Peter Wright has admitted his form must improve to avoid embarrassment at the World Matchplay.
Wright has a good record at the Winter Gardens and lifted the trophy in 2021.
He was untouchable throughout that tournament victory and averaged over 104 across all five games.
Those performance levels are a rarity for ‘Snakebite’ nowadays and he endured another dismal Premier League campaign this year, finishing bottom with just four points.
The 54-year-old has now suggested his eyesight may be a reason for his struggles on the oche as he continues to experiment between glasses and contact lenses.
Peter Wright ready to start playing ‘proper darts’ at World Matchplay
After a torrid 18 months, Wright remains confident he can rediscover success.
Speaking exclusively to Sports Boom, he said: “My form is pretty terrible at the moment to be honest.
“The top 32 players are there [at the World Matchplay], but I’m probably not in the top 128 with the way I’ve been playing.
“I’m definitely in a good place mentally, I’m looking forward to the rest of the year, so let’s see what happens.
“I’ve got the miserable half of the year out of the way now, so I’m ready to start playing proper darts.”
Wright offered an explanation to his sudden dip in form, citing eyesight problems as a cause.
He said: “Maybe it’s just the eyes trying to adjust to wearing glasses and contact lenses.
“It makes a total difference when you’re throwing the darts when you’re wearing glasses. It’s taken a long time to adjust – and I still am adjusting.”
Crunch time for ‘Snakebite’
Wright must start performing soon if he is to revive his career.
He is no longer viewed as a threat anymore and his dismal performances at the World Cup of Darts last week further accentuated that point.
He is clinging onto the 10th spot in the order of merit and with a plethora of major ranking events at the back end of the year, the Scotsman could plummet down the rankings if he can’t find answers soon.
The two-time World Champion will face former UK Open Champion Andrew Gilding in the opening round of the World Matchplay tomorrow.
This presents an opportunity for Wright as ‘Goldfinger’ has also struggled for form.
If he can produce a positive performance, it could be the catalyst to revitalise the former World Number One.