Dhe headlines that these Players Championship Finals had produced in the past few days may not have appealed to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). The organization wants to further professionalize its sport, which is becoming more and more popular around the world. The sometimes adverse conditions at the end of the season counteract the developments.
The setting at Butlin’s Resort in Minehead was so bad that Michael van Gerwen broke his collar after winning the last 16 on Saturday. “Nobody should say that, nobody has the balls to address it. But I’ll say it: I don’t feel good here, Gary doesn’t feel good, and neither do the other players. The conditions in which we play here are absolutely ridiculous, “the number three in the world rankings rumbled:” It’s a big tent here and it’s windy outside. There is nothing you can do about it. But the venue is not made for such weather. “
Clear words: Michael van Gerwen addressed the grievances in Minehead unfiltered
Quelle: dpa/Kieran Cleeves
Cold and wind in the large pavilion of the spacious holiday and leisure resort consistently found their way onto the stage from Friday to Sunday. The players froze in the last major tournament before the Darts World Cup, which starts on December 15 in London, and had unusually big problems to score the doubles.
However, it shouldn’t remain the only adversity. When van Gerwen and his opponent Peter Wright, who got into a heated argument with his opponent after his second round win against Adrian Lewis, entered the stage for their quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon, a fire alarm rang through the area. At first, the two world champions simply threw themselves in a little longer and joked. After six minutes had passed, but the bell was still ringing, both of them left the stage, annoyed. With more than a quarter of an hour delay we could start.
Circumstances that “Snakebite” knew how to deal with better and beat the Dutchman 10: 6 and then in the semifinals at 11: 6 over Jonny Clayton was perhaps the only player on Sunday who was able to deliver world class at least over longer periods under these conditions.
Searle forces Wright into the decider
In the final Wright met Englishman Ryan Searle. The man with the heaviest arrows on the tour had reached his first major final ever after victories over Daryl Gurney, whom he had defeated at 10: 9 in the decider with a 104 checkout, and Brendan Dolan (11: 6). “I’m speechless, I have nothing to lose in the final,” he had said earlier.
Against Wright he conceded the supposedly decisive break to 6: 8 after a 141 checkout Wright, who then missed three check darts when he was thrown and had to accept the re-break. “Heavy Metal” also immediately countered another loss of service at 8:10, but also benefited from the fact that “Snakebite” missed two championship darts and even fell over with 129 points.
With a score of 10: 9 Wright earned another arrow to victory with 157 points remaining, but narrowly missed the bullseye. Searle saved himself again in the decider, where he already waited at 24 points, but had to watch as his opponent deleted 62 points to win. Ultimately, the deserved winner in an otherwise unworthy tournament.
Put up with the counterattack of debutant Ryan Searle: Peter Wright won the Players Championship Finals for the first time in his career
Source: LAWRENCE FUNNY
Before the final, the new junior world champion was crowned in Minehead. The 24-year-old Englishman Ted Evetts defeated Northern Ireland’s Nathan Rafferty 6-4 in the final. The two German starters Fabian Schmutzler and Niko Springer were narrowly eliminated in the group stage of the best 32 each in third.
Schmutzler is going to the world championship in two weeks, as is Florian Hempel. The German quartet is completed by Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler, who were both eliminated in the second round of the Players Championship Finals.
On Monday, three more Germans, Max Hopp, Steffen Siepmann and Michael Unterbuchner, are trying to get their tickets to the Alexandra Palace at the last qualifying tournament for the World Cup. Three places are still available. The draw will take place in the evening from 8 p.m. (in the livestream at Sport1).
PCF: The 1st round at a glance
Jose de Sousa – Devon Petersen 6: 4
Mervyn King – Darius Labanauskas 4: 6
Chris Dobey – William O‘Connor 5:6
Krzysztof Ratajski – Ron Meulenkamp 6:1
Gerwyn Price – Jason Lowe 6: 3
Martin Schindler – Ian White 6:3
Brendan Dolan – Chas Barstow 6:2
Dave Chisnall – Ritchie Edhouse 4:6
Michael Smith – William Borland 6:3
Daryl Gurney – Alan Soutar 6:3
Callan Rydz – Mensur Suljovic 6:1
James Wade – Ricky Evans 6:1
Ryan Searle – Simon Whitlock 6:5
Ryan Joyce – Luke Woodhouse 6:4
Rob Cross – Jermaine Wattimena 6:2
Nathan Aspinall – Jeff Smith 6:2
Peter Wright – Keane Barry 6:4
Adrian Lewis – Kim Huybrechts 6:3
Damon Heta – Steve Lennon 6:2
Gabriel Clemens – Steve Beaton 6:5
Michael van Gerwen – Kevin Doets 6:3
Raymond van Barneveld – Maik Kuivenhoven 6:1
Dirk van Duijvenbode – Ryan Meikle 5:6
Stephen Bunting – Gary Anderson 5:6
Jonny Clayton – Alan Tabern 6:4
Scott Mitchell – Martijn Kleermaker 6:5
Ross Smith – Rusty-Jake Rodriguez 6:2
Luke Humphries – Jason Heaver 6:4
Joe Cullen – Andy Boulton 5:6
Vincent van der Voort – Jelle Klaasen 6:4
Dimitri Van den Bergh – Madars Razma
Danny Noppert – Rowby-John Rodriguez 6: 2
The 2nd round
Jose de Sousa – Darius Labanauskas 6: 5
William O’Connor – Krzysztof Ratajski 6: 4
Gerwyn Price – Martin Schindler 6: 1
Brendan Dolan – Ritchie Edhouse 6:3
Michael Smith – Daryl Gurney 5:6
Callan Rydz – James Wade 5:6
Ryan Searle – Ryan Joyce 6:5
Rob Cross – Nathan Aspinall 6:4
Peter Wright – Adrian Lewis 6:5
Damon Heta – Gabriel Clemens 6:2
Michael van Gerwen – Raymond van Barneveld 6:3
Ryan Meikle – Gary Anderson 2:6
Jonny Clayton – Scott Mitchell 6:0
Ross Smith – Luke Humphries 5:6
Andy Boulton – Vincent van der Voort 5:6
Dimitri Van den Bergh – Danny Noppert 2: 6
The last sixteen
Jose de Sousa – William O’Connor 10:7
Gerwyn Price – Brendan Dolan 8:10
Daryl Gurney – James Wade 10:7
Ryan Searle – Rob Cross 10:7
Peter Wright – Damon Heta 10:8
Michael van Gerwen – Gary Anderson 10:6
Jonny Clayton – Luke Humphries 10:9
Vincent van der Voort – Danny Noppert 10:7
The quarterfinals
Jose de Sousa – Brendan Dolan 4:10
Daryl Gurney – Ryan Searle 9:10
Peter Wright – Michael van Gerwen 10:6
Jonny Clayton – Vincent van der Voort 10:3
The semifinals
Brendan Dolan – Ryan Searle 6:11
Peter Wright – Jonny Clayton 11:6
The final
Ryan Searle – Peter Wright 10:11
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