The Third Round of the WDF World Championships continued at Lakeside with many looking to reach the Quarter Finals of the competition. 5th Seed Neil Duff was the first man through as he beat Nick Fullwell 3-1 in the opening match of the day, but defending male and lady’s competition champions Wayne Warren and Mikuru Suzuki were knocked out in the evening session on day 6.
Seed Number 3 Warren was outperformed on the night and lost 3-0 to PDC Tour card holder Cameron Menzies, whilst Miracle Mikuru was beaten in the Last 16 by 4th Seed Aileen de Graaf who goes through to face 18-year-old darting sensation Beau Greaves in the Quarter Finals.
Northern Irishman Duff started strongly in his match breaking the throw on double five in the second leg of the match with his second dart to start a run of three legs straight in which both players broke throw. Fullwell broke straight back on tops from a 57 out to make it 2-1 to Duff in the first set.
The 5th Seed took the lead in sets in the fourth leg, once again breaking Hero’s throw as he hit double 10 with his second dart to win 3-1.
The Englishman showed his ability on scoring hitting a second 180 in the second leg of the second set, but it was The Duff Man who took the leg on 100 finishing tops with just two needing just one more leg for a 2-0 lead in the match.
Fullwell hit the 150th maximum of the competition in the second leg of the third set, as the 5th Seed closed the match out on double four with his second dart to win the match 3-1 after his opponent hit the same target the leg before to save the match.
2nd Seed Thibault Tricole safely made it through to the Quarter Finals beating The Muffin Man Steve Hine 3-1 in the evening session. Hine took the opening set with a 70 out to win 3-2, but from then on it was all Tricole averaging around 92 going into the fourth set in which he won.
The French Touch will face Andy Baetens in the Quarter Finals as he whitewashed Scott Marsh 3-0 in the final match of the night. The Belgian wasted no time in levelling the match at 1-1 hitting a 180 followed by 83 in just five darts against the Martian.
Marsh hit the fourth 180 in the fourth leg of the first set to pressure Baetens, but he finished 72 in three darts on double 16 in taking the opening set of the match.
The 7th Seed closed out the third set on 89, finishing double eight with his last dart as he became the last man through to the Quarter Finals setting up a tie with Tricole on Friday.
Aileen de Graaf was impressive in handing Mikuru Suzuki her first defeat on the Lakeside stage, winning 2-1 and will face a very difficult task against Beau Greaves in the Quarter Finals after she beat Veronica Ihasz 2-1 in the afternoon session.
Greaves hit a checkout of 109 to win the second leg of the second set on double sixteen, but a magnificent checkout from Veronica Ihasz broke the record for the highest checkout hit by a lady on the Lakeside stage as two treble nineteens and a bullseye won the fourth leg to force a decider in the first set which Greaves took on tops on her first dart.
Beau and Arrow came through a very difficult second round match, needing a 64 finish on double tops to win the third leg of the third set, before closing out the match on double 10 to reach the next round.
WDF number one James Hurrell made it through to the Quarter Finals after beating Dutch qualifier Ryan de Vreede in the final match of the afternoon 3-0. Hill Billy certainly entertained the Lakeside crowd after taking the opening set on 126, finishing on the bullseye to take a 1-0 lead against the Dutchman.
De Vreede had his moments in the match including a very impressive opening to the third set, as he hit three 140s in the leg before finishing 51 on double tops to take a 1-0 lead.
The 6th Seed sets up a Quarter Final with Cameron Menzies and was lucky that opponent de Vreede was in poor form on the outer ring as he missed numerous darts at the outer ring.
Jim McEwan is the only non-seeded player left in the men’s competition after beating 13th Seed Michael Warburton in a match that saw six 180s.
McEwan was 2-1 down before checkouts of 82 on double sixteen to level the match at 2-2 in sets as well as 118 the leg straight after in which Chucky took out tops to lead 1-0 in the deciding set.
Warburton also hit 82 in the match, going the double tops route this time, where he hit the target with his last dart to take the second leg of the fourth set.
McEwan closed out the match with an 11 darter, finishing on double tops once more to win the fifth and deciding set 3-1, and go through to face Neil Duff in the Quarter Finals.
Action gets underway on Day 7 from 1pm on Quarter Finals Day at the WDF World Championships in Surrey with the lady’s competition Quarter Finals first as 6th Seed Kirsty Hutchinson takes on Priscilla Steenbergen in the opening match.
By Harry Masterson
WDF World Championship: Round 3 Results
Neil Duff (5) 3-1 Nick Fullwell (12)
Jim McEwan 3-2 Michael Warburton (13)
James Hurrell (6) 3-0 Ryan de Vreede
Cameron Menzies (14) 3-0 Wayne Warren (3)
Thibault Tricole (2) 3-1 Steve Hine
Andy Baetens (7) 3-0 Scott Marsh (10)
WDF World Championship Women: Round 2 Results:
Beau Greaves (5) 2-1 Veronica Ihasz
Aileen de Graaf (4) 2-1 Mikuru Suzuki
Day 7 Order of Play: Afternoon Session
Priscilla Steenbergen v Kirsty Hutchinson (6) (Ladies)
Jim McEwan v Neil Duff (5)
Rhian O’Sullivan v Maria O’Brien (7) (Ladies)
Thibault Tricole (2) v Andy Baetens (7)
Day 7 Order of Play: Evening Session
Tori Kewish v Lorraine Winstanley (8) (Ladies)
Brian Raman (1) v Richard Veenstra (9)
Aileen de Graaf (4) v Beau Greaves (5) (Ladies)
Cameron Menzies (14) v James Hurrell (6)
—–ENDS—–
Image: Chris Sargeant / Tip Top Pics (BDO)
