Wright stays off the crumpets!

By Phil Lanning

PETER WRIGHT has vowed to stay off the CRUMPETS so he can defend his World Matchplay title. 

The 2022 World Champion goes into the iconic Winter Gardens event on Saturday night knowing he needs an operation to remove his gallbladder within weeks. 

Wright, 52, has been suffering from gallstones pain and knows he has to eat well and hydrate to avoid being hit by the intense heat. 

He revealed: “I’m just waiting on a date to go in for an op, they will ring up when they’ve got space with a surgeon. 

“The docs want to take my gallbladder out with keyhole surgery. It will probably be around three months time. 

“I've just said not during the Matchplay or when I’m in Australia and New Zealand for the World Series. I’ve given them some dates but if it comes down to missing a tournament, I’ll have to accept it.

“It can flare up at any moment. I just try not to eat crumpets caked in butter, that would start it off!”

Wright, who faces tricky Latvian Madars Razma in his opener, has had a patchy year since winning the Worlds in January. 

But last year before Blackpool he was told to “shut his gob” by other players after he told them all he’d win the Matchplay. 

He then proved them all wrong and now has vowed to do the same again, adding: “Obviously my form has been terrible this year. I’ve had other stuff on my mind, we’ve had family stuff to deal with.

“All that is sort of settled so we know what we are doing now. My head is in a good space and that’s all that counts. I believe I can go and do it again only better this time. 

“The other players will have to go back on the practice board if they want to win this one. I’m going to go and win it again.

“It’s on its way back if you look at my recent averages in Barnsley. I think the first two days, my lowest average was 98 and then I had a 103, 104, 105, 108 and 109.”

Forecasters are predicating record temperatures for parts of England over the weekend and the PDC have brought in 500 extra bottles of Ballygowan water - eight per match for each player. 

But Wright is not worried about the notoriously sweltering Winter Gardens. 

He added: “You obviously have to keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water and make sure you eat the right stuff. 

“We are pretty lucky we have two fans on the side of the stage. I’m used to it because I’ve been in two finals and I know how to handle it.”

“It’s a challenge. But I’m looking at it as a fresh tournament and not to put too much pressure on myself.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.