Friday was all about the Round of 16 of the 2023 Darts World Cup.
At the start of the second and last round of 16 of the 2023 World Darts Championship, Dimitri van den Bergh didn’t give Kim Huybrechts the slightest chance in the Belgian duel in a 4-0 win – a big surprise, especially in terms of clarity. Huybrechts had eliminated defending champion Peter Wright from the tournament in round three.
Gabriel Clemens then wrote German darts history in a 4-1 win over Scotsman Alan Soutar. The Saarlander was the first German participant to reach the quarter-finals, where now number one in the world, Gerwyn Price, is waiting.
“I never thought that I could lose,” the “German Giant” commented confidently on his success at “Sport1” and looked just as confidently ahead: “I’ll look at myself. If I can perform again and be there at the right moments I think I can be dangerous for Gerwyn Price. I don’t mind coming back.”
However, if he really wants to become a threat to the Welshman, Clemens must certainly improve again. Against the tired-looking Soutar, five 180s and a three-dart average of a solid 93.96 percent were enough for the 39-year-old.
Michael Smith underpins title ambitions
In the third game of the day, last year’s finalist Michael Smith gave an idea of what is needed for the really big coup. The “Bully Boy” swept “Rockstar” Joe Cullen off the board 4-1 in a high quality game.
Smith averaged 103.25 over the entire match, although he was still shaky in round three against Germany’s Martin Schindler. A value that the fourth in the world rankings, known as a high scorer, has never been able to top in a World Cup round of 16. Overall, Smith threw ten 180s, Cullen contributed seven more.
In the subsequent interview with the PDC, Smith underlined that he is aiming for nothing less than the title: “I want to compete against the best players, I want to beat the best players and want to show what level I’ve brought my game to. Winning this title , would mean everything to me.” Smith had reached and lost the 2022 and 2019 finals.
Next ex-world champion eliminated
In another English duel, Chris Dobey bowled the second former world champion in a row out of the tournament. After beating Gary Anderson 4-1 in round three, Dobey also surprised Rob Cross, who won the title in 2018, and won 4-2. Both Cross (100.02) and Dobey (102.13) averaged over 100 points per shot.
Top favorite Michael van Gerwen (100.42) scored just over 100 points on average (of course) against his Dutch compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode. “Mighty Mike” only threw three 180s, but had the game against the number 14 in the world under control and won 4:1.
In the quarter-finals, the superstar meets Dobey, who could then crown his triumph over former world champions.
Duo can celebrate more world titles
Stephen Buntting can also call himself a former world champion, but the 37-year-old won his title in 2014 at the BDO, which is considered to be lower. He then changed associations and reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2021.
It could also go there in 2023, because “The Bullet” surprisingly and above all safely defeated fifth in the world rankings Luke Humphries 4-1.
Bunting stayed just below the magic 100 mark on the average (99.43), but hit a brilliant 48.15 percent of his shots on doubles. Humphries also never really got into the game.
With Adrian Lewis, Raymond van Barneveld, Anderson, Wright and Cross, five former PDC World Champions have already been eliminated. Only for van Gerwen and Price would a win not be a premiere.