Jonny Clayton 'did not want to play darts' as he makes honest admission after family tragedy

Jonny Clayton has said he was on the verge of giving up darts for good following the sudden death of his dad, John. But after a semi-final finish at the World Matchplay, the Welshman is well on the mend and has rediscovered his motivation to compete.

'The Ferret' was due to fly to the other side of the globe for the World Series in July 2023 when he received word of his father's death. And it was then Clayton started to find it difficult to concentrate on his darts commitments.

He has since made a return to form after reaching the final of the World Masters in February. That marked his first PDC major final in almost two years, and he came within inches of adding another tournament decider to his record at the Winter Gardens.

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Clayton, 50, defeated Stephen Bunting 16-7 before falling 20-18 to James Wade in the semis of the World Matchplay. But he has chosen to take the positives from that result after detailing just how close he came to packing it in for good.

"I’ve changed my mind! I’ve got the hunger back," he said after beating Stephen Bunting to reach the last four in Blackpool. "I don’t know what it is. I felt a bit down in darts, but I want to be one of the best.

“It hurts that I’ve dropped from world No. 5 to nine with the rankings, but I’m climbing back up slowly. I want to be with the elite.

"When you’re there, people respect you more than what they do when you are further down the rankings. If you’re not playing well, no matter your ranking, people pick up on it. But if you’re playing well, it’s a step in the right direction. I had to do a job against Stephen, and I did."

He narrowly missed out on repeating the trick against 'The Machine', fighting back from 16-10 down to lose on a tiebreak. He and Wade now hold the record for the longest semi-final in World Matchplay history.

Clayton has opened up in the past about the toll it took to lose his dad, describing the deep bond they shared. But he appears to have finally reached a place of acceptance, and it's showing in his performances at the oche.

"We all know two years ago with my dad passing I just did not want to play," he continued. "I have a smile back on my face now, and I have two kids who want me to do well."

The former plasterer, who only gave up his day job in 2022, went on to say he doesn't believe he has "hit top gear" just yet and has more to offer. Not only that, but he's back on the practice board, something he hasn't done "for probably a year-and-a-half."

It was back in May that Clayton also ended his wait of more than two years for a European Tour title. He clinched the Dutch Darts Championship after coming back from 5-2 down to defeat Niko Springer in Rosmalen and celebrate another landmark moment.

He and countryman Gerwyn Price also snagged a silver medal at this year's World Cup of Darts. The Welsh duo finished second to the Northern Irish pairing of Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney, having won the trophy themselves two years prior.

The 2021 Premier League champion may have been a late arrival to the PDC after only joining their ranks 10 years ago. But Clayton appears eager to make up for lost time.