Adrian Lewis, the two-time world champion, has named the biggest villains in darts, citing Kevin Painter and Gerwyn Price as top contenders.
What are mind games in darts?
Mind games are a crucial aspect of darts, where players use psychological tactics to gain an edge over their opponents.
Adrian Lewis was known for his impressive play and infamous mind games on stage during his career.
Who are the biggest villains in darts?
In an interview with talkSPORT, Lewis was challenged to remain silent until a name was mentioned of a "better villain" in darts than himself.
He immediately burst out laughing at the mention of Kevin Painter, exclaiming "Hundred per cent yes".
The choice of Painter is not surprising, given their heated argument during the quarterfinals of the Open Holland Masters in 2008.
This incident earned Lewis a six-month suspension, four of which were conditional, as well as a £400 fine.
Why did Lewis react to certain names?
When the name Michael van Gerwen was mentioned, Lewis remained silent and shook his head, denying the Dutchman "villain status".
However, at the mention of Gerwyn Price, Lewis responded with a resolute "Definitely".
He also mentioned Peter Manley, initially responding laughingly with "Definitely not", but then admitting "He's up there. He's got to be up there".
What incidents led to Lewis' suspensions?
Lewis and Manley faced each other in the quarterfinals of the 2006 World Darts Championship, where Lewis turned around to throw a no-look 180, prompting Manley to say something to him during his throw.
This led to so much frustration for Lewis that he temporarily left the match in protest.
In 2008, Lewis came under scrutiny during the World Grand Prix against Gary Anderson, who accused him of entering the "exclusion zone" while throwing.
Lewis received a suspended suspension in 2018 after an incident during the UK Open qualifier, where he was fined £3,000 and given a three-month conditional suspension.