Michael van Gerwen and Gabriel Clemens mock Gerwyn Price over ear defenders

Gerwyn Price tried a new tactic to block out the crowd at Alexandra Palace (Picture: Getty Images)

After Gerwyn Price donned ear defenders on the World Darts Championship stage, Michael van Gerwen says he would never make such a move, while Gabriel Clemens knew he would win the next set as soon as he saw the headphones.

Price was 3-1 down to Clemens in their Alexandra Palace quarter-final and the noise of the crowd was getting on his nerves so much he took drastic action.

The Welshman returned for the fifth set with ear defenders on and played the next four legs with them on, although he lost that set and the next one, suffering a shock 5-1 defeat to the German.

The Iceman only played one set with the ear defenders on, returning for the next with more subtle earplugs in, but it was a memorable image of the world number one playing with the huge black headphones on.

Van Gerwen, who beat Chris Dobey 5-0 in the following game, saw Price backstage and was winding him up about the ear defenders.

The Dutchman does feel sorry for Price feeling like he needed the help to deal with abuse from the crowd, but does not think he chose the right way of handling the situation.

‘His ear defenders were behind him and I only said to him: “you don’t have the balls to put them on” and he did! I was just trying to wind him up,’ said Van Gerwen.

‘In his position, with his capability, with how big he is in darts I wouldn’t have done it, but he’s been going through a rough period and that doesn’t always make it easy.

‘I bought them once, but I gave them to my daughter at the Grand Slam.’

Price threatened to never play the World Championships again after defeat to Clemens (Picture: Getty Images)

Asked whether players should be allowed to wear ear defenders, he said: ‘I don’t think so, nah. It’s never been done in darts before and Gezzy doesn’t need it.

‘He’s in a tough period at the minute, he’s trying to think about things, but he shouldn’t put himself in that position, but that’s darts, unfortunately.’

Clemens, who scored the biggest win of his career to set up a semi-final clash with Michael Smith, says the ear defenders were a clear sign that his opponent was struggling.

Asked whether he was surprised to see Price return to the stage with the new look, the German Giant said: ‘No, the only thing I thought was, I will win this set, surely! That was the one thing.’

Gabriel Clemens became the first German to make a World Championship semi-final (Picture: Getty Images)

Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle believes the headphones were more of a message to the crowd than for Price himself, as he could have just worn smaller earplugs.

However, Mardle also believes it showed a sign of mental fragility, betraying one of Price’s strengths as a player.

‘It’s more of a visual thing for the crowd, that’s really not for him, it’s an elaborate way of saying, “you’re getting on my nerves now,”‘ said Mardle.

‘Mentally, he couldn’t have been that strong, where normally that’s his game. He’s one of the more mentally strong darts players I’ve ever known.

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‘With the quality with he possesses, that’s why he’s been to number one and been world champion.’

After the match, Price posted a message on Instagram suggesting he may never play in the World Championship again, although he has since deleted all posts on his account.

It read: ‘So frustrating. You play all year round preparing for this one tournament.

‘So gutted I wasn’t let play [sic] but good luck everyone left in. Not sure I will ever play in this event again.’

MORE : Gerwyn Price claims he may never play at World Darts Championship again

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