Nathan Aspinall

PDC World Darts Championship results: Nathan Aspinall stuns Gerwyn Price to send the Ally Pally crazy

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Sat December 22, 2018 · 6y ago

A review of Friday's action at the PDC World Darts Championship, as Nathan Aspinall and Devon Petersen both pulled off thrilling comebacks.

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Scroll down for full round-up, results, match highlights and video interviews, including Nathan Aspinall revealing the secret to standing up to Gerwyn Price and Devon Petersen on what was going through his mind when embroiled in a titanic battle with Ian White.

Aspinall melts the Iceman

Nathan Aspinall thrilled the Alexandra Palace crowd as he bounced back from two sets down to shock Gerwyn Price 3-2 in a pulsating clash at the William Hill World Darts Championship.

The Grand Slam of Darts winner was heading to the next round at 2-0 up after edging deciding legs in both sets but the English youngster then responded to the raucous support that was almost exclusively in his favour.

At 2-2 in the third set, the sixth seed missed the bullseye for a 3-0 win as Aspinall returned to the oche to hit double 16 with his last dart in hand to stay alive.

With the crowd chanting 'Eng-ger-land' in a football style atmosphere, Price appeared to buckle under the pressure and the noise inspired Aspinall even more as he took out a 140 checkout to win level the match before going on to complete the biggest victory of his career.

Aspinall, who won a maiden PDC Tour title earlier this year, averaged 92.28 compared to Price's 89 and although he hit fewer 180s with five (Price hit six) and missed 20 of his 33 darts at doubles, he won the key legs at the right times and will next face the much calmer Kyle Anderson next.

It's the seventh time a player has come from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in this enthralling tournament of upsets while it's the 22nd to go the distance. And we've only now finished the second round!

He told www.pdc.tv: "I know what I can do and I knew if I played my game I could win, even at 2-0 down I thought I would still win and I never gave up. Going full-time this year was a big risk for me and my family, but winning a ProTour event along with this win tonight gives me security and I couldn't be happier."

After the game Aspinall also revealed how he practiced his shouting to prepare for the battle with Price while he also believes the Welshman will struggle to stay at the highest level if he keeps getting booed. Click on the video below to listen to his fascinating interview which includes his thoughts on whether 'over-celebrating' is becoming a new thing in darts.

White not alright on the night

Devon Petersen caused the latest big shock of the William Hill World Darts Championship as he came from 2-0 down to defeat Ian White at a raucous Alexandra Palace.

In the 21st five set thriller of this tournament, which is still in the second-round stage, the South African looked like he was heading for a sound beating with Ian White averaging over 107 when winning six of the first seven legs of the match.

But Petersen rallied in the third set and won it 3-1 thanks to a 76 checkout to complete a timely 12-darter while he took the next by the same scoreline as momentum shifted.

The pair traded blows in the fifth and final set, which reached the tie-break stage at 2-2, but when White led 3-2, Petersen landed an amazing 125 checkout under incredible pressure.

He won a nervy seventh leg with both players missing a host of darts at doubles to move to within one of victory before finishing the job on tops after White had spurned a shot at the same target for a dramatic 120 checkout.

Petersen was positively beaming after his triumph, which also puts him in a commanding position to retain his tour card for next season, and revealed how he stayed mentally strong despite being 2-0 down. Watch the interview below.

Van den Bergh too hot for Clayton

Dimitri van den Bergh laid down a real marker as he averaged 104 in a 3-1 thumping of Jonny Clayton to reach the third round.

The result was technically an upset given another seed was beaten but few will be surprised by the manner of the two-time World Youth champion's triumph.

The 24-year-old Belgian star won the opening set thanks to three consecutive 13-darters as he made an explosive start although the 15th seed came back strongly in the second to level by winning legs in 11, 12 and 18 darts.

After taking the third set, van den Bergh, who hit eight maximums and converted 10 of his 20 attempts, found himself 2-0 down in the fourth but a 108 checkout completed a 12-darter that sparked a revival and he was soon celebrating the match with a clinical 72 finish.

Clayton didn't do much wrong with his finishing as he hit six of his nine attempts at doubles but he just didn't score heavily enough to trouble one of the brightest rising stars of the game.

Brown scraps past below-par Klaasen

An emotional Keegan Brown claimed a 3-1 victory over a struggling Jelle Klaasen to book his place in the third round of the World Darts Championship.

The former World Youth champion, now 26, revealed his wife Roz has been recovering from a lumbar puncture she underwent on Monday and that's understandably been taking up all of his focus.

Nevertheless he got up on stage without her watching at the Alexandra Palace for the first time to grind out a win with an average of 82.55, which was still more than his opponent's 79 as Klaasen's troubles continued.

Benito survives Long story

Benito van de Pas claimed an exhausting 3-2 victory over 2500/1 tournament outsider Jim Long after being one dart away from being the latest victim of a huge shock at the William Hill World Darts Championship.

The Dutchman headed to Alexandra Palace after one of his most disappointing years on the circuit which has seen him slide down the rankings to 30, but he was still expected to breeze through against the 50-year-old Canadian.

Van de Pas moved 2-0 up in sets but Long, enjoying a dream debut having beaten Mickey Mansell last week in the first round, fought back bravely by winning the next with a 96 checkout and then survived two match darts to force a decider.

The first four legs of the decider were shared so the match went into a tie-break, with either layer needing to win by two clear legs.

Long was poised to cause another upset when 3-2 up but missed a dart at double top for the match, before Van de Pas turned it round with his sublime 150 finish.

Afterwards, Van de Pas, who averaged only 86, hit four 180s and hit 13 of his 34 darts at doubles, revealed his delight with the schedule that means he can now return home for Christmas before facing Peter Wright's conqueror Toni Alcinas in the round of 32.

You can watch that interview below in which he also talks about the drama he endured with Long.

Henderson comes through yet another five-setter

John Henderson was the latest player to win a five-set thriller at the World Darts Championship as he edged out Gabriel Clemens.

In a topsy-turvey battle, the popular Scotsman, who is widely regarded as one of the nicest personalities on the PDC circuit, won the opening set 3-2 with a superb 87 checkout on the bullseye but lost the next two in deciders as Clemens fired in a crucial 141 checkout.

At 2-2 in the fourth, the Highlander completed a 12-darter with a stunning 141 of his own to complete force a fifth and final set, which he won 3-1 thanks to another big finish of 120 that send the crowd wild.

Henderson averaged an impressive 95.17 and hit five 180s while his finishing was pretty clinical as he converted 13 of his 21 double attempts.

The 45-year-old will next face Michael Smith but after enjoying a Christmas he's going to spend back him in Scotland.

Afterwards he revealed, while trying not to offend Ian White, why he's not tempted to stay in London over the festive period as well as the emotions of such a mentally-draining victory.

West sends North South

Steve West prolonged the best season of his career with a 3-1 victory over Richard North to reach the third round for the second year in a row.

The Epping thrower, featuring in just his third World Championship at the age of 43, has been surging up the rankings over the past couple of years and recently beat Michael van Gerwen at the European Championship.

Having waited eight days to get his campaign under way, West won the first two sets with the help of a stunning 164 checkout which was finished on the bullseye to complete a 12-darter.

North pulled one back but although his average of 96 was seven points higher than West, he only hit seven of his 36 attempts at doubles including three to force a deciding set.

West hit six 180s compared to North's five while he converted 11 of his 26 double attempts in a pretty clinical display.

The Londoner, who only has a short journey back home for Christmas before coming back on December 27 to face either Ian White or Devon Petersen, spoke to us afterwards about why it's taken him so long to become a force to be reckoned with and why he believes he can even get on a par with Michael van Gerwen.

Anderson sends Noel home for Christmas

Kyle Anderson overcame a spirited display from Noel Malicdem to win 3-1 and book his place in the third round.

The Australian, who famously hit a nine-darter here back in 2014, averaged an 97, hit seven 180s and converted almost 50% of his doubles in an impressive statistical display but he was pushed hard by the tournament debutant from the PDC Asian Tour.

Malicdem showed off his talents with 122 and 140 checkouts in the opening set and although Anderson edged it, the Filipino star took the next in another deciding leg.

The 41-year-old, who won two events this year and also had a nine-dart finish, spurned four missed darts to lead 2-1 and Anderson punished him before flying through the fourth set.

Australia's first Aboriginal pro darts player averaged 96.41 compared to Malicdem's 92.93, outscored him on 180s 7-6 and also hit 11 of his 25 darts at doubles.

Afterwards he spoke to us about how he'll once again be missing his wife and son at Christmas due to the tough decision he took four years ago to live in the UK and leave them in Australia, while he also gave his thoughts on the showmanship of Gerwyn Price, who he could meet in the next round.

Watch both excerpts from the interview in the two clips below.

Friday results & Saturday schedule

Friday December 21
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Benito van de Pas 3-2 Jim Long (R2)
John Henderson 3-2 Gabriel Clemens (R2)
Steve West 3-1 Richard North (R2)
Kyle Anderson 3-1 Noel Malicdem (R2)

Evening Session (1900)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Ian White 3-0 Devon Petersen (R2)
Jelle Klaasen 1-3 Keegan Brown (R2)
Gerwyn Price 2-3 Nathan Aspinall (R2)
Jonny Clayton 1-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh (R2)

Saturday December 22
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Third Round (Best of 7 sets)

TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Ryan Joyce v Alan Norris (R3)
Dave Chisnall v Huybrechts (R3)
Daryl Gurney v Jamie Lewis (R3)

Evening Session (1900)
Third Round (Best of 7 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Ryan Searle v O’Connor (R3)
Gary Anderson v Jermaine Wattimena (R3)
Michael Van Gerwen v Max Hopp (R3)

Full World Championship draw and schedule