In a stunning upset at the World Darts Championship, two-time world champion Gary Anderson was eliminated in the second round following a crushing defeat to Jeffrey de Graaf at Alexandra Palace. Anderson’s performance fell short as he only secured two legs and made a mere three out of 20 attempts at double, resulting in a straight-sets loss.
De Graaf dominated the match, swiftly taking the first two sets and breaking Anderson’s throw again in the next, securing a notable victory that moves him on to a third-round face-off against Paolo Nebrida after Christmas.
This defeat marked a disappointing milestone for Anderson, as it was his first opening-match loss in 16 World Championship appearances, coinciding with eliminations for other seeded players, including Ross Smith and Martin Schindler.
Anderson’s Early Exit Explained
Gary Anderson was viewed as a potential challenger to favorites Luke Humphries and Luke Littler, being situated in a favorable half of the draw. However, he failed to meet pre-tournament expectations. De Graaf began with an impressive 11-dart hold and followed with a Shanghai finish, responding to Anderson’s momentary brilliance with a clinching performance.
Despite a brief resurgence, which included an 11-darter, Anderson ultimately succumbed in a final-leg decider as De Graaf closed out the match with a neat 76 finish. “It is great,” De Graaf commented on his victory. “Gary didn’t show up as he usually does but I am very happy with the win.”
Shocking Departures at Ally Pally
The evening session saw several seeded players eliminated. Dimitri Van den Bergh avoided a complete seed wipeout by defeating Dylan Slevin in straight sets, earning himself a third-round clash with Callan Rydz. Van den Bergh showcased his skill with six maximums and an impressive 96 average during his match.
Callan Rydz continued his strong form, maintaining his unbeaten run in the tournament with a straight-sets victory over Schindler while Paolo Nebrida made history as the first Asian player since 2020 to reach the third round after defeating Ross Smith.
In the afternoon session, Joe Cullen advanced with a resounding victory against Wessel Nijman, but his post-match comments expressed frustration over perceived disrespect from the media leading up to the tournament.
As the competition narrows, excitement builds for the upcoming matches, which promise to deliver more captivating performances and potential upsets. Fans can look forward to the remaining second-round matches, where notable players such as Jonny Clayton and Rob Cross will be in action.
Upcoming Matches
The final eight second-round matches are set to unfold on Monday, featuring Jonny Clayton taking on Mickey Mansell and former world youth champion Josh Rock facing Rhys Griffin among others. As the stakes rise in the Paddy Power World Darts Championship, anticipation mounts for another thrilling day of darts.
