Darts World Cup: Schindler & Littler Advance – Hopp Out

Martin Schindler is in the third round of the Darts World Championship for the third time in his career. Unlike Max Hopp before, Schindler won his duel with Keane Barry from Ireland 3-0. All three sets were only decided in the decisive fifth leg. The current 13th in the world rankings was already able to solve the first two tasks in the 2023 and 2024 editions. Defending champion Luke Littler followed the German number one a little later.

After Ricardo Pietreczko, Schindler is the second German who will still be in action after the holidays. “I’m very pleased that I won and will still be competing after Christmas. I didn’t take that for granted. I fought through it quite well,” he said.

The 29-year-old continues on December 27th against Ryan Searle. With Gabriel Clemens on Monday and Arno Merk on Tuesday, two more German darts professionals could move into the third round.

Littler dominated the game against Welshman David Davies and won 3-0 in a convincing manner. “I’ve done my job,” said the world champion on stage.

Hopp had already had no chance in the 3-0 defeat against Englishman Luke Woodhouse in the afternoon. It was his first participation on the arrow throwers’ biggest stage since 2021. Since then, the Hesse native has been unable to qualify and even lost his tour card at one point. It is required to participate in major tournaments.

“Classic theme: I built up too much pressure myself, constructed it myself and ultimately failed because of it. I was simply too mentally vulnerable,” said Hopp on Sport 1. He will now continue to work for the station as a TV expert in London’s Alexandra Palace.

Former world champion Gerwyn Price was also eliminated. The Welshman surprisingly failed 3-0 to Wesley Plaisier.