Ryan Searle defeated Mensur Suljovic (Picture: Lawrence Lustig)

PDC World Darts Championship results: Mensur Suljovic crashes out but Adrian Lewis triumphs

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Fri December 21, 2018 · 6y ago

A review of Thursday's action at the PDC World Darts Championship, as Mensur Suljovic crashed out and Adrian Lewis claimed an impressive victory.

Scroll down for full round-up, results, match highlights and video interviews including Adrian Lewis having his say on 'celebrate-gate' and whether it's been a good idea to have such an expanded World Championship.

Suljovic sent packing

Ryan Searle caused the latest big shock at the William Hill World Darts Championship as he sent Mensur Suljovic crashing out with a 3-1 second-round triumph.

The 31-year old former window cleaner, who is appearing at the Alexandra Palace for the first time, was a considerable underdog and early on it looked as though he'd caught the seventh seed on a hot day as he fired 11 and 13 dart legs in the opening set to go 1-0 up.

However Searle showed great character to respond with a 120 checkout en route to winning the next 3-1 while he rattled off the next three legs in succession to move ahead in sets.

As his confidence grew and inexperience diminished, the 31-year-old sealed a famous scalp with a stunning 118 finish to set up a third-round encounter with William O'Connor on Saturday evening.

Suljovic, who was runner-up at the World Matchplay this summer and also reached the semi-finals of the Masters, Champions League of Darts, World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts, was scoring well enough with 10 180s but his finishing let him down badly, missing 19 of his 25 attempts.

Both players averaged 90 and although the Somerset thrower only managed three 180s, he hit 10 of his 28 double attempts which was clinical enough.

After the game, Searle revealed he hadn't even booked himself a hotel for Friday night as he'd expected to be heading home but now he hopes his superior head-to-head record against O'Connor may help him stretch his debut beyond Christmas.

Joy for Jackpot

Adrian Lewis got his campaign for a third PDC World Darts Championship title under way with a 3-0 win over Ted Evetts.

The scoreline was perhaps a little harsh on the 21-year-old, who averaged 95, hit six 180s and managed a high checkout of 100, but Jackpot produced a ruthless display, particularly on his doubles.

A thoroughly entertaining match saw the opening two sets go to deciders, with Lewis turning on the style in both of them with 14 and 13-darters.

The plucky Evetts, who was appearing in his second World Championship and beat Simon Stevenson 3-0 in the previous round, kept digging away but but after taking the opening leg of set three, Lewis won the next three and completed the job with an 11-darter.

Lewis, who faces Raymond van Barneveld's conqueror Darius Labanauskas next, averaged 97 and hit almost 53% of his doubles while he also weighed in with six maximums in an entertaining clash.

After the game Lewis had his say on the recent celebration controversies involving Gerwyn Price, James Wade and most recently Jan Dekker (see below!) while he also felt the expanded tournament featuring 96 players is too much.

You can listen to all this plus what he feels about his title chances by watching the video below.

King finally downs Dekker

Mervyn King blew a 2-0 set and missed eight match darts before finally getting over the line to beat Jan Dekker 3-2 at the William Hill World Darts Championship.

Playing in a world championship for the 23rd successive year (1997-2007 BDO), The King got off to a flying start with a 140 checkout in the opening leg as he raced into a 2-0 set lead with an average over 100.

The 52-year-old, who is still ranked as high as 19 in the world after another consistent season which has seen him pick up his seventh career PDC title, then allowed Dekker back into the game with a string of missed doubles.

The Dutchman nailed a 100 checkout in the deciding leg of the third set after King had missed his first match dart for a 3-0 win while two more went begging in a fourth set that also went the distance.

By the time he sealed victory 4-2 in the fifth set, he was still averaging over 10 points more than his opponent with 98 while he hit nine 180s compared to Dekker's one.

If King, who also fired in the highest checkout of 140, can get his finishing right, he'll fancy his chances of going far.

There was more 'celebrate-gate', with Dekker's celebrations irritating King at one point during the match.

King admitted he wasn't impressed with the behaviour following the victory but revealed one of his motivations after all these years is trying to stay ahead of youngsters who he feels show him not "one iota" of respect. Watch the video below to hear what he said.

Reyes comeback thwarts Austrian youngster

Cristo Reyes came from two sets down to defeat Rowby-John Rodriguez 3-2 at the William Hill World Darts Championship set up a third-round clash with Rob Cross.

The Spaniard, who defeated the defending champion 6-1 at the recent Players Championship Finals, was favourite to progress against a player he'd beaten in their last four meetings but an upset looked on the cards early on.

Rodriguez was in confident mood having defied the fast-throwing of Ricky Evans last time out and despite losing the opening two legs of the match, took the next three to go 1-0 up.

A 14-darter in another deciding leg doubled his advantage before Reyes found some much needed momentum as he won the third set 3-0, closing it out with a 77 checkout to complete a 14-darter.

The Austrian youngster, however, didn't buckle and took out a match high 115 checkout to move 2-1 up in the fourth set and one leg away from victory.

Reyes responded superbly with a 100 finish to level the set before taking the decider to force a fifth and final set which he ran away with 3-0.

Chuck holds nerve in sudden-death leg

Alan Norris won a thrilling clash with Steve Lennon in a sudden-death leg to reach the third round of the PDC World Darts Championship.

Chuck, who headed into his first televised outing since the Masters in January as underdog despite being seeded due to his difficult season, was never ahead and even trailed 2-0 in the fifth and final set.

However he produced a gutsy comeback to level the scores at 2-2 and at that point either player needed to win by two clear legs in order to progress.

Lennon would continue to hold his throw but Norris kept winning his to stay alive until a sudden death leg was needed at 5-5.

The Irishman won the bull-off but it was Norris who finally got his nose in front when it mattered with the help of his 10th 180 of the match before an 81 checkout sealed victory.

"Determination got me through that one," said Norris. "I've had rough year but I've been on the practice board and starting wearing glasses and I feel like I'm coming back.

"Simon Whitlock gave my his glasses to try and since then I can actually see again. They've made a huge difference and I hope things are on the up now."

Humphries shows his potential

Luke Humphries underlined his talents with a 3-1 victory over 18th seed Stephen Bunting to book his place in round three.

The 23-year-old was only the slight underdog against a resurgent Bunting, who has been climbing up the rankings again this season after a difficult period in his career, due to how well he played in a 3-0 thumping of Adam Hunt last time out.

Humphries, a winner of eight titles on the PDC's Development Tour, averaged 96, threw seven 180s and also weighed in with two 100+ checkouts including one of 142 to win a deciding leg in the first set.

Former BDO world champion Bunting, who averaged only 88.21, did show signs of revival when battling back to win the third set to trail 2-1 but the Newbury star shone through in the end.

Humphries will need to improve his finishing after missing 15 doubles although he was more clinical than the wasteful Bullet, who hit eight from 28.

Dobey delight against Beaton

Chris Dobey moved into round three as he brought to an end Steve Beaton's 28th consecutive appearance at a World Championship stage.

The 54-year-old Bronzed Adonis, who won a BDO world title in 1996 prior to his switch to the PDC in 2001, is one of Dobey's darting idols but there was no sentiment on stage as the Northumberland thrower ran away with it 3-0.

It's his second successive whitewash having brushed aside Boris Koltsov in the previous round while he's averaged 93 in both matches and conceded just two legs in each.

A closer clash was on the cards until Dobey, who fired in four 180s and a high checkout of 100, took out 88 on the bullseye to clinch the opening set on a decider before taking the next six legs in succession to set up a clash with Vincent van der Voort.

Machine Gun too fast for Dinosaur

Jermaine Wattimena brushed aside Michael Barnard 3-0 to set up a third-round meeting with Gary Anderson at the PDC World Darts Championship.

The Machine Gun's rapid-fire throwing won the clash of styles with one of the slowest players on the PDC circuit, with 'Dinosaur' Barnard only managing four darts at a double - although he did hit three of those.

Wattimena's scoring was superior as he averaged 89.94 compared to Barnard's 83 although it would have been higher had he not missed as many as 22 darts at doubles.

The Dutchman, competing in his fifth successive World Championship, will need to brush up on his finishing if he's to challenge this year's UK Open, World Matchplay and Champions League of Darts winner on Saturday night.

Thursday results & Friday schedule

Thursday December 20
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Jermaine Wattimena 3-0 Michael Barnard (R2)
Alan Norris 3-2 Steve Lennon (R2)
Stephen Bunting 1-3 Luke Humphries (R2)
Steve Beaton 0-3 Chris Dobey (R2)

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

Cristo Reyes 3-2 Rowby-John Rodriguez (R2)
Mervyn King v Jan Dekker (R2)
Adrian Lewis 3-0 Ted Evetts (R2)
Mensur Suljovic 1-3 Ryan Searle (R2)

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

Benito van de Pas v Jim Long (R2)
John Henderson v Gabriel Clemens (R2)
Steve West v Richard North (R2)
Kyle Anderson v De Graaf/Malicdem (R2)