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World Cup of Darts: Germany teaches the darts experts

EActually, Max Hopp and Gabriel Clemens didn’t even have to play their first round game at the World Cup of Darts against Canadians Jeff Smith and Matt Campbell. Because there was astonishing agreement that the German doubles would lose. “I see a seasoned team that will not make it: I think Germany will be eliminated against Canada,” wrote Dan Dawson, one of the most famous commentators in international darts, in the run-up to the tournament.

He received prominent support from Wayne Mardle, ex-professional and long-time British TV expert on Sky. While this made the eight-seeded duo a secret favorite last year, this time it was only enough for Hopp and Clemens to play an outsider against Canada. And certainly: this assessment was not entirely unfounded.

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Max Hopp vor World Cup of Darts

The German starters were not in top form recently. Gabriel Clemens had to find out in his 2:10 opening defeat against Jose de Sousa at the World Matchplay in July that he is not yet among the absolute best in the world. Max Hopp also lags behind his fortune from earlier years, speaking in the WELT interview of one of his “worse years”.

Lots of breaks in the beginning

On the other hand, the dangerous Canadians, after all quarter-finalists last year in Salzburg, were waiting, who should bristle with self-confidence according to the latest results. Matt Campbell in particular played big recently, not only securing himself a tour ticket for the next two years with the overall victory on the European Challenge Tour, but also one of the coveted starting places for the individual World Championships in the Ally Pally.

Max Hopp continues to struggle with his weak form, but used Germany's first match dart

Max Hopp continues to struggle with his weak form, but used Germany’s first match dart

Quelle: picture alliance/dpa/PA Wire/Kieran Cleeves

“There are three or four nations that you, as a seeded player, don’t want to have in the first round. Poland, Austria and Canada ”, Gabriel Clemens had to admit in the winner’s interview after the game. In the winner interview? In fact, the experts were wrong, Germany won 5: 3.

The two Germans, who had prepared together with Clemens in Saarland, only found their way into the game slowly, throwing eight darts past the doubles in the first leg alone. However, because Canada and especially the highly acclaimed Matt Campbell never really got into the rhythm, a game developed in the initial phase in which the throwing team, contrary to the rule, never had a real advantage. Fittingly, Clemens’ first highlight led to 2: 2 and the fourth break in a row. The number 24 in the world, for whom it is the first World Cup in front of an audience, cleared 122 points with three darts.

Hopp uses the first match dart

As a result, it was Clemens who was able to improve his game significantly and who made the already very loud 900 spectators in Jena cheer more and more often. His partner Hopp also saw that after the game. The 25-year-old pointed to Clemens on stage before he invited the audience to La-Ola together with his 13-year-old teammate.

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“We are happy that we are in the next lap. Fortunately, Gabriel kept us alive. I showed some nerve, ”said Hopp after the game and emphasized again that he was still looking for his top form. Nevertheless, in the decisive moments it was also thanks to the former top talent that the match ended in favor of last year’s semi-finalists. He not only checked to make it 4: 3, but also completed the German team’s first match dart to victory.

“Of course I wasn’t 100 percent self-confident,” commented Hopp, aware that he also benefited from the fact that the secret favorites from Canada never showed their best darts. And so Hopp was able to allow himself to throw the first dart far past the target with 48 points remaining in order to win the fifth leg with the remaining two arrows. After the game, Hopp was able to laugh about it and said: “I’m not ashamed of it. I haven’t had an audience for a long time, and it’s a difficult season. But I face every challenge. “

Northern Ireland survives darts crime thriller

The next one awaits in the round of 16, which will be played entirely on Saturday and in which two singles will be played before a double will be the decision in the event of a tie. For Hopp, an increase in performance is needed. The Germans are the clear favorites against Jun Matsuda and Baba Yoshihisa from Japan. The debutants prevailed in a match at an average level with 5: 1 against Russia. On the way to the quarter-finals, the Japanese should only be a compulsory task, but Clemens warned: “We have to approach the whole thing seriously and prepare well.”

Daryl Gurney had to endure five match darts against him and happily reached round two in the end

Daryl Gurney had to endure five match darts against him and happily reached round two in the end

Quelle: pa/empics/Kieran Cleeves

Northern Irish Daryl Gurney and Brendan Dolan also survived a real darts thriller. Against Hong Kong, the fifth seed duo suffered a break in the seventh leg to make it 3: 4 and a short time later watched as the underdogs Kai Fan Leung and Man Lok Leung even earned five match darts. Similar to Hopp, however, the team from Asia struggled with their nerves. Gurney was able to check the double-2 to equalize before his partner Dolan turned the match over to the double-20 in favor of the favorites.

The 1st round

Hungary – Lithuania 3: 5

Czech Republic 2-5 Poland

Gibraltar – Singapore 4: 5

USA – Sweden 5-1

Scotland (6) – China 5-0

Netherlands (3) – Denmark 5-1

Wales (2) – Finland 5-2

Australia (7) – Italy 5-0

Russia 1-5 Japan

Spain 4-5 South Africa

Ireland 4-5 Portugal

Austria – Philippines 5: 1

Northern Ireland (5) – Hong Kong 5: 4

Germany (8) – Canada 5: 3

England (1) – Brazil 5: 2

Belgium (4) – Greece 5-2

The 2nd round

Northern Ireland (5) – Portugal

England (1) – South Africa

Australia (7) – USA

Belgium (4) – Austria

Scotland (6) – Poland

Germany (8) – Japan

Netherlands (3) – Singapore

Wales (2) – Litauen

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