Darts: Outsider offers away ten match darts – and loses the sport of his life | EUROtoday

Adam Lipscombe was the large shock of those Players Championship Finals. The Englishman surprisingly beat Cameron Menzies (6:1) and Bradley Brooks (6:2) on the costume rehearsal earlier than the World Darts Championship beginning on December eleventh. The quantity 92 on this planet rankings sensationally reached the spherical of 16.

And there he wrote the subsequent chapter of the little darts fairy story. “Baby Boy”, as he was nicknamed, confronted Daryl Gurney, the one winner of the most important occasion nonetheless within the match. The Northern Irishman gained the season-ending flooring sequence in 2018.

Lipscombe, who solely earned his tour card in January 2025, was unimpressed and dominated the match from the beginning, already main 8:4, earlier than he all of a sudden discovered himself uncovered to his nerves. Realizing he was about to face by far the largest second of his profession, he started to wobble. Gurney bought nearer: 5:8, 6:8, 7:8.

Lipscombe pulled himself collectively once more, checked in 14 darts on double 18 to make it 9:7 and had the prospect one leg later to belatedly make it into the quarter-finals. However, six match darts unfold over three photographs weren’t sufficient. Gurney shortened the rating to eight:9, however then discovered himself on the verge of elimination once more.

Subscribe to WELTMeister Spotify, Apple Podcasts or instantly through RSS-Feed.

Lipscombe missed double 18, then hit single 18 and single 9 as an alternative of their double fields and, to make issues worse, threw into double 1 with 9 factors remaining. Since Gurney additionally missed out, the 33-year-old had one other probability with seven factors remaining. Lipscombe threw three factors – solely to hit double 17 as an alternative of double 2 – and truly needed to go to the decider after ten missed match darts. In the deciding leg, Gurney left no stone unturned, throwing two 180s in a row and profitable in eleven darts.

Schindler and Pietreczko are eradicated

Gurney will face Gerwyn Price within the quarter-finals on Sunday from 1:45 p.m. (DAZN and Pluto TV reside). The Welshman prevailed 10-6 in opposition to Martin Schindler, who was eradicated within the spherical of 16 at a match for the twelfth time in a row.

Schindler bought off to a concentrated begin and broke the Welshman to make it 2-1 in 14 darts, then led 3-1 and after 4 legs had solely allowed his opponent two makes an attempt on the double fields. After eight legs, the lead in opposition to the Iceman had already melted away: Price performed two twelve-darters in a row and spectacularly checked 161 factors to make it 4:4.

Schindler took the throw from his opponent once more, however subsequently had too many issues with scoring to have the ability to critically problem Price over the longer distance. In the top it was 6:10 from the German primary’s viewpoint.

Number two lasted a little bit longer of their match. Ricardo Pietreczko was in a position to maintain the duel with famous person Luke Littler open for a surprisingly very long time, even breaking the 18-year-old Englishman to make it 2-1 and instantly adopted up with a excessive end: 101 factors to make it 3-1.

The German was in a position to defend his lead till 5:4, however then conceded 4 legs in a row, checking 121 factors spectacularly through Bullseye, Triple-7, Bullseye, amongst different issues, whereas the German missed his few possibilities on the doubles and, like Schindler, misplaced 6:10.

The different two Germans have been eradicated from the match on Friday. Max Hopp misplaced 2:6 to Gerwyn Price, Gabriel Clemens misplaced 3:6 to Northern Irishman Josh Rock. Niko Springer needed to cancel his participation attributable to sickness.

If Lutz Wöckener Not precisely attempting out any sport on his personal, he writes about darts and sports activities politics, however generally additionally one thing off-kilter like soccer.

Players Championship Finals, outcomes

2. Round

• James Hurrell (ENG) – Luke Woodhouse (ENG) 6:1
• Stephen Bunting (ENG) – Daryl Gurney (NIR) 4:6
• Adam Lipscombe (ENG) – Bradley Brooks (ENG) 6:2
• Peter Wright (SCO) – James Wade (ENG) 4:6
• Ryan Searle (ENG) – Callan Rydz (ENG) 6:5
• Jermaine Wattimena (NED) – Ryan Joyce (ENG) 6:2
• Richard Veenstra (NED) – Nathan Aspinall (ENG) 0:6
• Gerwyn Price (Wall) – Sebastian Bialeci (Pol) 6: 1
• Martin Schindler (D) – Nick Kenny (WAL) 6:4
• Ross Smith (ENG) – Luke Littler (ENG) 3:6
• Ricardo Pietreczko (D) – Gary Anderson (SCO) 6:5
• Gian van Veen (NED) – Krzysztof Ratajski (POL) 5:6
• Justin Hood (ENG) – Andrew Gilding (ENG) 5:6
• Josh Rock (NIR) – Scott Williams (ENG) 6:0
• Chris Dobey (ENG) – Cam Crabtree (ENG) 6:5
• Danny Noppert (NED) – Madars Razma (LAT) 6:1

Round of 16

• Daryl Gurney (NIR) – Adam Lipscombe (ENG) 10:9
• Gerwyn Price (Wall) – Martin Schindler (D) 10: 6
• Andrew Gilding (ENG) – James Wade (ENG) 6:10
• Nathan Aspinall – Danny Noppert (NED) 10:8
• Ryan Searle (PEN) – Writing Wood (NED) 8:10
• Ricard Petrechzo (D) – Luttler (AD) 6:10
• James Hurrell (ENG) – Chris Dobey (ENG) 5:10
• Krzysztof Ratajski (POL) – Josh Rock (NIR)

Quarterfinals

• Daryl Gurney (NIR) – Gerwyn Price (Wall)
• Luke Littler (ENG) – Chris Dobey (ENG)
• Nathan Aspinall – Krzysztof Ratajski (POL)/Josh Rock (NIR)
• James Wade (PEN) – The Wattimena (NED)