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'You can go from world number 5 to world number 10 overnight' - Emotional Jonny Clayton feeling pressure of ranking money defence

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Jul 21, 2025 12:43 PM ET

Jonny Clayton admitted a wave of emotion hit him on the Winter Gardens stage after securing a vital first-round win at the 2025 Betfred World Matchplay – a tournament where he has so often fallen at the first hurdle. Afterwards, Clayton spoke to Dartsnews.com to explain just why the win meant so much.

The 2023 runner-up produced a calm and clinical performance to see off Martin Schindler 10-7 on Sunday evening, defying a 103 average from the German and extending Schindler’s winless record in Blackpool. Clayton raced into a 4-1 lead at the first break and never relinquished control, despite constant pressure from his in-form opponent.

“It’s fantastic,” said Clayton post-match. “To be honest, watching Nathan [Aspinall] yesterday – we were both in the final two years ago – and we’re defending money, so the pressure's definitely on. Obviously, playing Martin – what a credit to darts. He’s one of the German number ones and a great stage player. I knew I had a hard task, and it showed. I had to have a good start and I did. I think that helped me a lot because Martin never gives up. He’s a hard player to beat, and I’m just glad to be over that line.”

Clayton’s joy at the win was evident, with visible emotion on stage – a reaction that stemmed not just from the performance, but from a long-standing struggle in this event’s early rounds. “Usually, I lose in the first round,” he admitted. “I’ve only ever made it past the first round once before, so yeah, it was a lot of emotion.”

The result came after a dramatic opening weekend at the Winter Gardens, which saw top seed Luke Humphries among several big names to crash out. That, Clayton admitted, brings added scrutiny and pressure for those playing in the later sessions.

“There’s 32 players in this competition, and there’s no easy games,” he said. “We’re all here to lift that trophy at the end of the day. You see Luke Humphries, the world number one, go out yesterday – would you have put money on that? Probably not. But that’s what it is. If you're not playing at your best at the right times, you’re not going to win matches.”

“There’s a smile on my face"

Clayton’s form has steadily improved in recent months, with performances like his narrow Euro Tour defeat to Damon Heta showing he remains more than capable of mixing it at the elite level. Now, with confidence returning, he feels he’s approaching something close to his best.

“I always believe – even if I had a 60 average, I’d still believe,” he joked. “There’s a smile on my face and I’m playing loose darts – if that makes sense. My arm’s just loose. I’m not tight, trying to force darts into the treble. I’m just letting them go, and when I do that, I play a bit better. Hopefully I can keep doing that all week. Fingers crossed.”

While much of the attention in recent months has been on the new generation, with Luke Littler, Josh Rock and others breaking through, Clayton – along with Gary Anderson – continues to show that the older guard are not going quietly. “Yeah, I was 36 the other week,” he laughed. “No, genuinely, it's a young man’s game. But as long as the eye and the hand still go together, we’re all dangerous. I feel good.”

The Welshman is defending a runner-up cheque from two years ago, and he knows how quickly the rankings pressure can shift. “You can go from world number five to world number ten overnight,” he said. “I did it two years ago and I’d love to do it again – but this time, I’d like to go one better. Fingers crossed. If I can get a little bit of a run going, maybe I’ll be chasing Bunting, maybe passing him. Who knows? I’d love to lift this trophy.”

Asked to compare his current form with that memorable run in 2023, Clayton feels more at ease with himself now – and perhaps even better placed to go one further. “Two years ago, there were difficult emotions. Probably this year I can just run free – and fingers crossed I can do it.”

With top seeds tumbling, many are wondering if the field is opening up – but Clayton was quick to caution that early upsets don’t necessarily mean easy paths. “It’s a yes and no. For the world number one, world number three, world number six to go out – somebody has to play well to beat them. If they’re playing well in the first game, they can keep playing well in the second, third, fourth, fifth," he explains. “The level is so high right now. It’s serious. You’ve got to have your head down and throw your best darts.”

That relentless standard, he believes, is only good news for the sport as a whole. “There’s no lazy practising, no lazy games – you have to be at your best,” Clayton added. “And if we’re doing that on stage or on the floor, the public watching on TV must think, ‘Oh God, these guys can really throw.’ So I think for the game, the fans, the sponsors – for everyone – it’s in a good place.”

One of the few players in the field to know what it feels like to reach the final night in Blackpool, Clayton is drawing on that past experience as he chases another deep run. “I’ve been there once. Usually I’m going home on the second day,” he joked. “But seriously, I’ve been there, and I’d love to go again. That feeling two years back against Nathan [Aspinall], when they announce your name as a finalist – there’s no better feeling. Well, there could be – I could have lifted the trophy. But it was great. You feel important, if that makes sense. You think, ‘I can actually play this game.’ I failed that night, but Nathan was brilliant. If you get to that final night, you’ve done something right.”

As always, Clayton made sure to pay tribute to the venue and crowd in Blackpool – a stage he clearly relishes. “I love it. I really do,” he said. “To me, it’s one of the best tournaments – it’s atmosphere, it’s proper darts fans. They know when to chant, how to chant, what songs to sing. Brilliant. Fair play to them.”

And with a smile back on his face and his throw feeling as relaxed as ever, Jonny Clayton is once again looking like a serious contender at the Winter Gardens.