Jamie Hughes believes that he can shock Michael van Gerwen in the World Grand Prix following a strong year which owes much to staying in employment.
His big break came as 2019 dawned after he worked at 2018 to the Challenge Tour – the Englishman sealing his PDC excursion card due to a display at Q School in January. He hasnt looked back since.
In June, he scooped his eponymous PDC name, beating Stephen Bunting from the Darts Open closing, which ensured him a spot in the World Matchplay. Hell have taken heart Though he bowed out at the first round dropping 10-7 to eventual finalist Michael Smith.
The 33-year-old certainly isnt lacking confidence despite being drawn from the worlds greatest player in Sundays first round of this Grand Prix going to his next important.
Its quite a brief format really, initially to two sets, he told The Darts Show Podcast. It is basically just like a Pro Tour, youve got to win six legs. That. Its quite a brief format. If I can hit the ground runninginto it early , I could lead to a huge upset.
He does not have any motive to lack belief.
The confidence has always been there, but [the Czech Darts Open title] proved not just to myself but to everybody else how much of a threat Im when I am playing well, he continued.
If anything, it added a little more pressure, because theres a little more anticipation. I am probably seen as a possible winner of Euro Tours today because I have won one
Players should acclimatise into thedouble-in arrangement of the World Grand Prix in Dublin, but the most popular BDO World Championship semi-finalist wont unsettle.
I have played most of my darting career in double-in leagues, in lesser leagues, so I have a good deal of experience, Hughes explained.
I dont try and do anything different [in training]… I only carry on using the same routines. I am a tiny creature of habit. I love to get into good routines, and I believe thats more important.
You can throw the form book out the window just a little bit if you do mix things up. It [the structure ] differs. The players arent likely to be in that respect in form.
It likely will be easier for audiences to freshen things up a bit, since it will appear to be the identical kind of gamers playing on the TV the entire time, therefore it can freshen it up with a couple more upsets when it did spice up things a little.
For Hughes, hell revert to type – its gotten him this way. When many players choose to commit full-time to the oche,Yozza has remained in employment.
Because he continues to climb through the rankings staying occupied has worked a deal for him. His game was never suited by playing.
I did try this before, about 12 months before I switched [into the PDC], he explained. It didnt work really, and it had been a lot of darts. There was nothing actually [else]. It was 24/7. It was a small bit too intensive. Thats the reason why I went back to do the job. I wanted to take my mind off the game.
I was putting myself under much more pressure because I had been putting much more time in, expecting to have far more out. That wont necessarily work like that.
I have discovered my match popped up when I began working again. Its one of the kind of balancing acts. You have to balance it . You have to provide yourself a rest time as well as getting the clinic in, and of course the travelling and matches.
If you have the balance right, then great. I think that the balance isnt too bad at the minute.
Hughes knows what works for himand he has no shortage of belief. Hell be looking to show what he is capable of in the coming days in Citywest.
You can listen with Jamie Hughes on the episode of The Darts Show Podcast.
Coverage of seven times in Ireland gets on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm on Sunday and lasts before the final in the Citywest Hotel on Saturday, October 12.

Read more here: http://obkon-wellness24.de/wp/?p=2638