The Iceman did not ease himself back into the World Championship. Gerwyn Price detonated his way into round two, dismantling Adam Gawlas and setting up a meeting with Wesley Plaisier as he begins the hunt for a second Ally Pally crown – and the small matter of a one million pound cheque.
This was Price in full demolition mode. From the opening leg, the Welshman slammed the door shut and swallowed the key, refusing Gawlas even a sniff at double in the first set. The Czech youngster briefly found some daylight in the second, nicking a couple of legs, but the damage was already done.
Price owned the pace, owned the stage, and owned the moment.After the second interval, it was over almost before it restarted. All in all, two Shanghai finishes and a straight sets win. A performance that screamed intent rather than celebration.
The 2021 champion is not here for nostalgia – he is here for business.
Danny Noppert, meanwhile, reminded everyone exactly why writing him off is a terrible idea. The Dutchman produced a superb display to dispatch his young compatriot Jurjen van der Velde, quietly sending a message across the draw that he remains very much part of the conversation.
Five TV ranking semi-finals in a single year does not happen by accident, and while Noppert would trade the lot for silverware, that level of consistency makes him a genuine threat over this distance.Van der Velde deserves huge credit.
The former World Youth Championship runner-up clung on gamely through the opening two sets and matched his countryman for long spells. But darts pivots on moments, and the deciding leg of the third set was the turning point. Had it gone the youngster’s way, the entire complexion changes. It didn’t. It went to Noppert. What followed was brutal.
The final set was Noppie at his blistering best, storming home without concession and flirting with a 110 average. Clinical. Relentless. Over.A glance at the Freezes section of the draw might tempt a flutter. Justin Hood awaits next, and should Happy Feet be sent packing, the path opens further with Ryan Meikle or qualifiers Jonny Tata or Jesus Salate lurking. This is a quarter that suddenly feels very negotiable.
Elsewhere, the trapdoor opened beneath Jose De Sousa. The former Grand Slam champion’s World Championship ended at the hands of Ricardo Pietreczko, confirming the Portuguese star’s drop off the PDC tour. De Sousa had already pulled off one escape act by qualifying at November’s last chance saloon, but only a deep run here could preserve his status. It was not to be.
Pietreczko, to his credit, did exactly what was required. Like the stereotype he happily fulfils, the German was ruthlessly efficient. He pinched the deciding legs in the opening two sets – the kind of moments that decide careers as much as matches. De Sousa battled back, claiming a scrappy five-leg third set to halve the deficit, but the momentum never truly shifted. The Berlin-born 31-year-old closed it out in the fourth.
Next up for Pikachu is either Chizzy or the Queen of the Palace herself, Fallon Sherrock. Whichever it is, he is unlikely to be swimming in Ally Pally affection.For The Special One, though, this does not have to be the end of the story. Yes, it hurts. Yes, it stings. But De Sousa has options – plenty of them. Q-School in Kalkar is firmly on the agenda, and even without immediate success there, the modern darts landscape offers endless routes back. A strong start on the Challenge Tour can earn enough Pro Tour call-ups to make it feel like he never left. Exhibitions will always want him. The name still carries weight. It has been a wild ride. And something tells you Jose De Sousa is not quite done yet.
The night’s final game delivered one of the shocks of the event so far as Joe Comito sent 2025 form horse Nike Springer packing.
The Australian has been in fine shape and recently impressed during the recent ANZ Premier and he used thay experience here to pull of a resounding victory and claim his last 32 spot and an extra £15,000 minimum.
TUESDAY 16th DECEMBER – Evening Session Report
Ricardo Pietreczko 3-1 Jose de Sousa
Danny Noppert 3-1 Jurjen van der Velde
Gerwyn Price 3-0 Adam Gawlas
Joe Comito 3-1 Niko Springer
—–Ends—–
Images: PDC
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