Krzysztof Ratajski (Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC)

Darts results: Jonny Clayton out despite starring in afternoon session

By Sporting Life

Darts

Sun March 07, 2021 · 4y ago

Fifth-round review

Jonny Clayton produced a stunning display to reach the fifth round of the UK Open - only to suffer a heavy defeat to Krzysztof Ratajski.

Clayton averaged in excess of 108 in the standout performance on Saturday afternoon, but proceeded to lose the first six legs of his clash with the Polish Eagle and was never able to get back into it.

Ratajski, who averaged 103.52 and took out two 100-plus finishes, pinched the first leg against the throw and from there ran off into the distance to cause something of an upset.

Dave Chisnall joined him in the hat for the fifth round draw after a 10-8 victory over a dogged Alan Soutar, while Devon Petersen continued his serene progress in a 10-4 defeat of Peter Jacques.

Simon Whitlock meanwhile came through successive deciding legs, first against Darius Labanauskas and then Brendan Dolan, before Michael van Gerwen scraped through with a 10-9 victory over Jose de Sousa.

Van Gerwen took out 94 in leg four as the pair exchanged breaks of throw, and was never behind in the match.

When he hit bullseye for an 85 finish to move into a 7-5 lead, de Sousa having missed tops for the leg, it appeared as though van Gerwen would power to the finish line and enter Sunday as the man to beat.

That suspicion was underlined when he took out 90 for an 11-dart leg to lead 8-5, but de Sousa rattled off three legs in a row to set up a tense conclusion.

Van Gerwen conjured another 11-dart leg before de Sousa replied, but the Portuguese finally gave way in the decided as successive visits of just 41 points left the door open for MVG.

Through it he strode to survive an almighty close call and reach the last eight, along with Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries, both winners with rather less fuss.

Fourth-round review

Jonny Clayton produced a stunning display to thrash Dirk van Duijvenbode 10-3 and reach the fifth round of the UK Open.

Clayton took the first five legs in a match he dominated from the start, averaging an eye-watering 108.39 thanks to eight maximums and a 10/13 return on the doubles.

Gerwyn Price is another such player and he's safely through to the evening session thanks to a rapid, 10-3 dismissal of Ricky Evans, while Chris Dobey was also an easy winner as he thumped John Brown 10-1.

James Wade edged past Rob Cross 10-7 thanks to his superior finishing, Cross missing 21 darts at double, and there were similar issues for Michael Smith whose fightback was in vain as Jose de Sousa won 10-9.

The first game of the afternoon was just as engrossing as Simon Whitlock won a deciding leg to edge to a 10-9 victory over Darius Labanauskas, but despite a slow start there was no such drama for Michael van Gerwen, a 10-4 winner against Mensur Suljovic.

Gabriel Clemens beat Daryl Gurney 10-7, turning the game around with a 123 checkout to draw level at 3-3 and never trailing thereafter, and our 200/1 chance Alan Soutar also won 10-7 against Ron Meulenkamp.

There were also wins away from the main stage for Dave Chisnall, Brendan Dolan, Devon Petersen and Krzysztof Ratajski.