Chris Mason announced his retirement from darts in Wolverhampton last weekend, and will in all likelihood play his last match as a professional in Derby on Monday.
Highly talented and frequently controversial, Mason never won a major tournament, but featured in some of the great darts contests of the last 20 years – notably his 1999 victory at Lakeside over Martin Adams (highlights below). He has spent time away from darts previously, not always of his own volition, but returned to form in February 2010 with a run to the semi-final of a PDC tournament, dispatching Simon Whitlock, Gary Anderson, Mark Webster, Jelle Klassen and Micheal Van Gerwen on the way. It wasn’t enough to restore his love for competing, however, and his decision ensures that the sport has lost a little more of its colour.
Chris spoke to The Wrong Bed about his decision, and his hopes for the future.