UK Open champion Danny Noppert came through a last-leg decider against reigning World Champion Peter Wright, denying the number one his first success on the Euro Tour and revenge for his defeat last week.
Meanwhile Aussie Simon Whitlock continued his brilliant run in Holland, as he swept Daniel Larsson of Sweden aside 6-1 to reach the Quarter Finals.
The Freeze certainly stepped up in his match with the World Champion, finding an average of 103.16 on the oche and including a 126 checkout to claw his way back into the tie, levelling at 5-5. All in all a huge victory for the Dutchman who is looking for his first success on the Euro Tour having reached a final earlier this year.
Winmau star Whitlock made it fourteen maximums for the tournament after finding another four in his match with Swedish thrower Larsson, who knocked Nathan Aspinall out yesterday.
Some wizardry from The Wizard from Aus at the end saw the highest checkout, and a real treat for those in attendance in Zwolle. The Australian left 150 and hit three perfect darts at the smallest target (bullseye) on the board to send the crowd mad, as he won the seventh and final leg to reach the Quarter Finals and face Callan Rydz.
The Riot reached the last 8 after knocking tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen out 6-4, with the Dutchman coming into the tie on the back of a 104.67 average against Jelle Klaasen yesterday. The 23-year-old missed 14 darts at double, but still managed to make it through including two maximums on stage.
The home star hit the highest checkout of the match, hitting 114 in the opening leg to hold throw on tops. The recent World Championship Quarter-Finalist closed out victory on tops as he finished 58 to reach the Last 8 in Zwolle.
Mervyn King will be thrilled for his World Matchplay chances, after reaching the QF’s as he beat Chris Dobey 6-1 in the last match in the afternoon session. The King found double nine with his last dart to send Hollywood home, with the 56-year-old through to face Michael Smith in the Quarter Finals.
Bully Boy was involved in the highest quality affair in the afternoon session, after he beat Damon Heta 6-3 with both averaging in three figures. The Heat saved himself from defeat as he hit consecutive checkouts of 127, first on double eight and second on the bull. Twice World Championship runner-up Smith also came close to two nine darters finding legs of six and seven perfect darts.
The St Helens ace closed out victory on 91, hitting tops with his second dart to end what was a very entertaining game of darts, where both players played at their top levels.
Elsewhere, Andrew Gilding reached the Quarter Finals in Zwolle and included a leg where opponent Ryan Searle rejected a dart at the bull thinking Goldfinger was going to miss 156. The Englishman returned to the oche and found double eighteen after two treble twenties to win the leg, as he closed out a 6-4 victory over Heavy Metal.
The Quarter Final action continues at 6pm tonight, with Danny Noppert returning to action as he faces Croatian Boris Krcmar in the opening tungsten tussle of the final session in Zwolle.
Dutch Darts Championship 2022:
Last 16 Results
Boris Krcmar 6-4 Ryan Meikle
Danny Noppert 6-5 Peter Wright (3)
Simon Whitlock 6-1 Daniel Larsson
Callan Rydz 6-4 Michael van Gerwen (2)
Dirk van Duijvenbode (12) 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Ryan Searle (4)
Michael Smith (9) 6-3 Damon Heta (8)
Mervyn King 6-1 Chris Dobey (16)
Quarter Final: Order of Play
Boris Krcmar v Danny Noppert
Simon Whitlock v Callan Rydz
Dirk van Duijvenbode (12) v Andrew Gilding
Michael Smith (9) v Mervyn King
—–ENDS—–
Words: Harry Masterson
Images: Kais Bodensieck/PDC Europe
