Hello Thibault, how are you feeling as you get ready to start your World Championship campaign?
"Very well, very well. The event kicked off on December 11th, and I play on the 18th, so I’m still in Brittany (interview conducted Monday, December 15th), tucked away in the countryside. But I’m heading off to London tomorrow afternoon."
Staying at home until the last minute…
"Getting to London is really straightforward. I leave from Nantes, and I’m there in an hour, so leaving two days before is enough. Not the day before, as that’s a bit tight. You never know what might happen with travel. And I’m used to going to England, I probably go 15 times a year, so it’s a journey I know well."
Unlike last year, when you were on stage the very first night, this time you’re almost at the end of the first round…
"Yes, it’s a bit different. This year, it’s almost the opposite – I play my first match right at the end of the first round, which lasts a week. So, is it better? I don’t really know, to be honest (laughs), but I have already seen a few upsets. It’s a reminder that I need to be careful, that this first round could be a bit of a banana skin for me. Watching the others battle it out also helps me mentally prepare for what’s coming."
Still, you’ve got a better draw than last year.
"Yes (laughs)! Last year, I played an Australian in the first round (Joe Comito), whom I beat, and then I had to face the world number one and reigning World Champion (Luke Humphries) just a few hours later, knowing that the World Championship is the biggest event of the year. It’s the one that puts the most pressure on every player, and I really struggled to play two matches back-to-back. It was too much for me, right from the first night. But I’ve got another year’s experience on the pro circuit now, so I’m going in with a bit more calm. And it’s true, the draw is more favourable, but you never really know in advance – it would be too easy if the favourite always won, like in any sport."
Especially as the seeded player you could have faced in the second round (Ross Smith) has already been knocked out…
"Yes, that’s right, but if he’s out, it means the player who beat him was good too. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I do think that this year… I’m not saying it’s my year because I don’t have the talent to go all the way, but the draw is definitely more open than what I had last year, or even the year before, when I came up against Rob Cross. So for once, I’ve been a bit lucky, but that doesn’t mean I’m taking the draw for granted. I often have this issue where I tend to play better against higher-ranked players than against outsiders.
"I put too much pressure on myself when I’m the favourite, so that’s something I need to work on. I have to accept my role, my status. I do have a bit more experience now, so we’ll see. But that’s the classic footballer’s line (laughs) – take it one match at a time – but it’s true, you have to, because it’s so mental that if you start thinking you’ve won before you’ve even played, you’re setting yourself up for a fall. It’s tough with that extra pressure.
"And there’s another sporting challenge: it would be really good for me to win this first match, because it would guarantee my place on the circuit next year. I’m currently ranked 61st, so I should be safe, but I still need to win this first match to be sure. I could still be overtaken, but it would take some players going deep in the tournament. You never know, it could all come down to circumstances… And beyond that, there’s a lot of expectation around me, at least in France, because I’m still the only French participant. There’s real excitement, there’s genuine interest in France now – we’re still at the beginning, but I can feel that people will be tuning in again this year. It was already a huge hit in terms of viewing figures last year, so yes, there’s pressure, but it’s a good kind of pressure."
You’ll be facing a new opponent for you, Motomu Sakai…
"Yes, he’s a Japanese player who only competes in Asia. I don’t think he’s ever played a tournament in Europe; he qualified through a satellite event, a qualifier. To sum up, there are 128 players at the World Championships – they take the top 64 from the pro circuit, and then 64 more from qualifying tournaments held all over the world, especially in Europe, but also in South America, the US, Asia, (and) Oceania. I struggled to find much information about him, especially about his playing rhythm. It’s important to know how fast he plays, whether I’ll need to adapt.
"I did find a few YouTube videos, but there’s very little info, which is why it could be a tricky match – he’s unranked, so he’s not playing for ranking points or his pro survival, he’s got nothing to lose. And it’s his first time, so he’ll be discovering it all, but that could work in my favour – he might get a real shock the first time he steps on stage. It’s always impressive the first time, even the second, but I think this year I’ll handle it better emotionally. Still, when you first walk into that arena, the atmosphere is electric; it’s always a bit tricky."
But you’re coming off your best season yet, with some great wins, including one over Michael Smith…
"That’s the difference between this year and last. For the first time, I managed to put in solid performances against some really top players, even iconic ones like Michael Smith or Stephen Bunting, in Budapest not long ago. Admittedly, those were shorter formats, so it’s not a direct comparison. But to perform on the podium in Budapest in front of 6,000 or 7,000 spectators – even more than at the Worlds – I proved to myself that I could be comfortable on stage, something I hadn’t managed in previous years, when I struggled to handle the stress and the pressure from the crowd and the TV cameras.
"I hope I can show I’ve improved in that area, and this will be my third time now. I know the venue, I know how the pre- and post-match routines work, (and) and there are no more surprises. But I’ll still need to be focused on the day and at the moment of the match."
What about the next generation of darts players in France?
"Several players are heading in the right direction. I don’t think they’re quite ready yet, though. They’ll need another year or two. Everyone develops at their own pace – I know it took me a while to break through, because I never skipped any steps, my progress was steady but not exactly rapid. So yes, there are two or three players like Nicolas Thuillier or Lylian Le Calvez who want to follow in my footsteps and experience what I’m experiencing. They’re on the right track, but I don’t see them making it straight away. You can never rule out a nice surprise, but I know I’m inspiring a lot of people in France.
"That’s part of the aim – people say I’m a bit of an ambassador, a flag-bearer, and I’m still passionate about the sport, so the more players there are, the more it grows, the happier I am. I waited so long for darts to get some recognition in France, so I’m really pleased. But we’re still at the very beginning – compared to Germany, for example, or even Belgium, we’re at least 10 or 15 years behind. But France is a big country with huge potential – that’s what the darts brands and the governing bodies say, they feel it could take off quickly in France, because darts is already big all around us, so there’s no reason it can’t happen here too. It might take longer than elsewhere, but we’re on the right path."
In France, there’s the example of table tennis, which is shown on lots of platforms and has grown massively. Is that what you’d like to see for darts?
"Yes, exactly. Only the real enthusiasts subscribe to PDC TV to follow the competitions. But for the general public, we do have La Chaîne L’Équipe, which broadcasts some of the major tournaments. That would have been unthinkable two or three years ago, so I think it’s a really positive step, because it means there’s some recognition. It’s a big milestone, but it would be great, especially for the European Tour, if a channel started showing that. But as you said, with table tennis, it’s always the same in France: we’re quite 'cocorico' (proud) – we need French players to do well. Without that, we won’t interest the media or the French public, indirectly."
Do you think about that “responsibility” when you’re on the big stage?
"Yes, but it’s a good kind of pressure, it’s what motivates me to keep working hard. I’ve had that in mind for years, and even as a kid, my dream of turning pro was just a childhood dream, something out of reach, until about five years ago, when I realised it might actually be possible. I’ve been playing for over 20 years now, and for more than 15 years, I’ve heard: 'France needs a player who can perform internationally.' Just like Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen did in the Netherlands. That’s how it exploded over there – without them, nothing would have happened.
"So you need a breakthrough talent. I don’t have their talent, but I do have resilience. At 36, I still believe I can achieve things in the future, so I don’t stress too much – it might take me longer than some legends. I don’t claim to be (a) world champion, but if I can perform regularly and pull off some big results, people will talk more about darts in France, and that’s already a win."
That means a good run at the World Championships…
"That would be the ultimate dream. And on paper, there’s definitely a chance, but yes, that’s what it takes, especially as it’s one of the most high-profile events in the world, and in France too. You should know that La Chaîne L’Équipe had a cumulative audience of 18 million viewers last year. That’s over three weeks, but it’s still a lot. I won’t think about it too much when I’m playing, but it’s on my mind, and of course, a good run would be fantastic!"