Ricardo Pietreczko has achieved the next sporting coup and reached the round of 16 of the Darts World Cup in London for the first time.
The 30-year-old from Nuremberg confidently defeated last year’s semi-finalist Scott Williams from England 4-1 on Saturday (December 28th, 2024) and is now in the round of the best 16. The new German darts hope now meets the twelfth in the world rankings, Nathan Aspinall, who easily dispatched Andrew Gilding 4-0.
Girlfriend helps out
Pikachu, as Pietreczko is called, presented himself confidently from the start and left no doubts against Williams, who was actually rated higher. In total he won 13 of the 21 legs. Williams had defeated former champion Rob Cross before Christmas.
“I seem to be doing very well in the doubles at the World Cup. I’ll try to keep that up in the next few games, until the final,” said Pietreczko on DAZN. The man from Nuremberg called the building eye contact with his friend Lena the “key” to success.
Five wins in six World Cup games
Pietreczko had already managed a surprise against the Dutch secret favorite Gian van Veen with a 3-1 win. He is only the second German player to reach the round of 16 at a World Cup. Before him, Gabriel Clemens (2021 and 2023) made it. Pietreczko will face Nathan Aspinall or Andrew Gilding in the round of 16.
The last remaining German is increasingly becoming a World Cup specialist. He has now won five of his six games at the most important tournament of the year. The only defeat was the bitter 3:4 against eventual world champion Luke Humphries in December 2023. Pietreczko lost a 3-1 lead.
Jump in the rankings
In the rankings, the man from Nuremberg will certainly overtake Clemens and become at least number two in Germany. In order to overtake national leader Martin Schindler, Pietreczko would have to make it to the final. But a duel with top favorite Luke Littler from England would already be imminent in the quarter-finals.
Pietreczko’s victory was preceded by a close game between fellow Englishmen Ryan Joyce and Ryan Searle. Joyce prevailed 4-3 in the all-important seventh set. In the evening session, darts prodigy Luke Littler will take on compatriot Ian White in the third round match (10.30 p.m.). Before that, three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen meets Northern Irishman Brendan Dolan (9.30 p.m.).