Darts professional Matt Clark has revealed that he received a stark warning to ‘rest or die’ after being hospitalized due to a critical blood clot. The 57-year-old player, known as ‘Superman,’ had to withdraw from the World Seniors Tour upon doctors’ advice that his life was in jeopardy unless he made significant changes to his daily routine.
Having held a PDC Tour Card from 2003 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2022, Clark’s most notable achievement in the World Championships was reaching the last 32 in 2006 before being stopped by Phil Taylor. Following the loss of his Tour Card, he transitioned to the WDF circuit.
Speaking about his harrowing health scare, Clark shared, “Midway through the seniors tour, I developed a life-threatening blood clot in a very delicate area. When the doctor explicitly warned me that any movement could be fatal, it completely shifted my perspective on life.”
He elaborated on his health challenges during an appearance on the Tungsten Tales podcast, mentioning, “I was undergoing hospital treatment for the TV events I qualified for on the seniors tour. I chose to keep it private as I didn’t want to use it as an excuse. It was attributed to a leg issue at the time.”
Due to his medical situation, Clark had to follow strict hospital advice at the beginning of the WDF season, restricting his travel and flying. Only after being discharged from the hospital in February this year did he resume playing, though he still faces ongoing health issues.
Despite his setbacks, Clark has made a remarkable comeback as the No. 7 seed in the WDF World Championship and is poised to compete against Francois Schweyen from Belgium in the last 16. Notable achievements in Clark’s career include winning the 1999 Canadian Open and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2008 World Matchplay, his best performance at a PDC major event.
In a memorable match, Clark was defeated 16-12 by James Wade, who advanced to the final but was ultimately beaten by ‘The Power’ in the Blackpool showdown. The upcoming PDC World Darts Championship is set to kick off on December 11, with fans able to watch every match live exclusively on Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle.