HUMPHRIES TAKES OUT HEMPEL - WORLD CHAMPS DAY 8 REVIEW
Day 8 of the Cazoo 2023 World Darts Championship saw a spirited comeback from World Number 5 Luke Humphries, who battled from 2-1 down to beat Florian Hempel 3-2 and secure his spot in the Last 32.
Cool Hand Luke having gone 1-0 down to his very dangerous German opponent, responded well after the interval taking the next set without reply as he blew the Dessau thrower away, with his unbelievable scoring power.
Hempel continued asking the questions in the third set, as he claimed the fourth leg and broke throw to take a 2-1 lead and go one away from the win. The 32-year-old beat Dimitri van den Bergh twelve months ago so was very familiar in causing a big-name problems on the world stage.
Humphries threw seven 180s in the tungsten tussle and brought himself back into the match, winning the fourth set before crucially breaking the throw in the third leg of the decisive last set. The Red Dragon star closed out on double eight with his last dart in hand to book his spot in the Last 32 where he will face 28th seed Vincent van der Voort.
The Dutch Destroyer put in a professional display in the last match of the evening session at the Alexandra Palace, as he beat former WDF World Championship Semi Finalist Cameron Menzies 3-0 to end Day 8 in North London.
The Winmau man who won the crowd over instantly with his walk on to the oche, missed just seven darts at double as he recorded a checkout rate of 53.55%. Van der Voort also included a 121 finish on double fourteen to break in the third leg of the second set, having averaged over 105 in winning the first set without reply.
The 47-year-old closed out victory with his first dart at his favourite double tops to claim the third set and book his spot in a Third-Round clash with the World Number 5.
Jim Williams caused a major upset at this year’s World Championship, as the Welshman knocked last year’s Semi Finalist James Wade out of the tournament with a 3-2 win. The former BDO World Finalist performed when it really mattered to book his spot against 25th seed Gabriel Clemens in the Last 32.
Elsewhere Dirk van Duijvenbode missed double twelve for a 9 darter in the last match of the afternoon session, as the tournament number 14 seed battled from 2-1 down to beat Czech Republic international Karel Sedlacek 3-2 at the Ally Pally. Mensur Suljovic will face Michael van Gerwen in the Third Round after he beat Belgian Mike de Decker 3-0 in the third match of the day.
Friday is the last day of World Championship action before a three-day break, with former Premier League champion Jonny Clayton opening his World Championship campaign against young Dutchman Danny van Trijp. Masters champion Joe Cullen is also in Second Round action in the last match of the evening session as he prepares to take on Rapid Ricky Evans.
By Harry Masterson
Cazoo 2023 World Darts Championship: Day 8 Results
Round 2:
Krzysztof Ratajski (18) 3-1 Danny Jansen
Ryan Searle (16) 3-0 Adam Gawlas
Mensur Suljovic (30) 3-0 Mike de Decker
Dirk van Duijvenbode (14) 3-2 Karel Sedlacek
Gary Anderson (11) 3-1 Madars Razma
Jim Williams 3-2 James Wade (8)
Luke Humphries (5) 3-2 Florian Hempel
Vincent van der Voort (28) 3-0 Cameron Menzies
Day 9 Order of Play
Round 2:
Brendan Dolan (26) v Jimmy Hendriks
Chris Dobey (22) v Martijn Kleermaker
Ross Smith (19) v Darius Labanauskas
Rob Cross (6) v Scott Williams