Welsh duo Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton booked their places in the quarter-finals of the Cazoo World Darts Championship on another thrilling day of action at Alexandra Palace on Thursday.
Day 12 of the £2.5 million event saw the third round draw to a close in the capital in dramatic fashion, before Price and Clayton moved through to the last eight with wins over Jose De Sousa and Josh Rock respectively.
Top seed Price was the first player to advance to the last eight, continuing his bid for a second World Championship crown with a resounding 4-1 win against De Sousa.
The Welshman made a confident start to draw first blood in 14, 15 and 15 darts, before punishing multiple missed opportunities from De Sousa to double his lead.
The Portuguese star, who produced remarkable comeback wins over Simon Whitlock and Ryan Searle earlier in the event, threatened to repeat the feat after halving the deficit in set three.
The 2021 World Champion avoided a similar fate however, coming out on top in a topsy-turvy fourth set before producing a superb 12-darter to seal his progression in style.
“I just wanted to win – it doesn’t matter about the performance,” said Price, who will play Gabriel Clemens or Alan Soutar in the last eight on New Year’s Day.
“I was battling against myself, battling against Jose, but I felt comfortable all the way through the game. I thought I was going to win the game, it was just a matter of time.
“I knew how well I could play. I knew I wasn’t playing at my best, but when chances did come my way I took them.”
Clayton then joined his World Cup team-mate in the quarter-finals, after recovering from 3-2 down to curtail Rock’s dream of lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy on his debut in the event.
The World Youth Champion made a blistering start to seal the opening set with a 110 average, but Clayton punished the Northern Irishman’s profligacy to lead 2-1, clinching set three with a remarkable 104 checkout of single 18, double 18 and the bullseye.
The roles were reversed midway through the contest as Clayton missed a dart to wins sets four and five, but the Welshman’s experience paid dividends in the closing stages.
Clayton converted a sublime 122 checkout on double seven which catapulted him to set six, and although Rock had darts to win all three legs in the deciding set, Clayton’s clinical combination finishing proved decisive as he moved into the quarter-finals for the first time at Alexandra Palace.
“It’s unknown territory for me now, but it’s a good place to be,” reflected the seventh seed, who will play Dimitri Van den Bergh or Kim Huybrechts for a place in the semi-finals.
“Josh went off like a train. I was trying to play at his pace but I had to play my game. It was my night – it was a fantastic game.
“I always think I’m a contender. I know if I play my game, I can do it. It just needs to come together, so hopefully it’s my year.”
The quarter-final line-up will be completed following another stellar double session at Alexandra Palace on Friday, with three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen and two-time runner-up Michael Smith among the headline acts.
The all-Belgian tussle between Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts opens the proceedings, before Gabriel Clemens bids to become the event’s first German quarter-finalist when he meets Scottish ace Alan Soutar.
Smith takes on Masters winner Joe Cullen in the afternoon’s final tie, with the evening seeing Cross meet Dobey, Van Gerwen and Van Duijvenbode clash and Humphries’ tussle with Bunting.
Click here to view match stats & results
2022/23 Cazoo World Darts Championship
Thursday December 29
Afternoon Session
3x Third Round
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-3 Ross Smith (3-1,1-3, 3-0, 1-3, 2-3, 3-2, 6-5)
Rob Cross 4-1 Mervyn King (3-0, 3-0, 3-1, 1-3, 3-1)
Stephen Bunting 4-2 Dave Chisnall (1-3, 3-0, 3-0, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2)
Evening Session
1x Third Round
Luke Humphries 4-3 Vincent van der Voort (3-1, 3-1, 2-3, 1-3, 3-2, 2-3, 3-0)
2x Fourth Round
Gerwyn Price 4-1 Jose de Sousa (3-1, 3-2, 1-3, 3-2, 3-2)
Jonny Clayton 4-3 Josh Rock (0-3, 3-1, 3-1, 2-3, 2-3, 3-1, 3-0)
Friday December 30
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
3x Fourth Round
Kim Huybrechts v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gabriel Clemens v Alan Soutar
Michael Smith v Joe Cullen
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
3x Fourth Round
Rob Cross v Chris Dobey
Michael van Gerwen v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Luke Humphries v Stephen Bunting
—-ENDS—–
Images: PDC
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Images: Taka Wu/PDC
Grab your copy of Darts World 581 here while stock lasts:
Images: Featured – Darts World.
The Darts World 50 will be available to order (Here) from November 15th, 2022 with release and delivery expected in early December
Also Available Free: Darts World Extra 6
Darts World Magazine (Issue 580) and fantastic value bundle offers:
Subscribe or purchase your copy
