Darts World Championship in London - Audience problem: Pietreczko under observation at the Ally Pally
Ricardo Pietreczko faces the spicy darts test at Alexandra Palace with maximum composure.
"I never prepare myself mentally anyway. I firmly believe that I'm so mentally strong that I don't need anything like that," said high-flyer Pietreczko, known as Pikachu, ahead of his World Championship debut in London. Anyone who has seen how much the crowd and the external circumstances have recently caused the 29-year-old with the Pokemon nickname problems on the big stage will be amazed by this statement.
Pietreczko's first game is a tough one, and not just in sporting terms. On Tuesday evening (10 p.m./Sport1 and DAZN), he will face Mikuru Suzuki from Japan. Experience has shown that in a head-to-head duel between a man and a woman, the man is often booed or jeered. The fact that it's Pikachu of all people in this constellation is explosive.
Van Barneveld gives advice
Pietreczko was recently booed at the Grand Slam of Darts, back then in a duel with England's Beau Greaves. The German was provoked by this and interacted with the audience in a noticeably irritated manner. This time, Pietreczko has a different plan: ignore it. In an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur, he spoke of "a threat to boycott interacting with the audience" if spectators were to boo him again. "If people don't want to see me, I don't understand why I should accept something so disrespectful. It's not acceptable because it's simply disrespectful."
Five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld takes a critical view of this behavior and issued a direct warning to the German. "A tip to Pietreczko: He's a fine guy, but he still has a lot to learn. Otherwise he may suddenly find himself being booed regularly. That's what happened to Mervyn King in the past and also to Gerwyn Price. If you treat the crowd badly, they'll treat you the same way," said the Dutchman in an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" before the start of the World Championships.
Three apprenticeships, now a darts pro
The crowd problem overshadows the fact that Pietreczko is traveling to his first World Championship with great credentials. In October, he became only the second German player ever to win a European Tour tournament. The international competition around Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright also appreciates the newcomer because they themselves have already been beaten by Pietreczko and his ruthlessness.
Pietreczko has a special career behind him. He dropped out of training as a waiter and letter carrier because his working hours clashed with his sporting commitments. He then completed an apprenticeship as a painter and varnisher, but he is unlikely to need this in the coming years. "I can see myself playing darts until I can no longer stand," said Pietreczko. This year alone, he has won the equivalent of 135,000 euros in prize money, and the trend is rising.
The nickname Pikachu is the result of a misunderstanding in a noisy hall where Pietreczko said his surname and the listener understood Pikachu. Since then, the professional has cultivated the image with this nickname. There is also recognition for the somewhat different newcomer in the German scene. "He's a bit crazy, if you can put it that way. He's a nice and charming guy," said Martin Schindler about Pietreczko. He has clearly formulated his goal for the World Cup: the title.
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Source: www.stern.de
