NOS Sport••amended
Michael van Gerwen made it through the first round of the Darts World Cup in London unscathed.The number three in the ranking did not convince, but he defeated the 52-year-old Japanese Mitsuhiko tatsunami 3-1.
Jermaine Wattimena also reached the last 64. After an energetic start, he fell behind 2-1, but recovered in time and eventually put aside the German Dominik Grüllich 3-2.
Flying start Tatsunami
Tatsunami, who reached the World Cup by winning the Japan Tour Finals, was in the spotlight for the first time at Alexandra Palace, but he showed no signs of nerves.
In fact,while Van Gerwen failed to hit his doubles smoothly,the experienced Japanese needed few opportunities. That helped Tatsunami get off to a flying start and win 3-1 in the first set, which he also started himself.
There was no fast answer from Van Gerwen: he immediately surrendered his own leg in the next set due to a series of misses on the doubles.The Brabander fought back exemplarily with high scores, broke back, but again had the greatest difficulty in winning the fifth leg.Only the ninth arrow on a double was hit.
Things seemed to be going well for Tatsunami,who had to watch passively as Van Gerwen took the third set. The three-time world champion (2014, 2017 and 2019) then dropped far again, while the Japanese rose up and resumed his strong finishes. However, when Tatsunami was able to get to 2-2 in sets, he failed.
The Japanese missed his opportunities in both the fourth and fifth legs, meaning Van Gerwen could afford to miss his first two match darts. On the third, however, the loot was won.
Van Gerwen was critical of his own game afterwards.”It could have been much easier and should have been much better.I know that,but you always have to believe in yourself. I made myself too busy. That can just cost you the match. I’m glad that I was able to keep my head above water.”
Wattimena difficult
Earlier in the evening, 37-year-old Wattimena played a difficult game against Grüllich. The number 19 in the world rankings started well against the German, who was almost eighty places lower, but after winning the first set and taking a 2-0 lead in the second, the situation came to an end.
Suddenly the triples failed to materialize and at crucial moments the doubles also failed. World Cup debutant Grüllich continued to do his thing unperturbed without playing big, while Wattinema, who can look back on a good year, slowly but surely seemed to panic.
‘The Machine Gun’ surrendered sets two and three and missed two opportunities in the first leg to immediately deprive his opponent of his own leg. It didn’t happen naturally, but from that moment on Wattimena – helped by some missed chances from Grüllich – won six legs in a row and escaped unscathed.
Much to his relief, he later confessed. “I made it so difficult for myself in this match. I feel like it was needless. He fought well in the match, but I’m glad I got him over the line in the end.”
“You start thinking: you are actually the better player. I missed a number of doubles, that can happen. But I felt that he was becoming more nervous, his doubles where too far away. And I have shown lately that I can handle pressure well.”
Wattimena: ‘Glad that I finally got it over the line’
Danny Noppert, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Niels Zonneveld, Gian van Veen, Wessel Nijman and Wesley Plaisier previously qualified for the second round. Jamai van den Herik,Chris landman,Richard veenstra,Jurjen van der Velde and former world champion Raymond van Barneveld were eliminated in the first round.
Kevin Doets will be the last Dutchman to play in the first selection on Friday.
