World darts results: Dimitri Van den Bergh surrenders 2-0 lead to exit at Ally Pally

By Sporting Life

Darts

Fri December 22, 2023 · 11M ago

Dimitri Van den Bergh suffered a shock defeat to Florian Hempel in the World Darts Championship, having twice thrown for the match.

The Belgian led 2-0 in sets and then held the darts in set three only to lose it in a decider, before surrendering a 2-0 lead in the fourth set as Hempel somehow took out 151 with his opponent waiting on 45 for the victory.

Buoyed by his stunning finish, Hempel went on to level proceedings with a 10-dart leg and ultimately rattled off six legs on the spin by as he captured the fifth set to complete the comeback in style.

151 TO STAY IN IT!

Florian Hempel lands a monster checkout to keep his hopes alive against Dimitri Van den Bergh!

📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD #WCDarts | R2 pic.twitter.com/UMT0yYd8lB
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2023

"It's an amazing feeling," said Hempel. "I was out of the tournament, but I'm alive. The 151 was the turning point for me.

"This win is more special for me, more emotional. He missed three match darts but I won the game."

Hempel's victory looks to have ensured that he will keep his PDC status which had been under threat entering the World Championship, and he promised to enjoy the unexpected time off.

"I'm really happy, no Q School in January... maybe one week in the sun!"

Hollywood stars on big stage

If Hempel's comeback was the most remarkable of the tournament so far, then Chris Dobey's 3-2 victory over William O'Connor must surely go down as the standout game.

Dobey was pushed to his free-scoring limits by O'Connor in a match played in a wonderful spirit, finally fending off his opponent by breaking throw in the deciding set.

Hollywood threw 10 of the 17 maximums as the pair traded blows and to O'Connor's credit, he kept forcing Dobey to produce big darts and that's what he did, pinning tops for the win having averaged 103 – his highest on the Ally Pally stage.

"I'm absolutely knackered!" confessed Dobey after a breathless game.

"I told you earlier, Willie's a fantastic player and he never gives up. He's one of those that can grind a win out. I'm just delighted to get that win because it was a very tough game for me.

"I'm playing some good stuff. I'm just delighted to still be in.

"Everyone's talking about (Luke Littler), I can just side-door it and keep quiet."

DOBEY WINS A THRILLER!

A stunning performance from Chris Dobey who averages 103.09 in a 3-2 win over William O'Connor!

📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD #WCDarts | R2 pic.twitter.com/SiD0ukb7Kz
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2023

Dolan epic sets the tone

A day that lacked star names certainly didn't want for drama and it all began in the very first match on the oche as close friends Brendan Dolan and Mickey Mansell played out an epic that was won by Dolan, who took the deciding set 6-5 in sudden death.

Mansell became the first player in this year's edition of the World Darts Championship to lose the match despite winning more legs than his opponent, as Dolan breathed a huge sigh of relief at having seen off his compatriot.

Next for the Northern Irishman will be a meeting with Gerwyn Price.

Jose de Sousa was then dumped out by qualifier Jeffrey de Graaf 3-1, while an injury-plagued Dirk van Duijvenbode also surrendered a lead to lose 3-1 to Boris Krcmar.

Krzysztof Ratajski's clash with Jamie Hughes did go to the form book, Ratajski winning 3-1.

Raymond van Barneveld meanwhile began his campaign with a 3-1 win over Radek Szaganski, averaging close to three-figures, while Martin Schindler beat Jermaine Wattimena by the same scoreline to help land a 15/2 accumulator for Sporting Life readers.