Opening night at Lakeside arrived with all the subtlety of a thunderclap, and reigning WDF World Champion Shane McGuirk wasted absolutely no time reminding the darting world why his name is etched on the trophy. A 3–1 triumph. A ruthless statement. A champion marching with menace toward a second straight crown.
With six matches and ten nations taking to the oche, Frimley Green became a swirling, international cauldron of tungsten theatre — and the drama began instantly.
Dennis Nilsson Sets the Tempo
Swedish powerhouse Dennis Nilsson kicked the night off by dismantling Canada’s Shane Sakchekapo in straight sets, barely breaking stride as he strolled into a second-round meeting with fourth seed James Beeton. Clinical. Brutal. Efficient.
Alex Williams Survives a Croatian War
Next up, Welsh battler Alex Williams found himself locked in a dogfight with Croatia’s Romeo Grbavac. Four sets of pure chaos. Momentum swings. Roars and nerve-shredding doubles. But Williams clung on, took the decider, and now earns the dubious reward of facing top seed Jimmy van Schie.
Canada Strikes Back Through Clint Clarkson
Just when it looked like Canada’s night might be a write-off, Clint Clarkson detonated the evening’s biggest early upset — a whitewash against World Open Champion Cliff Prior.
A 3–0 shock that sent the Lakeside crowd buzzing. Next stop: ANZ Premier League runner-up Raymond Smith. The Guru himself.
Belgium Delivers a Thriller
In a match that ricocheted violently from one extreme to the other, Belgian talent Sybren Gijbels squeezed past American Kevin Luke in a five-set firestorm. Luke struck first. Gijbels counterpunched to lead 2–1. Luke forced the decider. And then the Belgian flicked a switch — three legs on the trot, nerves of iron, and a date with veteran David Pallett now in his sights.
The Rising Sun Lights Up Lakeside
Japan’s Haruki Muramatsu — the ever-dangerous “Rising Sun” — produced one of the night’s most impressive finishes. Two sets apiece then six straight legs from the Japanese sensation, slicing through Vince Tipple to cap a 3–1 victory carved from pure accuracy.
And Then Came the Champion…
To close the curtain on this opening-night feast, Shane McGuirk stepped onto the famous stage and delivered a champion’s performance bursting with swagger. A roaring 2–0 lead.
A wobble as Petri Rasmus pinched set three. Then real jeopardy as the Finn stood one leg away from forcing a deciding fifth set.
But champions write their own scripts. McGuirk unloaded a sublime 10-darter to level the fourth set, then blasted through the next leg in five visits to shut the door emphatically. Next: a blockbuster showdown with ninth seed Stefan Schroder. That one has “instant classic” inked all over it.
Day One at Lakeside: done. Drama delivered. Champions announced. And the tungsten storm has only just begun.
ROUND ONE – RESULTS
Friday 28th November
Dennis Nilsson 3–0 Shane Sakchekapo
Alex Williams 3–2 Romeo Grbavac
Clint Clarkson 3–0 Cliff Prior
Sybren Gijbels 3–2 Kevin Luke
Haruki Muramatsu 3–1 Vince Tipple
Shane McGuirk 3–1 Petri Rasmus
—–ENDS—–
Images: Chris Sargeant / WDF
