Mark Webster Rules Out Comeback Due to Dartitis Struggles…
Mark Webster, once among the world’s top darts players, has ruled out a return to the sport due to the lingering effects of dartitis. The Welshman, who won the 2008 BDO World Championship and twice reached the PDC World Darts Championship semifinals, saw his career decline as the condition took hold.
Reflecting on a pivotal moment in 2017 at the UK Open’s fourth round, Webster recalled his battle with dartitis becoming painfully evident. “One of my biggest breakdowns was at Minehead against Daryl Gurney. We had previously fallen out, but that match actually helped reconnect us because I was struggling so badly,” he shared on Huw Ware’s Tops and Tales podcast.
Heading into a break with a 7-3 deficit, Webster was in distress. “I was in tears backstage and told Daryl, ‘We need to finish this.’ He eventually beat me 9-4 or 10-4, and honestly, I was relieved to get off the stage. That’s when I knew I couldn’t do it anymore,” he admitted. Missing the World Championship for the first time that year, his ranking declined, and he gradually accepted his career’s end.
Now, the long-term effects of dartitis have left him unwilling to play competitively again. “I get really anxious playing now. Even if you invited me to a local club for a casual match, I wouldn’t be interested. I’ve probably fallen out of love with the game, which is unfortunate, but dartitis lingered for so long that it broke me emotionally,” he explained.
Fellow players also recognized his struggles. “Michael van Gerwen once told me, ‘I feel sorry for you, mate,’ because I was visibly struggling—stumbling, panicking, completely falling apart in games,” Webster recalled.
Although his playing days are over, Webster remains a respected figure in darts, now working as an analyst and commentator.
