For the first time ever it was super Saturday at the World Series of Darts Finals. Instead of the usual 8 games we now got 16 on the Saturday, as we got an extra eight first round games.
As I had a comfortable train journey to the venue the sun was shining, but in the venue the temperature was perfect. We started the day with two debutants in Kevin Doets and Keane Barry. And what a debut it was for Kevin Doets who averaged 109,98 to smash Barry 6-0.
As I did my only interview for the afternoon (the players had to prepare for another game in the night), Kevin was surprised to hear from me it was the third highest average in WS Finals history. He also told me he was probably going home between sessions and get some rest because it was a long wait for his second game.
Jeff Smith and Rhys Griffin then played at a game with a significantly lower level and it was the more experienced Smith who got over the line 6-4. Daryl Gurney then managed to silence the crowd with a great performance and 6-4 win over Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Gerwyn Price perhaps surprisingly saw off an in form Cameron Menzies with ease before Peter Wright smashed Dave Chisnall 6-1 in a game where Chizzy busted his score as a result of not seeing where the dart had landed. As Wright told me later today it happened to him before as well, but there’s nothing to do about it.
Rob Cross then saw off an out of sorts Simon Whitlock 6-2 as we got to another Dutch debutant. Wessel Nijman took on Andrew Gilding and produced a massive 6-1 victory!
In the final game of the afternoon, José de Sousa and Michael Smith had a high quality close contest. It was heartbreak for the man from Portugal as despite one of his best performances of the year, it was Smith who got through 6-5.
In between sessions I went to a surprisingly quiet Burger King for some diner, made another preview and then went back in for a massive Saturday evening with all eight L16 ties!
It all got started with a high quality affair between Chris Dobey and Boris Krcmar who both averaged well over a ton but it was Dobey who won it 6-4. We then saw a battle between two generations in Luke Littler versus Raymond van Barneveld. Littler did not give the crowd what he wanted and won 6-4.
But as Littler confirmed to me, the crowd was very nice to him. He also said he prefers playing on stage in the first place. Luke Humphries then won an epic battle with Damon Heta 6-5, sealing it with a 10-darter! Humphries said the Australian has always been a bit unlucky against him, as Humphries has still never lost to ‘The Heat’.
Humphries also said his walk-on song (‘I predict a riot’) really seems to work with the fans, which I agree with (at least this weekend it does!)
Michael van Gerwen then had a 106 average, 20 points higher than in round 1, to beat Danny Noppert 6-3 in an all Dutch clash. MVG took his daughter with him on the stage as having his family with him here obviously means the world to him.
Daryl Gurney surprised again on this day with a 6-3 win over Gerwyn Price! Daryl was surprised himself too because he only found out he had to play another game on the same day after he won in round 1! ‘Superchin’ told me non-ranked events are very important to him as well as without any management for him these days he can really use some money.
Peter Wright had a comfortable 6-2 win over Jeff Smith and ‘Snakebite’ told me he is aiming for the World Grand Prix this year. Winning the WSF would still be a nice bonus though.
Wright also said he thinks Gurney had been playing rubbish for years but he is getting back now and will be a tough challenge for the Scotsman in the quarterfinals.
In the final games of the last 16 we saw the two Dutch debutants back. Kevin Doets impressed against Rob Cross and took a 5-3 lead before missing two matchdarts. Then at 5-4 the Dutchman waited on 40 when Cross took out an insane 161 before also winning the final leg. Cross told me the crowd did misbehave but he understood that they wanted their host nation player to win.
We ended the night with Wessel Nijman against Michael Smith and once again a Dutch debutant took a 5-3 lead. Once again the same Dutchman missed matchdarts though as Nijman missed 5 in total and lost 5-6. Smith told me he felt really lucky and should have lost, according to him maybe even with 0-6.
After a long day in the AFAS Live, it was time for me to get back home. A lot of partying people in the crowd, both going home from the darts or other Amsterdam parties.
So I did not get my needed rest in the train, thankfully I got back home in just over an hour though. Because there’s a lot more to follow on Sunday!
—–Ends—–
Words and Images: Wim Blokpoel
