defenders) has never been done in darts before and also he doesn't need it, but he's in a tough period so he's thinking about things.
"He shouldn't put himself in that position but that's darts unfortunately."
Credit: PA - James Orr
Gerwyn Price latest
Gerwyn Price threatened to never play in the PDC World Darts Championship again.
The Iceman crashed out after wearing EAR DEFENDERS to block out booing fans.
The Iceman, 37, wrote: "So frustrating, you play all year round preparing for this one tournament.
"So gutted I wasn't let play but Good luck everyone left in. Not sure I will ever play in this event again."
The result means that come Tuesday evening, Price will be knocked off his perch as world No.1 and he could even drop as low as fifth in the standings.
Credit: PA - Jack Drury
Van Gerwen issues warning to Van den Bergh
"He won't be so confident tomorrow."
Based on tonight, you'd struggle to argue with the three-time champion.
- Jack Drury
Dobey didn't stand a chance
The rest of the final four will be on note now, after Van Gerwen put in a sensational performance against Dobey.
- Jack Drury
Michael Van Gerwen beats Chris Dobey!
Dominant from The Dutchman!
- Jack Drury
Dobey back on the board
A relieved Dobey gets his first leg on the board in a long time, to surely only halt the Van Gerwen steamtrain.
- Jack Drury
Outrageous from MVG
Just when it couldn't get any better, Van Gerwen piles in a 152 to put him on the brink.
- Jack Drury
Van Gerwen takes out 65
Despite missing the 25, MVG cleans up to go two legs away from the win.
- Jack Drury
Van Gerwen closing on win
With the darts in hand, MVG is throwing for the match in this set!
- Jack Drury
Van Gerwen 4-0 Dobey
Dobey is certainly having the odd dart at double, but any mistake is being instantly punished.
The Dutchman leads 4-0.
- Jack Drury
MVG the Showman
Van Gerwen attempts an outrageous 25-Bull-D16, but hits the latter when he returns to the board.
- Jack Drury
Van Gerwen ruthless on tops
Dobey has a go at the bull, but his miss is instantly punished by the relentless Dutchman!
- Jack Drury
Van Gerwen 3-0 Dobey
Inevitable.
Van Gerwen is just too good right now, and Dobey just can't keep up.
- Jack Drury
Another leg to MVG
Dobey misses D16 for a 110 checkout, and is instantly punished by the mighty Dutchman.
- Jack Drury
Error from Dobey
Dobey misses a dart at a big number to set up a double, and MVG makes him pay on D10.
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