Kevin Doets pushed reigning world champion Michael Smith to the limit on Friday evening in the second round of the World Darts Championship. The 25-year-old Dutchman was very close to a stunt, but Smith eventually won 3-2 and screamed with joy. The relief felt by the world champion was telling, although that did not help Doets at all. “Phew, I threw the game of my life.”
It won’t happen, will it? The world champion who immediately lost on the very first day of the World Cup against a 25-year-old debutant from the Netherlands. That thought will have crossed many minds on Friday evening. Doets made it very difficult for Smith. At one point Doets was even one set away from victory Bully Boybut the world champion struck at the right moments.
What if the double 16 had flown in in the fourth set? Then Doets would have only needed one more leg to knock the reigning world champion out of the tournament. But Doets missed, after which Smith struck on double 20 to make it 2-2 in sets. When Bully Boy then threw out 142 in the fifth set that Doets started, the World Cup debutant knew what time it was. “That 142 killed me,” Doets said afterwards. And indeed: Smith advanced to the third round of the World Cup in Alexandra Palace.
Doets, who has barely any television experience, hit a muddy figure, so not against Smith, but Bully Boy Ultimately, he was not fooled by the lack of confidence that people have in him this World Cup. The bookmakers rank the 33-year-old Englishman in fourth place behind Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price. Something that gives him motivation after a difficult year – he only reached the last four at the World Grand Prix – as he noted. Still, he broke out in a sweat on Friday evening.
With nine 180’s (compared to five for Smith) and an average of 101.91 (compared to 101.11 for Smith), Doets could look back with pride on a blood-curdling match against the world champion. Smith’s scream was also significant afterwards: the world champion was squeaking and creaking, but Doets – who reached the second round thanks to a 3-0 win over Stowe Buntz – is out of the tournament.
Results – Friday evening December 15
Kevin Doets -Stowe Buntz (R1) 3-0
Cameron Menzies – Rusty-Jake Rodriguez (R1) 3-0
Simon Whitlock – Paolo Nebrida (R1) 3-2
Michael Smith – Kevin Doets (R2) 3-2
00:15
Michael Smith wins!
Oh oh oh, what a difference it was for Kevin Doets. The 25-year-old debutant from the Netherlands almost overcame world champion Michael Smith, but the score ended up being 3-2 for Smith, who screamed with joy.
23:58
Yesterday
2-2!
Phew… Kevin Doets misses on double 16 to make it 2-2 in the fourth set and be one leg away from a huge stunt. Instead, Michael Smith makes it 2-2 in sets.
23:52
Yesterday
2-1 Kevin Doets!
Oops oops, what are we going to experience here? Kevin Doets takes a 2-1 lead against world champion Michael Smith and is one set away from a major stunt.
23:41
Yesterday
1-1!
Clenched fist at Kevin Doets! The Dutchman benefits – at 2-2 in the second set – from Michael Smith’s miss. Doets throws an average of 100.36 (Smith 96.80) and makes it very difficult for the reigning world champion. Smith punches the 25-year-old Dutchman, but Bully Boy Won’t like this anyway…
23:25
Yesterday
1-0 Michael Smith
Kevin Doets was allowed to start the first set, but because he was immediately broken in the first leg, it is Michael Smith who ultimately takes the lead 1-0.
23:24
Yesterday
Nine-darter? No!
Kevin Doets is enjoying it, because after two 180’s the entire room is waiting for a nine-darter, but unfortunately. The Dutchman nevertheless takes the leg and gets a hand from Michael Smith. The Dutchman thus makes it 2-1 in the first set. With an average of 106.60 for Smith and 101.65 for Doets, both men started the match well.
23:21
Yesterday
We have started: Kevin Doets takes on world champion Michael Smith, who immediately makes his mark and manages to break the Dutchman in the first leg.
23:20
Yesterday
Michael van Gerwen is an analyst at today Viaplay and assesses Michael Smith’s chances: “Can Michael Smith become world champion again? I don’t think so, not in this form. But he is someone who throws fast, so if things go well, things can quickly turn around.’
23:02
Yesterday
Michael Smith – Kevin Doets!
Then now it’s time for Michael Smith – Kevin Doets! Can the Dutchman pull off a major stunt and knock the reigning world champion out of the tournament?
23:01
Yesterday
Simon Whitlock wins!
Simon Whitlock still gets the game over the line after five missed match darts. Paolo Nebrida had chance after chance to stay in the match, but the pressure became too much for the darts player from the Philippines. Whitlock returns tomorrow night for round two against Gary Anderson. Then the Australian will have to do a lot better.
22:49
Yesterday
2-2
Simon Whitlock and Paolo Nebrida continue until the very last set. Then it is Kevin Doets’ turn.
22:37
Yesterday
2-1 Simon Whitlock
The pace in the match between Simon Whitlock and Paolo Nebrida is not too high, but slowly but surely Kevin Doets can get ready for his match against world champion Michael Smith. Whitlock takes a 2-1 lead and needs one more set to qualify for the second round.
22:19
Yesterday
1-1
Things are not going well for Simon Whitlock yet, but the former World Cup finalist makes it 1-1 in sets.
22:04
Yesterday
1-0 Paolo Nebrida
No, Simon Whitlock is no longer the Simon Whitlock of old. With an average of 78.53, he is 1-0 behind Paolo Nebrida, who is not doing much better with 79.11.
21:54
Yesterday
Simon Whitlock – Paolo Nebrida
Soon it will be time for Kevin Doets against reigning world champion Michael Smith, but before that happens, it’s time for that TheWizard. In 2010, Simon Whitlock was still a finalist, but now he has dropped to 43rd place in the world rankings and will face Paolo Nebrida from the Philippines in the first round.
21:41
Yesterday
Cameron Menzies wins!
Rusty-Jake Rodriguez had plenty of arrows to make it 2-1 in sets, but it was not the Austrian’s evening. Cameron Menzies wins 3-0 and can return tomorrow for his second round match against Dave Chisnall.
21:27
Yesterday
2-0 Cameron Menzies
He may have still worked in the afternoon, but Cameron Menzies is 2-0 ahead. With an average of 91.07 and two 180’s, the Scot scores better than his Austrian opponent, who kicks himself when leaving the podium. Can Rusty-Jake Rodriguez still turn the tide?
21:06
Yesterday
‘Wacky man’ Cameron Menzies in action
Still working as a plumber this afternoon, now on the podium of the Darts World Cup: Cameron Menzies plays against the Austrian in the first round Rusty-Jake Rodriguez.
Last year, Menzies, who is together with, gave birth Queen of the Palace Fallon Sherrock, caused a stir by being a little too friendly with Vincent van der Voort. “At one point I said: stop now. Otherwise you have to give him a shot on stage, you don’t want that either.” Van der Voort said thenwho then also called him a crackpot.
20:56
Yesterday
Kevin Doets wins!
Hoppa, the first Dutch victory of this World Cup is a fact. Kevin Doets beats Stowe Buntz, the quarter-finalist of the Grand Slam of Darts. And so tonight a wonderful clash awaits the Dutch World Cup debutant against reigning world champion Michael Smith!
20:43
Yesterday
2-0 Kevin Doets!
This is going well Hawkeye, as Kevin Doets’ nickname is. He made it 2-0 against Stowe Buntz, who with an average of 83.91 and a finishing percentage of 20 percent is not yet flourishing in his first appearance at Alexandra Palace.
Darts World Cup schedule
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