The day after the two Germans Martin Schindler and Gabriel Clemens were eliminated from the World Darts Championship in London, Ricardo Pietreczko did not freeze in awe even before the match against top favorite Luke Humphries. Florian Hempel also has a class opponent in front of him.
Ricardo Pietreczko can’t get enough of London at the moment. The darts professional spent the Christmas days sightseeing in the British capital, and between the years he watches the World Cup games on television with his girlfriend.
Darts World Cup today: Hempel at lunchtime, Pietreczko in the evening
And this Thursday (around 9:30 p.m. / DAZN and Sport1) the 29-year-old from Nuremberg – nicknamed Pikachu – can go back on the biggest stage himself. The opponent is none other than top favorite Luke Humphries, who earned more than twice as much prize money in 2023 as all other top players.
Florian Hempel will also face an opponent who is in outstanding form in the lunch session on Thursday (from 1.30 p.m.): Steven Bunting from England.
“Anyone can beat anyone on the tour”
Pietreczko told DPA about the biggest game of his career so far: “Humphries is in good form right now, you’ve seen that. You’ve seen often enough that anyone can beat anyone on the tour. There’s no big favorite. There are many favorites, but not one.”
After aborting his training as a waiter and postman and completing his apprenticeship as a painter, Pietreczko now seems to have found his calling.
Pal Dardai, Roger Federer and Chris Dobey as role models
“I see myself playing darts until I can’t stand anymore,” Pikachu said to his future. The Hertha fan cites coach Pal Dardai, former tennis superstar Roger Federer and English darts professional Chris Dobey as role models in sport. The earliest he could meet him in London is in the final on January 3rd.
Hempel warns competitors
Like Pietreczko, Hempel also amazes the darts scene. In the second round he made the biggest comeback of the World Cup so far with a 3-2 win over top Belgian player Dimitri Van den Bergh. The former handball goalkeeper was already behind 2-0 after sets, but then survived three match darts and started his crazy comeback.
“Maybe this is a warning to the next ones that they better put the match darts in”Hempel said afterwards. Stephen Bunting is likely to take the warning, which was probably intended as a joke, seriously. And the Englishman can counter this for his part. With 107.28 points, the 2014 BDO world champion played the best average of the second round in his opening game against compatriot Ryan Joyce. So it doesn’t get any easier for Hempel.