Grand Slam Big Interview: Scott Waites

The only PDC tournament to formally invite players from the BDO again takes place for a ninth year with the 10th edition at the Civic Hall,

One player from the BDO will feature in all of the eight four-man groups, the stages of which kick off the action for eight days at the venue this afternoon.

Scott Waites is involved during the session, with a Group B clash against Robert Thornton. Rivals Dimitri van den Burgh and Gerwyn Price are on first.

Waites should not only command respect as the reigning BDO world champion, but also has the only darter from his code to ever win the Grand Slam.

The 39-year-old has found the Civic mainly a happy hunting ground down the years, with a semi-final and final also recorded on site.

He was involved at the first Grand Slam in 2007 and has been a part of all but two tournaments, so boasts more experience than any of his BDO contemporaries toeing the oche this year.

It's almost like a home from home from the Yorkshireman, who stayed up north after his parents Clive and Linda moved to Telford over 20 years ago.

Clive worked for aerospace giant Goodrich, while Linda served in the call centre at Malinsgate Police Station. Both are now retired and settled in Wellington.

It's Halifax where 'Scotty 2 Hotty' lays his hat but his Black Country visits have proved productive along with the family time, to the tune of over £200,000 in prize money.

He said: "I always look forward to playing in the Grand Slam, I'm a bit disappointed I wasn't in it last year. My shoulder (had surgery last year) is alright now and practice is going very well.

"II probably get asked two or three times a day when I'm next going to be on TV, so that part of it is quite good and it will be great to see my parents.

"The first time I'll meet up with them is when I get to the venue, they'll come backstage and see me before I go out and play.

"All of the players involved can perform to a good standard, so it doesn't really matter what group you're in. If you don't perform, you are not going to make it past that.

"Over that format, you have to come out of the blocks as quick as you can and try to get that first win under your belt, then you can build from there."

He has form with a good man of the PDC establishment that he only ever meets at the Grand Slam, including Thornton.

He dumped Thornton out 10-8 in the second round of the 2012 tournament, before the Scot exacted his revenge with a 16-9 win in a 2013 semi-final.

Waites has also had his tussles with Michael van Gerwen, the first a 5-4 group defeat to him in 2007 when the Dutchman was just 18. Both failed to progress any further.

They met again in the 2012 quarter-finals, where Waites fought in vain and made it competitive before going down 16-12.

MvG has since gone on a tear that has seen him win every major PDC title, including the Grand Slam which he's defending. He's won a staggering 23 tournaments this year alone.

Waites said: "The man that no one will want to play, at the moment, is Michael. He's in absolutely fantastic form, a class above everyone else. Most want to avoid him at all costs!

"If you were going to get him, you'd probably want him in the group stages. As the tournament goes on, he's going to become more consistent.

"I've played him in both formats at the Grand Slam. He was very young when we met in the group and he didn't beat me by much.

"The second time, it was close again. I remember missing double 11 for a 142 checkout and, in the next leg, fluffing double 18 for 148.

"If I'd have hit those singles darts at the doubles, I think the score-line would have been reversed, but I'd only got one shot at two high finishes.

"I've probably known Michael since he was 13, because he was playing on the BDO circuit. He'd be capable of 11-dart legs, even then. He's just got better and better.

"If I play Michael, I'm going to battle like mad to try and beat him. If it's my day, you never know, but you can't look past him."

Waites finished bottom of the group behind van Gerwen in his first year and didn't qualify in 2008, but became a surprise package 12 months later.

A run all the way to the final paired him with the legendary Phil Taylor, who was going through a long run of untouchable form. He thrashed Waites 16-2 in the 2009 final.

Undeterred, Waites returned in 2010 and again made it to the decider, where another drubbing looked on the cards when he went down 8-0 to James Wade.

This time, a never-say-die attitude saw him pull off the greatest comeback in Grand Slam history, prevailing 16-12 to become the man on the night for the PDC and BDO.

He said: "It was quite overwhelming the first time, because it was the biggest game of darts I'd ever played in. For me to be playing Phil Taylor, at the top of his game, made it daunting.

"In that final, Phil was just a lot better than I was, but I still took away positives. He gave me such a beating that I told myself it would never happen again.

"When the second final came along, my form was very good. I think, in the year I won it, my average was around the 95 mark which, throughout a tournament, isn't bad.

"It's changed now, you need to be getting over 100 to be a serious contender. I've done my preparation, so we'll see what I can do.

"When I went 8-0 down against James Wade, I knew it was time to stand up and be counted. I didn't think I was doing a lot wrong up there.

"I can always remember looking across to my dad and he was swearing at me, but I was trying my best and just wanted to get on with the game.

"When I got it to 11-9, it was the first time I realised I had a chance of winning the game. After we went in for a break, I think I dropped one more leg after that.

"Whether it's the BDO or the PDC, to me, it's just a game of darts but, even then, no one would have believed a BDO player could win the Grand Slam."

The first olive branch between the PDC and BDO came before the Grand Slam last year, when fiercely-loyal BDO stalwart Martin Adams decided to play in the event for the first time.

The BDO even held qualifiers to produce entrants, all while Waites was on the sidelines after shoulder surgery. This time, the PDC have used a ranking system to get the best eight possible.

Waites has already enjoyed a renaissance, after claiming a second BDO world title at Lakeside in January through beating Jeff Smith 7-1 (sets) in the final.

His journey had already claimed the scalp of BDO No 1 Glen Durrant with a dramatic 5-4 win in the quarter-finals, before defeating Tipton's Jamie Hughes 6-1 in the semis.

All three opponents join him at the Grand Slam as do the familiar faces of Adams, Scott Mitchell, Darryl Fitton and Danny Noppert from the BDO.

Waites reached the Grand Slam semis after winning his first world title in 2013 but, despite being a former champion, is a underdog for restoring former glories.

It's been business as usual this week, the carpenter by trade working his hours as a repairs inspector for the Together Housing Group.

He did take a day out to spend at Ryburn Valley High School, a trip approved by his employers so he could take a dartboard in to help children with their maths lessons.

His focus is now entirely on his game until he's out of the running in Wolverhampton and the 'PDC' effect is just letters to him.

He added: "We won't be treated any differently than anyone else. The PDC lads won't get any preferentials than us from the BDO.

"Some of my friends are telling me they've got 80-1 for me to do it again. It would be great and, ultimately, that what's everyone is going to turn up trying to do.

"I don't tend to watch many of my games back. The first time I ever saw myself hitting the winning double at Lakeside was when I was at the school the other day.

"The first one is always the hardest one to win and the second proves your doubters wrong. You can't fluke two world titles.

"Everybody told me the winner was going to come from the game and Glen Durrant, but there were other players still involved who wanted to tell me different.

"Jamie's a lovely lad and I hope he does himself proud, playing in front of his home crowd, but there are no friends at the Grand Slam.

"I won't be the favourite, as we've talked about, but I wasn't before. Anything can happen in darts and it's about who turns up on the day."

Tickets for the Grand Slam are still on sale, by calling the Civic Box Office on 0870 320 7000 or online via www.theticketfactory.com/pdc.