Michael van Gerwen has publicly suggested that Peter Wright, a two-time world darts champion, should consider retirement following Wright’s early elimination from the 2024 World Darts Championship. Wright, aged 55, lost 3-0 to Arno Merk, a German debutant, in the first round. This result continues a trend of declining performance for Wright over the past two years.

Wright’s defeat at Alexandra Palace was comprehensive, with no sets won. This loss is projected to result in Wright dropping out of the world’s top 32 rankings. Historically, Wright has been a consistent top-tier player, but recent data indicates a significant decline. Since his first-round exit at the previous year’s World Championship, Wright has not advanced beyond the quarter-finals in any televised ranking tournament. In the 2024 Premier League Darts series, he recorded only two match wins.

Van Gerwen, after his own 3-1 victory over William O’Connor, stated, “I’m not really surprised by his performance because he’s been playing c* lately. I think it’s time for him to retire anyway.” This comment follows previous public disagreements between the two players, including Wright questioning Van Gerwen’s form and vision.

Some figures within the darts community have defended Wright. Gary Anderson, also a two-time world champion, argued that performance fluctuations are normal and that calls for retirement after a few poor results are premature. Anderson stated, “We can’t play well all the time. People think we’re robots and you’ve just got to play well all the time or a bad couple of games it’s ‘he’s finished, he’s retiring’.”

Wayne Mardle, a commentator for Sky Sports Darts, expressed concern about the psychological impact of Wright’s recent losses. Mardle noted that high-profile defeats can lead athletes to question their competitiveness and advised against making retirement decisions based on short-term results. He referenced Wright’s previous statements about enjoying the sport and not wanting to retire.

Wright’s career includes two world titles and a reputation for resilience and distinctive showmanship. The current data shows a marked decline in performance, but it is unclear whether this will result in retirement or a renewed effort to return to form. The situation remains unresolved as the World Darts Championship progresses, with attention focused on Wright’s forthcoming decisions.