SEARLE ADMITS TO RECENT STRUGGLES AT OCHE
02/09/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
RYAN SEARLE admits his form has dipped at the oche over the last couple of months.
‘Heavymetal’ started the campaign strongly by scooping Players Championship Four earlier this year.
But since then, the Devon thrower has managed just one ProTour quarter-final and has struggled for consistency on the Euro Tour.
World No. 20 Searle was brutally honest about his struggles and says a lack of practice at home is a contributing factor.
He said: “My form is not that at the minute.
“I was putting a lot of focus into the World Matchplay, and I draw Luke Littler first round.
“He plays like he did against me and goes on to win it. The rest is history I can’t do much about that.
“In the summer holidays I spent a lot of time with the kids not really throwing many darts.
“That’s what I chose to do so I was a bit rusty at the ProTour’s last week. The first day was really bad.
“But I know when I find my range when things start going, I am dangerous.”
Big-stage success has eluded Searle of late, his last run to a major quarter-final came at the Winter Gardens in 2023.
Searle reached the third round of last week’s Flanders Darts Trophy after a superb 6-5 fightback win over Raymond van Barneveld.
Former Players Championship Finals runner up Searle averaged a blistering 100.43 to battle back from 4-1 down and edge the Dutch legend.
The 37-year-old produced another storming display against Littler, averaging 104.22 and taking out a show-stopping 144 checkout — but still bowed out 6-3 to the teenage sensation.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
