Sport Darts World Cup
Hempel’s brave fight against the outstanding Bunting
As of: 3:49 p.m. | Reading time: 4 minutes
World-class performance: Stephen Bunting now challenges Michael van Gerwen
Quelle: Getty Images/Tom Dulat
It was one of his best performances ever on a big stage. Nevertheless, Florian Hempel was eliminated from the Darts World Cup with a score of 0:4. Stephen Bunting played outstandingly and remained in the tournament without losing a set. There will now be a giant duel in the round of 16.
Florian Hempel was the penultimate German to be eliminated from the Darts World Cup. He lost 4-0 to Stephen Bunting in what was a thrilling duel for a long time. The Englishman remained without losing a set and once again underlined his ambitions for the World Cup title. “I was a bit nervous, there were a lot of fans from Germany here. But overall I feel fresh and have trained well. I’m ready for the match on Friday,” said the number 18 on the Order of Merit.
In the round of 16 he will face none other than Michael van Gerwen. After his win on Wednesday evening, the Dutchman immediately formulated his wish for the next task: “Give me Bunting.” Given the form of the two players, the fans can expect the first highlight of this World Cup.
Hempel, who secured his tour card for 2024 with two wins at the World Cup, also had something planned for his match. “I want to try to come in a little earlier than in my previous matches and get the form on board earlier,” he said before the match in an interview with Sport1: “To get rid of the uncertainty, to keep the tension high. And then just let it go.”
That’s the theory, which the Cologne-based company has implemented extremely well in practice. Bunting, who had played the highest average of the tournament so far in the second round with a 3-0 win against Ryan Joyce with a points average of 107, opened the match directly with a 180 and made it 1-0 in 11 darts. Hempel also opened his opening leg with four perfect darts, but still conceded the break in eleven darts. What a rocket launch from “Bullet” Bunting.
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Hempel, however, was by no means impressed and implemented his instructions, checking 164 points after twelve darts to make it 1:2 and then perfecting the decider. But Bunting ended the world-class leg with his third goal in his third attempt on doubles. The two rivals threw six 180s, Hempel managed an average of 107.64 points – and still lost the first set.
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The Englishman also scored his fourth and fifth attempts on the doubles after the break and won the second round 3-1. Hempel had a still outstanding average of 102.24 points, but was powerless against his opponent, who played like unleashed with a score of 111.73.
Brilliant start: Stephen Bunting (left) and Florian Hempel played at a world-class level in the first two sets
Quelle: Getty Images/Tom Dulat
“The outcome depends on whether I get my game right. “Florian Hempel can handle pressure, he’s shown that, but dealing with my 107 is something different,” Bunting had predicted before the match – and was ultimately right. In the end it was still 101.5, but the match had long since been decided. Hempel fought, tried hard and had hardly anything to blame himself for, at least in the first three sets. Bunting won the third set 3-2, throwing six perfect darts in the decider. And the fourth round also went to England 3-2 after some weaknesses from Hempel at the checkout.
This means that the German festival in the Ally Pally is slowly coming to an end. “The media hype was already very big before Christmas. It was almost as if we had found a cure for cancer,” said Hempel about the increased attention. On Wednesday, however, the German numbers one and two were already eliminated in their third round matches. Gabriel Clemens lost 1:4 to Dave Chisnall after a major false start with major problems at the checkout. Martin Schindler lost 3-4 against Scott Williams in extra time.
In the evening, Ricardo Pietreczko is the last of the four German third-round participants to try to reach the round of 16. However, the man from Nuremberg will have to deal with the big World Cup favorite Luke Humphries.
Darts World Cup, results on December 28th
3rd round:
Florian Hempel (D) – Stephen Bunting (ENG/18) 0:4 (2:3; 1:3; 2:3; 2:3)
Joe Cullen (ENG/14) – Ryan Searle (ENG/19) 4:2 (3:1; 3:1; 0:3; 2:3; 3:2; 3:2)
Ross Smith (ENG/16) – Chris Dobey (ENG/17)
Gerwyn Price (WAL/5) – Brendan Dolan (NIR/28)
Luke Humphries (ENG/3) – Ricardo Pietreczko (D)
Ricky Evans (ENG) – Daryl Gurney (NIR/27)
Darts World Cup, schedule for December 29th
3rd round (from 1:45 p.m.):
Damon Heta (AUS/10) – Berry van Peer (NED)
Jonny Clayton (WAL/9) – Krzysztof Ratajski (POL/24)
Jim Williams (WAL) – Raymond van Barneveld (NED/29)
3rd round (from 8 p.m.):
1x 3rd round
Boris Krcmar (CRO) – Gary Anderson (SCO/21)
Round of 16 (from 9 p.m.):
2x round of 16
