PDC World Darts Championship: Days 6-8 Recap
The action at Alexandra Palace heated up over Days 6 to 8 of the PDC World Darts Championship, delivering thrilling matches, historic moments, and standout performances. Here's your weekend recap.
Friday: Van Gerwen Opens Title Challenge With Convincing Win On Day Six
Michael Van Gerwen kicked off his bid for a fourth World Championship crown with a convincing 3-0 win over James Hurrell, pinning nine of his 18 attempts at doubles and two ton-plus checkouts to signal his intent for a fourth World Championship crown.
The Dutch superstar has won more games at Alexandra Palace than any other player, and he reaffirmed his credentials with a professional display on Day Six in north London.
“I think I did enough, and that’s the only thing that matters,” Van Gerwen said, exuding confidence after a challenging year. The three-time champion remains a firm favourite as the tournament progresses.
Friday’s double session also saw six further first round ties take place, with emerging Dutchman Wessel Nijman and popular German Florian Hempel among the players to progress.
Florian Hempel continued to impress, dispatching Jeffrey de Zwaan 3-1 in a clinical performance. Hempel lit up the stage with a 120 checkout that sealed his fourth consecutive first-round win at the iconic venue.
Dylan Slevin will face UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh on Sunday, after winning through his all-Irish clash against William O’Connor to seal a maiden win on the sport’s biggest stage.
Day 6 Highlights:
Afternoon Session
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Alexander Merkx 3-0 Stephen Burton (3-1, 3-1, 3-2) (R1)
Wessel Nijman 3-2 Cameron Carolissen (3-0, 3-2, 0-3, 2-3, 3-2) (R1)
Ian White Bye - Sandro Eric Sosing withdrew on medical grounds (R1)
Stephen Bunting 3-1 Kai Gotthardt (1-3, 3-2, 3-0, 3-0) (R2)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Mickey Mansell 3-1 Tomoya Goto (3-1, 3-2, 2-3, 3-2) (R1)
Florian Hempel 3-1 Jeffrey De Zwaan (3-1, 3-0, 1-3, 3-1) (R1)
Dylan Slevin 3-1 William O'Connor (3-2, 3-1, 1-3, 3-2) (R1)
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 James Hurrell (3-1, 3-1, 3-1) (R2)
Saturday: Littler makes more history in 'tough' Meikle test
Day 7 saw Luke Littler etch his name into World Championship history. The teenage prodigy recorded a jaw-dropping 140.91 average in the fourth set of his 3-1 win over Ryan Meikle, the highest set average ever in the tournament. Littler’s blistering legs of 11, 10, and 11 darts left the crowd in awe, despite narrowly missing a nine-dart finish.
“That was probably the toughest game I’ve ever played,” Littler admitted, highlighting the grit required to overcome a determined Meikle.
Meanwhile Two-time quarter-finalist Brendan Dolan claimed a 3-0 win over Lok Yin Lee ensuring his place in the next round.
Nick Kenny also delivered, overcoming Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 in a huge shock in the game. Kenny is now into the third round, but will face reigning world champion Luke Humphries in a mammoth task. The pair will face off after Christmas, on December 27.
“It’s surreal, there’s a bit more to it, I have kept my tour card, I believe,” said Kenny.
Sunday: Cullen defies Bookies odds in victory against Nijman
Jeffrey de Graaf produced a brilliant display of doubling to stun his darting idol Gary Anderson on a day of upsets at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship on Sunday.
Anderson was one of five seeds to exit during a dramatic double session at London’s Alexandra Palace, with German number one Martin Schindler and Ross Smith also amongst the casualties on Day Eight.
However, Anderson’s exit dominated the headlines, as Swedish number one De Graaf celebrated the biggest win of his career to inflict the Scottish icon’s earliest exit at Alexandra Palace since 2009/10.
Joe Cullen delivered one of the standout performances of Day 8, breezing past Wessel Nijman with a 3-0 victory. Cullen was in scintillating form, averaging 98 and landing eight 180s to secure his spot in the third round.
The 35-year-old progressed to the third round at Alexandra Palace after his commanding win against Nijman, who had been tipped by bookmakers as the favourite for their match
“This was one of my best performances of the year,” Cullen remarked, silencing critics who had doubted his form coming into the tournament.
Cullen had been considered the outsider to win his match with the bookies having won just three of his previous 12 matches before this year's Worlds but was at his clinical best to avoid an early exit.
Day 8 Highlights:
Afternoon Session
4x Second Round
Ryan Searle 3-0 Matt Campbell (3-1, 3-0, 3-0) (R2)
Madars Razma 3-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode (0-3, 3-2, 3-0, 3-2) (R2)
Joe Cullen 3-0 Wessel Nijman (3-1, 3-2, 3-1) (R2)
Ian White 3-1 Ritchie Edhouse (1-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1) (R2)
4x Second Round
Callan Rydz 3-0 Martin Schindler (3-2, 3-1, 3-0) (R2)
Paolo Nebrida 3-0 Ross Smith (3-2, 3-2, 3-2) (R2)
Jeffrey de Graaf 3-0 Gary Anderson (3-1, 3-0, 3-2) (R2)
Looking Ahead
The final day of pre-Christmas action at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship will take place on Monday, as 2017/2018 winner Rob Cross locks horns with last year’s semi-finalist Scott Williams.
Dave Chisnall, Jonny Clayton, Gian van Veen and Daryl Gurney will also be amongst the stars in action, as the second round draws to a close in the capital.
*Photos credited to PDC
