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'Michael told me I’d pushed him to his best' - Callan Rydz recalls heartbreak after losing Ally Pally classic to Van Gerwen

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 10:06 AM ET

Callan Rydz has never been one to hide how he’s feeling. Whether it’s the high of producing a world-class performance on the biggest stage, or the frustration of a long-haul trip to a ProTour event he didn’t want to play, the Geordie star wears his emotions openly.

Speaking on PDC referee Huw Ware’s Tops and Tales podcast, the 27-year-old reflected on his career so far, his ambitions, and the mental side of professional darts – admitting that when he’s in the right frame of mind, he’s capable of beating anyone.

“If I can find that all the time, I know I’m dangerous,” Rydz said. “Sometimes I turn up to events thinking ‘I can’t be bothered’, and other days I’m up for it from the start. When I’m smiling, having a laugh, and win my first game, I can go on a run.”

Grandparent influence and Van Gerwen classic

Rydz credited his mum and grandmother as key influences in his life, joking that he often teases his gran about “dropping him on his head” compared to his “more intelligent” cousins.

His grandad, meanwhile, has been there for some of his biggest moments – including the epic clash with Michael van Gerwen at the PDC World Championship. “Even he says he’s not going to be around forever, so he wanted to see me do well at the Worlds at least once – and he’s seen it twice now,” Rydz said. “I watched that Van Gerwen game back when I got home, and even as a neutral, I think it was the game of the tournament.”

Rydz lost that thriller despite winning more legs than Van Gerwen, but he came away with the Dutchman’s shirt – one of the few pieces of memorabilia he’s kept. “Michael told me I’d pushed him to his best,” Rydz revealed. “I was gutted walking off stage. I looked at the stats – he’d only beaten me in two of them, and I thought, ‘how have I lost that?’”

Confidence boost after tough spell

Rydz began his 2025 PDC World Darts Championship campaign with a 3–0 victory over Croatia’s Romeo Grbavac, achieving an incredible three-dart average of 107.06, which set a new first-round record in the tournament—surpassing Luke Littler’s previous mark. “I was shocked when they told me in the media room,” he said. “After the 18 months I’d had, I didn’t think I had a 100 average in me. High 90s, maybe, but to be that consistent over the match was a real breath of fresh air.”

He backed it up with a comeback victory over Robert Owen, fighting back from two sets down to win 4-3 – proof to Rydz that he can dig deep as well as blow opponents away.

“When I’m happy, I know I can do it,” he said. “But there are times I go to events and just don’t want to be there. That’s what I need to fix – going to work, not just going to ‘play darts’.”

The travel grind

Rydz admitted that the PDC circuit’s relentless travel can take its toll. “Sometimes I think, I could have flown to Dubai and been halfway home,” he joked. “It’s hard when you’ve travelled 13 hours to play one ProTour, but being around friends, going for a meal or a game of pool, can take your mind off a bad result.”

The mental side is key for Rydz – something he’s noticed at events where a fast start has led to deep runs. “If I win my first game, I relax. I remember at Players Championship 3 this year, I walked in saying ‘this suits me – cold weather, I’m up for this’. I ended up in the semis and missed two darts to reach the final. Then I won three games the next day. That first win takes all the pressure off.”

When asked if defeat leaves him feeling like he’s let himself down, Rydz was philosophical. “If I get smashed, I don’t care. But if I’ve played awful, then yeah, it’s frustrating. If someone plays well and beats me, fair play – like when Brad Brooks hit a 170 against me. I think he thought I was having a go, but I went and congratulated him. The next day he won the ProTour.”

Ambitions and a Premier League dream

Looking ahead, Rydz’s goals are clear. “Everyone wants to be World Champion. I’d love one shot at the Premier League in Newcastle – that’d be my dream night. If I’d done that, I’d have probably played in everything by then.”

But he’s also realistic about managing his schedule if he reaches the very top. “If I was in the Premier League, I’d probably do the first six ProTours and first Euro Tour, then skip the rest until the Premier League was done. I’m not going to burn myself out flying to Germany or Holland when I can recharge at home and be ready for the big nights.”

With his talent, honesty, and willingness to adapt, Rydz remains one of the most watchable and intriguing characters on the PDC tour – and when he’s “dangerous,” few in world darts would want to draw him.