Gerwyn Price has backed himself to dethrone Luke Littler's bid for back-to-back World Darts Championship titles after making a winning start to this year's event at the Alexandra Palace.
Price fired a 96.44 average and posted six maximums during a straight-sets victory over Adam Gawlas, where the only two legs lost came due to wayward finishing on the outer ring.
The 2021 champion is in the same section of the draw as world No 1 Luke Littler, who has reached the final in both his previous two appearances, leaving the pair on a potential collision course to meet in the quarter finals.
Littler was the pre-tournament favourite to become the first player since Gary Anderson to successfully defend the Sid Waddell Trophy, but Price believes he can stop 'The Nuke' and any other player he faces.
"I am winning. Honestly, I'm not losing - nobody is beating me this year," Price confidently said in his victory press conference. "I delete my social media before big tournaments and just get into my own little bubble.
"I believe in my own talent and own ability but if people are saying that [the winner of Littler vs Price wins the tournament], then fair play to them.
"I just believe that I'm going to win this tournament. I don't care what the obstacles are in front of me. I know it's going to be tough, it's going to be very tough - whoever I play - but I'm definitely coming through every game."
Price topped the PDC ProTour Order of Merit after an impressive year on the floor and has won titles on both the PDC European Tour and the World Series of Darts, but has not reached a major TV final since 2023.
The Ice Man looks to progress beyond the quarter-finals at the Alexandra Palace for the first time since his 2021 victory, played without spectators due to Covid-19, with Price pleased with his performance and the support from the crowd.
"I played pretty decent I think in that game, apart from the two legs I gave away," Price told Your Site about his first-round win. "I thought I was alright. I need to improve to win this tournament, but for a first-round game that was okay.
"I don't usually get this [crowd support], so thank you very much. The fans have been great for me the last 18 months, two years.
"Honestly, if I win the million [first prize], it's not going to change my life, but I want to win trophies. I want to be back in the top four in the world and be where I think I deserve. As long these [crowds] are where they are with me, I think I can win everything."
Four-time World Championship semi-finalist Wayne Mardle, speaking to Your Site:
"I didn't expect Adam [Gawlas] to play that poorly, I must admit, but that's exactly what I expected from Gerwyn Price. Not the missing doubles, actually - there was just too many for him to like - but the scoring was just outrageous.
"We go on about the elite of the game and champions finding a way and all this, but champions do do things like that. The elite do things like that, like time and time again.
"He looked so comfortable and he looked happy, to be fair. He just looks a million dollars right now. You can see that he's full of energy, he's full of concentration when he needs to be.
"He's got everything there - he's got that feel and touch that you have. He's just doing everything right and he must feel a million dollars.
"I believe that Price and [Luke] Littler will meet. I don't see anyone stopping him until that point. If he can get rid of Littler, which look, who knows what's going to happen in that game, he will then start thinking about being a world champion again.
"You don't think of it this early on, you think, 'right, get on a little roll, see how it pans out, get to the quarters with it being the Littler match up and then see how it pans out'. That was just so impressive - the scoring was brutal."
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