German Darts Championship Day One

CLINICAL KLAASEN SETS UP VAN GERWEN CONTEST IN GERMAN DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP
 

JELLE KLAASEN produced a brilliant display to defeat Jamie Caven in the German Darts Championship first round as he set up an all-Dutch clash with world number one Michael van Gerwen in Hildesheim.

Former Lakeside Champion Klaasen finished an impressive six doubles from nine attempts as he overcame Caven in their opening fixture of the year's first £115,000 PDC European Tour event.

Although Caven led by taking the opening leg, Klaasen landed two 180s as he took the third with a break of throw - punishing missed doubles from the Derby ace - before a second successive 13-darter put him 3-1 up.

Caven took out 129 on the bull to hit back, but Klaasen won the next two - including a 14-darter - to move 5-2 up before opening the next with a 177 to tee up a 12-dart leg which secured his win.

Klaasen takes on in-form world number one Michael van Gerwen in Saturday's second round, and admitted: "I'm really happy with this win and I can look forward to playing Michael now.

"He's the favourite so there will be no pressure on me, and if I can start the game like I finished this one then I've got a chance - but I know I've got to play well.

"Jamie missed a few doubles and let me in today, but I took advantage and finished really well so I'm happy."

Austria's Mensur Suljovic was also in impressive doubling form as he landed six from 11 attempts in his 6-2 win over Cristo Reyes.

The Spanish newcomer - who reached the third round of the World Championship on his big-stage debut recently - led 2-1 early on but was unable to halt a run of five straight legs from his opponent, who now takes on Kim Huybrechts on Saturday.

Veteran star Terry Jenkins recorded the first round's only whitewash victory as he swept aside Dutch youngster Ryan De Vreede to progress to a tasty second round tie with James Wade on Saturday night.

Jenkins also landed six doubles from 11 attempts and averaged 102.48, the highest of the round, as he moved into the last 32.

Portsmouth's Ricky Williams marked his return to the PDC circuit, following a five-year break for the youngster, with a 6-1 win over John Part, as the three-time World Champion suffered a disappointing first round exit.

Williams now meets current World Champion Gary Anderson, and admitted: "It's great to be back.

"John's a great player but I still had to go up there and beat him - I've got a different attitude now to when I played before, and if you prepare you can get results like this."

Austria's Maik Langendorf, who is based in Germany, delighted the home crowd with a 6-3 win over John Scott as he progresses to take on Australian star Simon Whitlock in the second round.

Dutch teenager Jeffrey De Zwaan punished Devon Petersen for a string of missed doubles as he claimed a 6-2 win from their clash to move into a last 32 date with Adrian Lewis.

Bristol's Andy Parsons will face Robert Thornton in round two after he held off a strong fightback from German newcomer Sascha Stein - who hit back from 3-0 down to level at four-all - with a 6-4 win.

Andy Boulton and James Wilson enjoyed winning debuts on the PDC's European Tour with narrow 6-5 German Darts Championship wins as the £115,000 event in Hildesheim kicked off on Friday afternoon.

Boulton edged out Joe Cullen in an 11-leg thriller as he took out 105 to claim the deciding leg of their high-quality clash, in which Cullen averaged over 98 and took out a 127 finish only to lose out.

Former World Masters finalist Wilson, meanwhile, landed five 180s and a 120 finish as he edged past Kevin McDine - who hit back to take the game all the way only to miss two match darts in the deciding leg to allow the Yorkshireman back in for the win.

Bolton's Joe Murnan also had a narrow escape as he eventually sealed his win over Michael Barnard with his ninth match dart, but Holland's Mareno Michels was made to pay for missing eight match darts in his 6-5 defeat to Belgium's Ronny Huybrechts.

Germany's Daniel Zygla was denied a victory on his European Tour debut, with the Host Nation Qualifier impressing in his 6-4 loss to Stuart Kellett, who now meets Stephen Bunting in Saturday's second round.

Widnes' John Bowles took out a 147 checkout in his 6-2 win over youngster Chris Aubrey as he set up a clash with Steve Beaton, while Ross Smith defeated Kevin Thomas 6-4 to move through and meet Peter Wright on Saturday.

Pete Dyos overcame a nightmare journey to Hildesheim - which included three flights and two trains, after his original flight was cancelled on Thursday due to strike action - as he defeated Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas 6-3 to move through to face Michael Smith.

Andy Smith was the other player to progress to round two on Friday, although he did that without throwing a dart after Bernd Roith - a Host Nation Qualifier on Thursday night - withdrew with an arm injury sustained in a fall on Friday.

The German Darts Championship continues across the weekend, with Saturday's second round followed by the third round on Sunday afternoon before the decisive quarter-finals, semi-finals and final on Sunday night.

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German Darts Championship
Friday February 13
Afternoon Session
First Round
Kevin Thomas 4-6 Ross Smith
Ronny Huybrechts 6-5 Mareno Michels
Joe Murnan 6-5 Michael Barnard
Joe Cullen 5-6 Andy Boulton
John Bowles 6-2 Chris Aubrey
James Wilson 6-5 Kevin McDine
Daniel Zygla 4-6 Stuart Kellett
Pete Dyos 6-3 Benito van de Pas

Evening Session
First Round
John Scott 3-6 Maik Langendorf
Jeffrey De Zwaan 6-2 Devon Petersen
Andy Parsons 6-4 Sascha Stein
Ricky Williams 6-1 John Part
Mensur Suljovic 6-2 Cristo Reyes
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Jamie Caven
Terry Jenkins 6-0 Ryan De Vreede
Andy Smith Bye - Bernd Roith has been withdrawn with arm injury

All games are the best of 11 legs.

Match Stats

Saturday February 14
Afternoon Session (1pm-5pm local time, 12pm-4pm GMT)
Second Round x8
Steve Beaton v John Bowles
Mervyn King v Andy Smith
Justin Pipe v Andy Boulton
Brendan Dolan v Ronny Huybrechts
Ian White v Joe Murnan
Robert Thornton v Andy Parsons
Simon Whitlock v Maik Langendorf
Michael Smith v Pete Dyos

Evening Session (7pm-11pm local time, 6pm-10pm GMT)
Second Round x8
Vincent van der Voort v James Wilson
James Wade v Terry Jenkins
Peter Wright v Ross Smith
Gary Anderson v Ricky Williams
Adrian Lewis v Jeffrey De Zwaan
Michael van Gerwen v Jelle Klaasen
Stephen Bunting v Stuart Kellett
Kim Huybrechts v Mensur Suljovic

All games are the best of 11 legs.

Second Round - Draw Bracket Order
Gary Anderson v Ricky Williams
Steve Beaton v John Bowles
Mervyn King v Andy Smith
Justin Pipe v Andy Boulton
James Wade v Terry Jenkins
Vincent van der Voort v James Wilson
Peter Wright v Ross Smith
Adrian Lewis v Jeffrey De Zwaan
Michael van Gerwen v Jelle Klaasen
Stephen Bunting v Stuart Kellett
Brendan Dolan v Ronny Huybrechts
Ian White v Joe Murnan
Robert Thornton v Andy Parsons
Simon Whitlock v Maik Langendorf
Michael Smith v Pete Dyos
Kim Huybrechts v Mensur Suljovic