Peter Wright has burst back into life at Alexandra Palace (Picture: Getty Images)
Peter Wright has proved his doubters wrong so far at the World Darts Championship and arrives at the quarter-final stage as the most efficient double-hitter left in the field.
Snakebite had a nightmare 2024 in major tournaments and arrived at Alexandra Palace seemingly short on form and confidence.
The two-time world champion had won just one match in the last two editions of the World Championship, so needed a dramatic turnaround at Ally Pally.
The 54-year-old has managed exactly that, scraping through a bit of a dodgy first game against Wesley Plaisier, but then improving to beat Jermaine Wattimena before his stunning victory over defending champion Luke Humphries.
Wright was brilliant in downing Cool Hand, averaging 100.93 and checking out at 70 per cent, which is where he has really excelled so far this tournament.
Snakebite goes into the quarter-finals with a tournament checkout rate of 52 per cent, significantly clear of his closest rival in the last eight, Nathan Aspinall on 47 per cent.
Tournament favourite Luke Littler is lagging a long way behind Wright on the doubles, checking out at just 38 per cent, while Chris Dobey has the lowest rate of any of the quarter-finalists at 31 per cent.
Wright was lethal on doubles against Luke Humphries (Picture: Getty Images)
Littler may not have been quite as sharp on the doubles as he would like, but he tops the charts for tournament average and most 180s ahead of the quarter-finals.
The Nuke boasts an average of 100.88 over his three games, landing 36 180s in the process.
The impressive Callan Rydz is not far behind on the tournament average (99.43), while he is also Littler’s closest competition in the maximum stakes on 26 180s.
Nathan Aspinall has the lowest tournament average heading into the quarters at just 91.22, although the Asp has not needed to extend himself, dropping just one set in three wins.
Luke Littler meets Nathan Aspinall in the last eight on Wednesday (Picture: Getty Images)
Aspinall will be pushed when he takes on Littler on Wednesday evening in the last eight after Wright meets Stephen Bunting.
First up in the afternoon session, Dobey takes on Gerwyn Price and MVG faces Rydz.
World Darts Championship stats pre-quarter-finals
Tournament Average
100.88 – Luke Littler
99.43 – Callan Rydz
98.26 – Michael van Gerwen
96.62 – Stephen Bunting
95.87 – Peter Wright
94.39 – Chris Dobey
92.29 – Gerwyn Price
91.22 – Nathan Aspinall
Most 180s
36 – Luke Littler
26 – Callan Rydz
24 – Chris Dobey
21 – Michael van Gerwen
19 – Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright
15 – Nathan Aspinall
14 – Stephen Bunting
Checkout Percentages
52% – Peter Wright
47% – Nathan Aspinall
44% – Michael van Gerwen
40% – Callan Rydz, Stephen Bunting
38% – Luke Littler
34% – Gerwyn Price
31% – Chris Dobey
Ton-Plus Checkouts
6 – Michael van Gerwen
4 – Stephen Bunting, Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright
3 – Nathan Aspinall
2 – Chris Dobey, Luke Littler, Callan Rydz
Source: PDC