Ricky Evans gave himself a post-Christmas walk-on song dilemma by dumping the seventh seed, James Wade, out of the PDC world championship.
Evans missed seven match darts before winning the final set 6-4 in legs for a 3-2 second-round victory at Alexandra Palace. Four-time world championship semi-finalist Wade became the highest seed to depart this year’s tournament after missing his own match dart at double five when 4-3 ahead in the final set.
Evans is known for his festive shirts and walking out to Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin’ Stevens and he took to the stage this time holding a Santa-dressed dancing toy. After a breathless five-setter, the 35-year-old from Kettering said: “The problem is now I’m [playing] after Christmas.
“I’m going to have to walk on to something not Christmas, aren’t I? I’m going to have Like a Prayer … Madonna. Who cares? I’m still going.”
Evans won the opening set against the darts, helped by a 128 checkout and Wade missing double five. Wade produced a 170 Big Fish finish on the way to levelling matters, but Evans took the next set, with a 13-dart leg against the throw proving decisive.
Evans lost his composure in the fourth set, but 144 and 89 checkouts at the start of the fifth took him to the brink of victory. At 2-1 ahead, Evans missed six match darts, including three at double one, and was pulled up for an underarm throw in the next leg by the referee. Evans then missed a seventh match dart at double 16 when 3-2 ahead and, after Wade had failed to get over the line himself, he finally kept his nerve with superb 99 finish.
“Imagine coming to darts and winning 3-0?” Evans said. ”What’s the point? Make it interesting. I say it every year: ‘I’m weird but I’m box office.’ Come on.”
Kenyan debutant David Munyua’s historic run was ended by a 3-0 defeat by Kevin Doets. Munyua’s first-round victory over the world No 18, Mike De Decker, had delighted African darts fans and earned a congratulatory message from Kenya’s president, William Ruto.
The 30-year-old works as a full-time veterinary surgeon in Nairobi and had never left Africa before travelling to London for the world championship. The crowd, who included members of Kenya’s High Commission in the UK, were fully on the underdog’s side and Munyua thrilled them by throwing five 180s.
Doets’s power scoring and consistency ensured there would be no upset this time and he said on stage: “I was expecting a lot of booing [for me]. They are still booing me now. But it’s fair enough, he is the people’s champion. For someone from Kenya to reach the second round is amazing.”
Gabriel Clemens, a semi-finalist in 2023, shrugged off disappointing recent form to upset Wessel Nijman, the No 31 seed, 3-0. Clemens will now meet either the second seed, Luke Humphries, or 71-year-old Paul Lim in round three.
Latvian No 1 Madars Razma beat Scotland’s Darren Beveridge 3-1.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theguardian.com ’
