GERMAN HOPP STAR DETHRONES KING AS LEWIS & BUNTING PROGRESS IN WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP
GERMAN teenager Max Hopp produced a sparkling performance to defeat Mervyn King in a five-set thriller at the William Hill World Darts Championship, as big guns Adrian Lewis, Vincent van der Voort and Stephen Bunting progressed into round two at Alexandra Palace.
The final night of pre-Christmas action in darts' biggest tournament concluded the preliminary and first rounds, as emerging star Hopp shot into the limelight.
November's Masters finalist King was visibly struggling with a bad back - having suffered a slipped disc earlier this week - but he battled manfully throughout and actually missed one match dart, but even at his best he'd have been pushed all the way by Hopp's 96.6 average and ten 180s, the best of the tournament so far.
Finishes of 120, 108 and 106 all showed King's determination to win against Hopp's heavy scoring, but the German 18-year-old produced the two big finishes of the match, taking out 103 to send the fifth set into a tie-breaker and then a brilliant 161 on the bull to seal victory.
Appearing at Alexandra Palace for the third straight year, Hopp showed great maturity and he won through to a second round clash with van der Voort.
After Hopp took the opening leg with a composed 13-darter, a hobbling King had enough to hit a 180 and nail 96 for an 11-darter before later hitting a "Shanghai" 120 finish in the deciding leg to take the opening set.
Hopp hit back by taking a high-quality second set 3-2, with a pair of 14-darters putting him ahead before King fired in a 13-darter as he levelled, only for the German to land a 180 in the decider as he levelled the game.
King showed his grit by opening the third set with a 13-darter before hitting a 108 finish to take the set 3-1, and he added a 106 finish in the fourth only to see Hopp follow up two earlier 180s by prevailing in a decider as the Norfolk ace missed a match dart at double 16.
Double top and double eight helped King to move 2-1 up in the fifth set, and both men hit 180s as King looked to claim the match, but a 103 checkout from Hopp sent the game into a tie-break.
The next three legs all went against the throw as Hopp edged into a 4-3 cushion before he finished in style with 161 checkout for a 12-dart leg.
"I think I played well," said Hopp. "I didn't expect to win the match because he's a brilliant player but I just had a little feeling that I could do well.
"When I had that 161 I just had a feeling it was going to go in, so I just thought just go for it and when it did it was just amazing, I don't really have words for it.
"I'll just take every game as it comes; to me every game is a final and I'll be fighting as hard as I can to beat Vincent, we'll just have to wait and see how it goes, but why not!?
"I can't wait to go and enjoy this win now with my family, then we'll fly home to Germany and I can enjoy Christmas with them before coming back to the second round."
Van der Voort joined Hopp in the second round with a five-set win of his own as he twice came from a set down before edging out John Henderson in another final set which featured a key big finish.
The fast-throwing Dutchman trailed twice as the first four sets went with throw, and he was staring down the barrel as he pulled out a wonderful 157 finish send the match into a tie-break.
From there he took over and hit a 14-darter for a crucial break of throw before completing the win 4-2 in the final set as he ended the game with an average of 93.39 and seven 180s.
"I never felt comfortable up there, I was just fighting all the way," said van der Voort. "I'm in the next round so that's good, and that's all that counts really.
"I've been playing well and I felt good in the practice room but it just didn't turn out that well on the big stage, but I'm through now. A 94 average is pretty good, it felt like 67 or something up there but its a big relief just to get through."
Two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis laid down a marker as he began his bid for a third Alexandra Palace triumph with a comfortable 3-0 victory over David Pallett in just 23 minutes.
Lewis, who won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012, recorded the highest average of the tournament so far with his 101.90 as he hit four 180s and ten 140s, but it could have been even better after he made a blistering start.
Debutant Pallett - another emerging star on the PDC circuit - had the audacity to take out 161 in his very first leg on the Alexandra Palace stage, and he made the most of his celebration to the crowd.
That, though, only sparked Lewis into life, and his response was emphatic with 180s in the next three legs and finishes of 127 and 53 helping him to legs of 13, 12 and 11 darts and an incredible 123 average for the first set.
Lewis landed three 140s in the second set's opener and, after Pallett levelled in leg two, the Stoke ace took out finishes of 72 and 74 to claim the second set.
Pallett took the first leg of the third set with a 13-darter which featured two 180s, but that was as good as it got as Lewis rattled off the next three legs - including back-to-back 14-dart finishes -to book a second round tie with Keegan Brown.
"I wanted to send out a warning shot to the rest of the field tonight and I think I did that," said Lewis. "Atfer that first set when I came off the stage and saw I was on 123 average I fancied having a go at the record, but I missed a few doubles in the second set and it slipped away.
"No tournament really gives me a buzz like this one does, I've put a lot of work in over the last few weeks and I'll be practising more over Christmas as well because this is the one I want to win."
Stephen Bunting enjoyed a comfortable debut at Alexandra Palace as the reigning Lakeside Champion overcame Robert Marijanovic 3-1 in the first round, with the Croatian having earlier edged out Holland's Jermaine Wattimena 4-3 in their preliminary round clash.
Bunting claimed the opening set 3-0 with the minimum of fuss, and hit his stride as he won the second in the same manner with the aid of legs of 13 and 14 darts and an 82 finish on the bull.
Marijanovic got off the mark by taking the first two legs of the third set, and after Bunting hit back it was the Croatian who sealed the set with a fine 13-darter.
There was to be no shock though, as Bunting fired in a second 180 in taking the first leg of set four, and he claimed the next on double ten before sealing the win in style with a 124 checkout to secure a tasty second round tie with James Wade.
"It's been a fantastic year, and to get through to the next round here is a dream come true," said Bunting. "I was a bit nervous at the start, and in the practice room it wasn't going as I'd liked it to but I've got a lot of friends and family here and they helped me through.
"From the first week I stepped foot in the PDC this is what I've been looking forward to. I'm still Lakeside Champion and to be World Champion over here in the PDC would be like all my Christmases come at once.
"I've got plenty of time now to get ready, and I will be ready for James Wade because he's a great player and I'll need to be at my best to beat him, but I know if I am at my best I'll be hard to beat."
The tournament now enjoys a three-day break over the Christmas period before resuming on Saturday December 27 with the start of the second round action at Alexandra Palace in London.
On The Wire - Episode Five, Monday December 22
Dan Dawson with Rod Harrington
Featuring day five review, match reaction from Raymond van Barneveld, John McDonald meets another William Hill Dancer, Darts Does Countdown and our new feature, "Stephen's Bunting"
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WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Preliminary & First Rounds
Tuesday December 23
Vincent van der Voort (23) 3-2 John Henderson
Jermain Wattimena 3-4 Robert Marijanovic (P)
Mervyn King (10) 2-3 Max Hopp
Adrian Lewis (3) 3-0 David Pallett
Stephen Bunting (27) 3-1 Robert Marijanovic
MATCH INFORMATION
VINCENT VAN DER VOORT 3-2 JOHN HENDERSON
(2-3, 3-1, 0-3, 3-0, 4-2)
VINCENT VAN DER VOORT came from behind twice before outlasting John Henderson to win 3-2 in a deciding set at the William Hill World Darts Championship.
The fast-throwing Dutchman trailed twice as the first four sets went with throw, and he was staring down the barrel as he pulled out a wonderful 157 finish send the match into a tie-break.
From there he took over and hit a 14-darter for a crucial break of throw before completing the win 4-2 in the final set as he ended the game with an average of 93.39 and seven 180s.
A fast van der Voort start was cancelled out by a 180 and a 99 outshot by the Scot, who later claimed the set with a double one at the seventh time of asking.
Both men hit 180s at the start of the second set, which van der Voort won, but when he hit 180 to leave 100 Henderson stepped up and took out 101 to level, only for two 14-darters - including two 180s and three 140s - to give the Dutchman the set.
Each man then won the set on their throw with 3-0 victories, forcing a decider which Henderson edged 2-1 up either side of a 13-darter from van der Voort.
The former UK Open finalist, though, then pulled out a tremendous 157 to stay in the match with Henderson waiting on 80, and from there he was too good as he took out a 14-darter on his way through to the last 32.
"I never felt comfortable up there, I was just fighting all the way," said van der Voort. "I'm in the next round so that's good, and that's all that counts really.
"I've been playing well and I felt good in the practice room but it just didn't turn out that well on the big stage, but I'm through now. A 94 average is pretty good, it felt like 67 or something up there but its a big relief just to get through."
Match Information
First Set 2-3 - Fast start from van der Voort with two 140s to help take the first leg. Henderson hits 180 in the next and checks out 99, before taking the lead. Double 18 levels but Henderson dominates the fifth leg and can afford six missed doubles before hitting double one.
Second Set 3-1 - Great darts from van der Voort, hitting a 180 in three legs, including the first to help win it. The second left him on 100 but Henderson checked out 101, but he had no response to a 14-darter int he next two.
Third Set 0-3 - Clean sweep for Henderson as he averages over 100 and hits two 180s in the first and last legs.
Fourth Set 3-0 - Quick work from van der Voort. 180 leaves 127 in the first, although he doesn't take it out. Two 140s do the damage in the next and it's easy with the throw in the last.
Fifth Set 4-2 - 13-darter levels for van der Voort but Henderson holds to go 2-1 ahead. Van der Voort then pulls out a 157 finish to stay in the match and send it to a tie-break, and he takes both with a 14-darter and more big scores to allow five missed doubles before hitting double four.
Match Stats
| Vincent van der Voort | 3-2 | John Henderson |
| 22 | 100+ | 30 |
| 12 | 140+ | 13 |
| 2 | 170+ | 0 |
| 7 | 180 | 4 |
| 93.39 | Average | 89.13 |
| 157 | High Finish | 101 |
| 4 | Breaks of Throw | 2 |
| 12/30 - 40% | Checkout % | 9/33 - 27% |
JERMAINE WATTIMENA 3-4 ROBERT MARIJANOVIC (P)
CROATIAN Robert Marijanovic won his place in the first round of the William Hill World Darts Championship after coming through a ding-dong battle with Jermaine Wattimena with a 4-3 win.
Marijanovic booked a first round clash with Stephen Bunting as he held off the stern challenge from the debutant Dutchman, who was never ahead but also never beaten as he kept coming back time and time again.
Marijanovic went 2-0 up by hitting double eight and double 16, but Wattimena hit 64 in two darts and followed up with double ten to level.
A 52 sent the Croatian into the lead again, but double 18 made it 3-3.
The final leg saw Wattimena waste three darts at double eight for the match, which gave Marijanovic the chance to nail double 16 to progress.
Match Stats
| Jermaine Wattimena | 3-4 | Robert Marijanovic |
| 12 | 100+ | 8 |
| 3 | 140+ | 2 |
| 0 | 170+ | 0 |
| 0 | 180 | 0 |
| 82.77 | Average | 76.36 |
| 64 | High Finish | 52 |
| 1 | Breaks of Throw | 1 |
| 3/15 - 20% | Checkout % | 4/15 - 27% |
MERVYN KING 2-3 MAX HOPP
(3-2, 2-3, 3-1, 2-3)
GERMAN teenager Max Hopp produced a sparkling performance to beat Mervyn King 3-2 in a first round match that went to a fifth set tie-break in the William Hill World Darts Championship.
November's Masters finalist King was visibly struggling with a bad back - having suffered a slipped disc earlier this week - but he battled manfully throughout and actually missed one match dart, but even at his best he'd have been pushed all the way by Hopp's 96.6 average and ten 180s, the best of the tournament so far.
Finishes of 120, 108 and 106 all showed King's determination to win against Hopp's heavy scoring, but the German 18-year-old produced the two big finishes of the match, taking out 103 to send the fifth set into a tie-breaker and then a brilliant 161 on the bull to seal victory.
Appearing at Alexandra Palace for the third straight year, Hopp showed great maturity and he won through to a second round clash with van der Voort.
After Hopp took the opening leg with a composed 13-darter, a hobbling King had enough to hit a 180 and nail 96 for an 11-darter before later hitting a "Shanghai" 120 finish in the deciding leg to take the opening set.
Hopp hit back by taking a high-quality second set 3-2, with a pair of 14-darters putting him ahead before King fired in a 13-darter as he levelled, only for the German to land a 180 in the decider as he levelled the game.
King showed his grit by opening the third set with a 13-darter before hitting a 108 finish to take the set 3-1, and he added a 106 finish in the fourth only to see Hopp follow up two earlier 180s by prevailing in a decider as the Norfolk ace missed a match dart at double 16.
Double top and double eight helped King to move 2-1 up in the fifth set, and both men hit 180s as King looked to claim the match, but a 103 checkout from Hopp sent the game into a tie-break.
The next three legs all went against the throw as Hopp edged into a 4-3 cushion before he finished in style with 161 checkout for a 12-dart leg.
"I think I played well," said Hopp. "I didn't expect to win the match because he's a brilliant player but I just had a little feeling that I could do well.
"When I had that 161 I just had a feeling it was going to go in, so I just thought just go for it and when it did it was just amazing, I don't really have words for it.
"I'll just take every game as it comes; to me every game is a final and I'll be fighting as hard as I can to beat Vincent, we'll just have to wait and see how it goes, but why not!?
"I can't wait to go and enjoy this win now with my family, then we'll fly home to Germany and I can enjoy Christmas with them before coming back to the second round."
Match Information
First Set 3-2 - King, struggling with a bad back, still takes the set averaging just under 94. Both hit 180s in the second but 96 takes it for King. Hopp levels but King takes with a lovely 120 finish.
Second Set 2-3 - Hopp goes 2-0 up but misses two set darts and King takes advantage with a 180 and 13-darter to level. Hopp kicks off with a 180 though and hits 62 for a 12-darter for the set.
Third Set 3-1 - Grit and determination from King to battle through the set, firstly with a 13-darter. Hopp replies with 14 darts, but King then takes out 108 to fend off a Hopp 180. Hopp hits 180 in the next but misses for darts to stay in it and King hits 56.
Fourth Set 2-3 - Hopp hits 140 and 180 to go ahead, King hits 106 to level at 2-2 but misses his one dart at double 16 for the match. Hopp missed two for the set but returns to claim it.
Fifth Set 3-5 - Hopp wins it in style as he takes out 161 on the bull to go through. He also hit a 180 and 103 finish to take it to a tie break at 2-2. King hangs on in there by breaking back to make it 3-3 but Hopp wins two on the bounce including that wonderful finish.
Match Stats
| Mervyn King | 2-3 | Max Hopp |
| 32 | 100+ | 37 |
| 24 | 140+ | 19 |
| 1 | 170+ | 0 |
| 3 | 180 | 10 |
| 90.67 | Average | 96.60 |
| 120 | High Finish | 161 |
| 4 | Breaks of Throw | 4 |
| 13/33 - 39% | Checkout % | 14/37 - 38% |
ADRIAN LEWIS 3-0 DAVID PALLETT
(3-1, 3-1, 3-1)
TWO-TIME World Champion Adrian Lewis laid down a marker as he began his bid for a third Alexandra Palace triumph with a comfortable 3-0 victory over David Pallett in just 23 minutes.
Lewis, who won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012, recorded the highest average of the tournament so far with his 101.90 as he hit four 180s and ten 140s, but it could have been even better after he made a blistering start.
Debutant Pallett - another emerging star on the PDC circuit - had the audacity to take out 161 in his very first leg on the Alexandra Palace stage, and he made the most of his celebration to the crowd.
That, though, only sparked Lewis into life, and his response was emphatic with 180s in the next three legs and finishes of 127 and 53 helping him to legs of 13, 12 and 11 darts and an incredible 123 average for the first set.
Lewis landed three 140s in the second set's opener and, after Pallett levelled in leg two, the Stoke ace took out finishes of 72 and 74 to claim the second set.
Pallett took the first leg of the third set with a 13-darter which featured two 180s, but that was as good as it got as Lewis rattled off the next three legs - including back-to-back 14-dart finishes -to book a second round tie with Keegan Brown.
"I wanted to send out a warning shot to the rest of the field tonight and I think I did that," said Lewis. "After that first set when I came off the stage and saw I was on 123 average I fancied having a go at the record, but I missed a few doubles in the second set and it slipped away.
"No tournament really gives me a buzz like this one does, I've put a lot of work in over the last few weeks and I'll be practising more over Christmas as well because this is the one I want to win."
Match Information
First Set 3-1 - Brilliant start from Pallett who checks out 161 to take the lead. That sparks Lewis into life though and he produces some sublime arrows with three 180s, a 127 finish and a whopping 123 average.
Second Set 3-1 - Three 140s do the damage for Lewis in the opener. Finishes of 72 and 74 finish of the set.
Third Set 3-1 - Short night's work completed by Lewis with a ruotine set. Two 140s sets up tops in the decider as he finishes with a 101.9 average.
Match Stats
| Adrian Lewis | 3-0 | David Pallett |
| 15 | 100+ | 10 |
| 10 | 140+ | 9 |
| 0 | 170+ | 0 |
| 4 | 180 | 3 |
| 101.90 | Average | 90.05 |
| 127 | High Finish | 161 |
| 3 | Breaks of Throw | 0 |
| 9/23 - 39% | Checkout % | 3/8 - 38% |
STEPHEN BUNTING 3-1 ROBERT MARIJANOVIC
(3-0, 3-0, 1-3, 3-0)
STEPHEN BUNTING enjoyed a comfortable William Hill World Darts Championship debut as the Lakeside Champion defeated Robert Marijanovic 3-1 in the first round, with the Croatian having earlier edged out Holland's Jermaine Wattimena 4-3 in their preliminary round clash.
Bunting claimed the opening set 3-0 with the minimum of fuss, and hit his stride as he won the second in the same manner with the aid of legs of 13 and 14 darts and an 82 finish on the bull.
Marijanovic got off the mark by taking the first two legs of the third set, and after Bunting hit back it was the Croatian who sealed the set with a fine 13-darter.
There was to be no shock though, as Bunting fired in a second 180 in taking the first leg of set four, and he claimed the next on double ten before sealing the win in style with a 124 checkout to secure a tasty second round tie with James Wade.
"It's been a fantastic year, and to get through to the next round here is a dream come true," said Bunting. "I was a bit nervous at the start, and in the practice room it wasn't going as I'd liked it to but I've got a lot of friends and family here and they helped me through.
"From the first week I stepped foot in the PDC this is what I've been looking forward to. I'm still Lakeside Champion and to be World Champion over here in the PDC would be like all my Christmases come at once.
"I've got plenty of time now to get ready, and I will be ready for James Wade because he's a great player and I'll need to be at my best to beat him, but I know if I am at my best I'll be hard to beat."
Match Information
First Set 3-0 - Bunting edges a nervy opener, checks out 48 for the next and both men hit 180s in the third leg as the St Helens man takes the set.
Second Set 3-0 - Easy for Bunting again. He nails 82 on the bull and double 16 and again hits double 16 for the set.
Third set 1-3 - Marijanovic threatens an upset as he hits two 180s and two double 20s to hit back by taking the set 3-1.
Fourth set 3-0 - Bunting kicks off with a 180, then hits double ten and signs off in style with a 124 finish putting him through.
Match Stats
| Stephen Bunting | 3-1 | Robert Marijanovic |
| 15 | 100+ | 13 |
| 6 | 140+ | 5 |
| 1 | 170+ | 0 |
| 2 | 180 | 4 |
| 90.20 | Average | 86.82 |
| 124 | High Finish | 50 |
| 5 | Breaks of Throw | 1 |
| 10/17 - 59% | Checkout % | 3/12 - 25% |