A review of Sunday's action at the PDC's William Hill World Darts Championship, as Peter Wright's title defence was ended by Gabriel Clemens and Michael van Gerwen produced a stunning display against Ricky Evans..
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EVENING SESSION
Peter Wright's world title defence is over after suffering a shock 4-3 defeat against the history-making Gabriel Clemens on a dramatic night at the Ally Pally.
Snakebite's third-round exit also ends his hopes of toppling Michael van Gerwen at the top of the world rankings at the season-ending showpiece while Clemens becomes the first German to reach the last 16.
Wright overcame a horrible spell of finishing in the early part of the match to end up with a superior average of 101.5 compared to his opponent's 98.65 and he also hit four more maximums with nine but Clemens held his nerve at numerous pivotal moments to claim the biggest victory of his blossoming career so far.
The 37-year-old, who usurped Max Hopp as his country's number one earlier this season, was crucially far more clinical on his doubles and also weighed in with two stunning 100+ checkouts of 144 and 126 either side of a 12-darter in the fifth set to overturn a 2-0 deficit in some style and edge 3-2 ahead overall.
Clemens pinned 15 of his 33 doubles in the match as Wright spurned 30 of his 44 - although 16 of those came across sets two and three when Clemens moved 2-1 up to seize the initiative.
The world champion trailed 2-0 in the fourth before finally finding his range with three successive legs that included an 11-darter and a 120 checkout to level the match score before Clemens produced those aforementioned fireworks of his own in the next.
Wright responded by whitewashing Clemens in the sixth - with the help of a classy 121 finish - but couldn't maintain the momentum in the decider as the first four legs went with throw.
The German Giant used the advantage of throw to reach a finish first and after leaving 38 from 164 he cleaned up on his next visit when Wright could only manage a score of 24 when needing a heroic 131 checkout.
Clemens told www.pdc.tv: "This is the greatest night of my life in darts, I have no words. Peter is a World Champion, he's a fantastic player and a great guy. I'm so happy to beat him. This is an incredible night for me.
"I'm the lucky guy, he missed lots of doubles that he doesn't normally miss, but I am proud of myself. I felt good in the last weeks, I practiced hard. I'm not looking too far ahead now, I will let this result sink in first."
Wright becomes the first reigning champion to be eliminated at the last 32 stage since Phil Taylor at the 2013/14 edition.
"I felt really good going up there and but I missed chances in the first couple of sets and missed lots of doubles," said Wright. "Fair play to Gabriel. He would not go away, and when he did go away I didn't punish him. I had my chances but I didn't take them. All the best to him in the next round.
"I felt so comfortable. It felt like I was playing at home. It was too easy in a way and then when I had to switch on for a double, I missed. I can’t explain why. That’s just what happened and he took advantage. That’s the way it goes and I’ll be back next year."
There was no such deciding set drama in the final match of the night but Michael van Gerwen and Ricky Evans still managed to pack the same amount of entertainment into just 40 minutes.
Having spent well over two hours waiting for the night's previous two thrillers to finish, MVG wasted little time running out a 4-0 winner although the scoreline is incredibly harsh on his rapid-throwing opponent, who took three of the sets all the way and also posted an average of 100.
Van Gerwen followed up the 108 average against Ryan Murray in round two with another stunning mark of 107 in a high-octane performance that also included seven 180s compared to Evans' six while he ruthlessly pinned 57% of his doubles.
The highlight moment of the match was when he took out 321 in six darts either side of Evans missing bullseye for a 167 checkout that would have clinched the set.
"It feels good to play as well as this," said Van Gerwen, who plays Joe Cullen next. "Ricky played a phenomenal game but you have to be prepared for anything so I am always ready.
"I have to make sure I beat whoever is on my track, I don't care who I play. When you're here the only thing that counts is to play well and win the title. My family is behind me with my decision to stay over for Christmas. I want to win this for them to make it all worthwhile."
The night started with Cullen completing an epic 4-3 victory over his close friend Jonny Clayton with a show-stopping checkout that would have raised the roof of the Ally Pally had a crowd been packed inside.
In a tense deciding leg, the Rockstar needed 100 for victory but despite the pressure of the World Cup-winning Welshman leaving himself tops, he followed up a single 20 with a pair of double tops to reach the last 16 for the first time in 11 appearances.
It was remarkably the eighth 100+ checkout of the match, with both players firing in four apiece, while there were also 13 180s thrown (Clayton 7) to keep those watching at home on the edge of their seats.
Cullen had made a flying start by moving 2-0 up in sets only for Clayton to come roaring back by whitewashing the third 3-0 with the help of 106 and 114 checkouts.
The Englishman spurned two darts for a 3-1 set lead as the Ferret punished him to restore parity and soon he chalked up his third on the trot to move ahead of the first time.
Cullen, who averaged 02.34 compared to Clayton's 91.41, responded by taking the sixth set 3-0 before fighting back from 2-0 down in the decider that he went on to pinch.
"The emotion just takes over you, it's the pressure of the World Championship," said Cullen.
"I've got a shocking record here so to come back and win the way I did is very pleasing. It's not often that I give myself credit but I don't mind saying I'm proud of myself.
"I knew the 100 checkout to win it had to go because Jonny was waiting on a double. The first dart at tops was so inviting for the second. People may laugh because of my record here but I genuinely fancy it this week. It takes some doing to come back the way I did."
AFTERNOON SESSION
Dimitri Van den Bergh laid down another marker in his quest to win the only title bigger than the one he lifted this year by brushing aside Jermaine Wattimena for the loss of just four legs.
The World Matchplay champion, who blew Paul Lim away with a 106 average in the previous round, looked on course to produce similar numbers throughout a one-sided contest but he took his foot off the gas as the Dutchman's challenge wilted and ended up with a mark of 96.63.
It could have been so much closer had Wattimena not visibly rattled himself by missing eight darts at a double in the very first leg and from then he never recovered, averaging just 89 and spurning a further eight at the outer ring in a frustrating display.
Van den Bergh's highlight was a 128 checkout on his way to winning the third set and he'll now expect a tougher challenge against either Dave Chisnall or Danny Noppert.
"Jermaine missed his chances in the first set. He gave me a lot of opportunities," said Van den Bergh. "I've been saying to myself 'if you get an opportunity take it' and that's what I did at the start of the game.
"That's one of the reasons why I became World Matchplay champion and why I'm still going in this tournament. This year I've learnt so many things. I'm in the top ten of the world which is what I've been dreaming of. I have a lot of belief in myself."
Ryan Searle beat Kim Huybrechts 4-2 in a hard-fought encounter which means he's now reached the last 16 twice in three years.
The quietly spoken 'Heavy Metal' fired in eight of the 12 maximums in the match but sloppy finishing from both players brought their averages down to 91.79 and 90.03 respectively.
Huybrechts did produce the highest finish with a checkout of 140 that threatened to force a deciding set but Searle responded with legs of 13 and 16 darts to complete the victory.
"That was an important win, I felt quite nervy though," admitted Searle, who will face either James Wade or Stephen Bunting next. "It was another tight game. I'm happy to get over the line and look forward to the next match.The difference in my game now compared to a year ago is that I'm now taking out big shots at the right times."
Krzysztof Ratajski was the first player to book his place in the last 16 with a commanding 4-0 victory over Simon Whitlock in a match that many expected to be much closer.
The Aussie had been in much better form than Ratajski in the majors having reached two semi-finals and a quarter-final but he struggled to get going and missed 23 darts at doubles from 29 attempts.
Whitlock peppered the treble 20 bed to land five of the nine 180s in the match although he had to correct Paul Hinks after being awarded a sixth in one of the more amusing moments of the tournament.
Ratajski averaged 93.37 compared to Whitlock's 93.69 but he'll need to improve against Gabriel Clemens if he's to reach the quarter-finals.
"Of course, I am really happy to be in the last 16 for the first time at the World Championship," said Ratajski. "I practiced for many hours over Christmas in the hotel to be ready for the rest of the tournament.
"This match wasn't good, we both played poor but a win is a win. It doesn't matter what you average, I've lost plenty of matches with 100-plus averages."
World Championship: Sunday's results and Monday's schedule
- Scroll further down for the full tournament draw bracket, daily schedule and averages
Sunday December 27
Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)
Third Round (Best of 7 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
- Krzysztof Ratajski (93.37) 4-0 (93.69) Simon Whitlock (3-1, 3-1, 3-2, 3-2)
- Kim Huybrechts (90.03) 2-4 (91.79) Ryan Searle (0-3, 3-0, 0-3, 1-3, 3-1, 2-3)
- Dimitri Van den Bergh (96.63) 4-0 (89.24) Jermaine Wattimena (3-1, 3-2, 3-1, 3-0)
Evening Session (1800 GMT)
Third Round (Best of 7 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
- Joe Cullen (92.34) 4-2 (91.41) Jonny Clayton (3-2, 3-1, 0-3, 2-3, 2-3, 3-0, 3-2)
- Peter Wright (101.5) 3-4 (98.65) Gabriel Clemens (3-2, 1-3, 0-3, 3-2, 2-3, 3-0, 2-3)
- Michael van Gerwen (106.85) 4-0 (100.68) Ricky Evans (3-1, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2)
Monday December 28
Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)
Third Round (Best of 7 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
- Jose de Sousa v Mervyn King
- Dirk van Duijvenbode v Adam Hunt
- Nathan Aspinall v Vincent van der Voort
Evening Session (1800 GMT)
Third Round (Best of 7 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
- Gary Anderson v Mensur Suljovic
- Gerwyn Price v Brendan Dolan
- Glen Durrant v Danny Baggish
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