Boris Krcmar delivered a superb display to dump out Nathan Aspinall and set up a showdown against reigning champion Michael van Gerwen at the Superbet Poland Darts Masters in Gliwice.
Croatian number one Krcmar defied five 180s from Aspinall to win through a high-quality encounter at the PreZero Arena, averaging 97.79 to set up a clash against world number two Van Gerwen in Saturday's final stages.
“I feel great,” admitted Krcmar, who landed a stunning 127 finish on the bull on his way to a landmark victory.
“Nathan is one of the best players in the world. I played well tonight; I was a little bit nervous but I managed to win, so I’m very happy.
“I hope I can keep this form going, and I will give it my best tomorrow.”
Friday’s first round saw eight PDC superstars take on their East Europe rivals, with Krcmar the solitary regional qualifier to progress to the quarter-finals.
Van Gerwen began his defence of the title with an emphatic 6-1 win over a below-par Karel Sedlacek, pinning six of his 12 attempts at double to sweep aside the Czech star.
“It was a steady performance, but the most important thing is to win,” insisted the Dutchman, who is chasing a second World Series title of 2024.
“I think Karel is a really good player, but I think he’s better on the floor than on the stage, and I took advantage of that.
“This is going to be a huge weekend for darts in Poland and Eastern Europe, and there’s still a lot more to come from me tomorrow.”
Top seed Luke Littler survived a late scare to see off Adam Gawlas on his Poland Darts Masters debut, after the Czech star produced three consecutive 13-darters from 5-1 down to threaten an unlikely fightback.
“I started off well, but I struggled with the pace of the game,” conceded Littler, who averaged 96.97 and crashed in four maximums.
“There was always going to be a little bit of rust after my week away, but it was good to be back on stage in front of a great audience. It was like a Premier League night!”
World champion Luke Humphries began his bid for a maiden World Series crown with a routine 6-1 success against Hungarian debutant György Jehirszki, who won his solitary leg with an 11-darter.
“When György started coming back at me at the end, I got a bit more drive,” reflected the world number one.
“It wasn’t my best performance, but I know when I come back tomorrow I will be a stronger and better player.
“I would love to win a World Series title. It’s something that is not on my CV yet, but I’m sure it will happen one day!”
Friday June 14
First round
Saturday June 15 (1900 local time)
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final