SIMON Whitlock is hoping that Australia’s remarkable success at the Cazoo World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt over the weekend can inspire the next generation of darts stars ahead of his return Down Under for the World Series of Darts in August.
Whitlock turned back the clock with an inspirational performance in Germany as he partnered with Australian No.1 Damon Heta to take the title for the first time.
Ten years on from his heartbreaking sudden-death defeat alongside Paul Nicholson in the World Cup of Darts final to Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis of England, Whitlock showed all his experience as Australia became only the fifth nation to take the title in the tournament’s history.
Whitlock and Heta will fly the Australian flag again at what should be a fantastic homecoming for the pair when the Professional Darts Corporation’s flagship roadshow event, the World Series of Darts, rolls into Townsville from August 12-13 and then into Wollongong a week later.
The pair will join six other qualifiers – five from Australia and one from New Zealand – to take on the likes of world champion Peter Wright and Australia’s opponents in the world final, Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price.
Whitlock is hoping for some big crowds on his return home and says Australia’s success at the Eissporthalle can hopefully inspire others around this country to follow in his and Heta’s footsteps.
“I’m 53, but I am still passionate about the game as never,” Whitlock told PDCTV.
“Hopefully it does inspire more Australians to take up the game.
“I am telling you now, watch out for this boy (Heta). He’s absolutely brilliant, solid as a rock, and a great guy with it.
“He could be the next world champion. I am proud to have partnered with him and proud to have won the title with him.”
Heta’s stock has continued to rise since his fairytale success at the Brisbane Darts Masters in 2019, where he defeated James Wade, Gary Anderson, Whitlock and Rob Cross to take the title.
The Perth-born 34-year-old became only the second regional qualifier to win a World Series event following on from his close mate Kyle Anderson who won the Auckland Masters in 2017.
Heta has taken the No.1 spot in Australia from Whitlock and is closing in on the world’s top 16 after another stellar year.
He too is hoping others follow on the same path as he has trodden over the past three years.
“I am absolutely buzzing to have Australia’s name on this trophy,” he told the PDC.
“It’s well deserved and long overdue.
“We had so much support back home and hopefully this can build the game in Australia. It’s something to strive for.”
Whitlock is one of only four players to have played in every World Cup of Darts.
In that time he has had three partners, Nicholson, Anderson, and now Heta.
Anderson joined forces with Whitlock at four consecutive World Cups and was also a close friend of Heta’s in Perh growing up, with both going to the same school at one stage.
His shock passing at 33 last August shocked the darting world and both Whitlock and Heta said Anderson was in their thoughts as they defeated Belgium in the last eight, and England in the semis before defeating Price and Clayton in the final 3-1.
“I was thinking about Kyle all day,” Whitlock, who made the World Cup semi-finals with Anderson in 2018, told the PDC.
“We all miss him. Kyle was a great guy, a great dart player and it’s fantastic to lift the trophy for him.”
Heta added: “I played his walk-on song before I went on play my first game against Belgium and that gave me a little bit of inspiration.
“To win it for Kyle and Australia in general, it’s incredible.”
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August 12-13
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August 19-20
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