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'People up their game against me but I can be a top-16 player' – Robert Owen says World Championship heroics have put a target on his back

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 9:49 AM ET

Robert Owen believes his breakthrough run to the last 16 at the Ally Pally during the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship has changed how opponents approach him – and not necessarily in a way that makes life any easier.

The Welshman reached the last 16 at Alexandra Palace in December, taking out Gabriel Clemens along the way before falling in a deciding set to Callan Rydz. It was the deepest run of his career on the sport’s biggest stage, one that not only secured his Tour Card but also marked him out as a dangerous force.

Since then, Owen insists he has noticed a marked difference in how players treat a match with him.

“People are just upping their game against me,” he said in a recent interview with Online Darts. “That’s not just at professional level, that’s across the board. Even if I play a local tournament, the people who are not so good are still producing a very good game against me. You’re playing so well yourself, but others are raising it and still getting results. It’s frustrating, but you’ve got to mentally focus on what’s in front of you.”

Battling Through Brutal Draws

Owen’s consistency has been tested in other ways too. The early months of 2025 brought a punishing schedule on the Players Championship circuit.

“This year has been really tough for me,” he admitted. “The draws I’ve had at the start of the year, I don’t think anyone would want. In the first 16 Players Championships I drew 12 or 13 Premier League players. I’ve beaten a couple, lost to a lot of them, but the game is there. I’m there to be beaten – it just seems like people are going nuts against me.”

Despite the frustration, he has kept belief in his own level. “I strongly believe if you keep playing well, the results will follow.”

Injury Setbacks

Away from the oche, Owen has also been contending with knee trouble. Surgery earlier in the summer saw cartilage removed, an implant fitted, and microfracture repairs made to the joint.

“It’s not great,” he said. “I felt a tear in it about a month ago. I don’t think the implant has worked, but I’m off the crutches now, which is nice. There’s still more in the pipeline for the knee, but I’ll try and do the best I can the way it is.”

Rankings Push

Despite the setbacks, Owen knows exactly where he stands in the race for places. Twelve months ago he was around £20,000 away from the World Championship cut-off. This year he is within touching distance.

“I look at the rankings once or twice, I roughly know where I am and who’s around me,” he explained. “If I qualify for the Worlds this year, I’ll be inside the top 50. Do the same again as last year and I’ll be looking at very close to a top-32 position – maybe 35 or 36. Why not? Dreaming is not the option anymore. It’s reality now, and I think I’m good enough.”

Ambitions for the Future

Asked how far he can go, Owen doesn’t hesitate. “Realistically, I think I can be a top-16 player,” he said. “I’ve beaten enough of them over the last six, seven, eight years. To get there, you’ve got to do it consistently, but I’ve shown I’ve got the level of game. Last year we had a baby, this year I’ve had another knee operation – life gets in the way – but I believe I can be top 16, confidently and consistently.”

The Road Ahead

Owen has made a habit of finding form late in the season and is banking on another strong finish. Budapest is on the horizon, along with further Players Championship opportunities, as he looks to secure a second successive World Championship appearance.

For a man who once juggled darts with delivering groceries, the journey continues to accelerate. The challenge now is not just hitting the big scores himself – it’s coping with the fact that others seem to find their best whenever he’s on the other side of the stage. And as Owen himself says, that in itself is a measure of how far he’s come.