World Darts Championship: Beau Greaves crushed in final-set thriller by Daryl Gurney to endure first-round exit at Alexandra Palace

Beau Greaves narrowly missed out on changing into the second lady in historical past to win a match on the World Darts Championship after a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Daryl Gurney at Alexandra Palace.

Greaves has dominated the PDC Ladies’s Collection, secured her PDC Tour Card and crushed Luke Littler within the World Youth Championship semi-finals throughout a memorable marketing campaign, with the 21-year-old coming near a well-known victory towards the twenty second seed.

She gained extra legs, scored extra 180s and fired a better common than her opponent, with Greaves twice battling again from a set right down to take the first-round conflict to a final-set decider.

Gurney clawed again momentum with a surprising 144 end earlier than closing out victory within the subsequent leg, reserving ‘Tremendous Chin’ a second-round assembly with Callan Rydz and protecting Fallon Sherrock – who reached the third spherical in 2020 – as the one lady to win a match on the Alexandra Palace stage.

“She’s the best woman darts player on the planet,” Gurney instructed Sky Sports activities. “If there’s going to be a darts participant that may win the World Championship or any majors, that is the participant.

“Even from a person’s perspective, that lady has some cajones. What a dart participant, actually what a dart participant. Everybody stated she was favorite coming into the sport however typically I present my class and my composure and I obtained over the end line.

“The only thing that separated us was the 144. When I went 2-1 up [in the final set] I thought ‘don’t give her a sniff’. I missed some doubles but fair play to Beau. All this crowd should respect her because next year she’s going to be a force to reckon with.”

How Gurney pipped Greaves in remaining set

A nervy opening set noticed Gurney maintain throw with a 90 checkout and capitalise on Greaves busting on the flawed rating to interrupt within the subsequent, with ‘Tremendous Chin’ losing set darts to permit his opponent to interrupt again earlier than successful the final-leg decider.

Greaves burst into life throughout the second set – the place she averaged over 108 – as she adopted a 15-dart leg with a 128 end on the bullseye to interrupt throw, then delivered a 10-darter to assert a 3rd straight leg and stage the match.

A topsy-turvy third set noticed Greaves discover a 13-dart break however then miss a dart for the set on tops for a 102 end, permitting Gurney to win the final leg and go inside a set of victory, just for the ladies’s No 1 to fireside again by racing by means of the fourth set in straight legs.

Greaves missed a dart to win every of the three legs in that set however responded strongly throughout the remaining set, the place he pulled momentum again his manner with a surprising 144 end to interrupt after which overcame lacking match darts to safe a nervy victory.

Extra to observe…

O’Connor on assertion win: I am prepared for Van Gerwen!

William O’Connor delivered a 102.36 common – the best of this yr’s event to date – in a press release efficiency throughout his straight-sets victory over Poland’s Krzysztof Kciuk.

O’Connor’s ‘Zombie’ walk-on obtained an enormous response from the Alexandra Palace crowd and he obtained them on their ft once more with a surprising 167 checkout within the opening leg, earlier than surviving Kciuk lacking a set dart on the bullseye to take the opening set in a final-leg decider.

The Irishman raced by means of the subsequent two units in consecutive legs to finish an emphatic victory, the place he fired seven 180s, to arrange a second-round conflict with Michael van Gerwen.

“I feel like I’ve got more to give,” O’Connor instructed Sky Sports activities. “I’m very happy with how my doubles went but I know my scoring can go a little bit better, but at the same time I’m very happy with my performance.

“The subsequent sport goes to be very, very arduous and I do know I’ll need to play no less than like that, if not higher – I can not have these slack darts. Irrespective of who I am enjoying on this stage, it is among the finest gamers on the earth, so carry it on – I am prepared for them!”

Rock ‘underestimated’ Hayter throughout powerful victory

Josh Rock booked his place within the second spherical after overcoming a late fightback from Gemma Hayter to assert a 3-1 victory.

Rock raced right into a two-set benefit however noticed Hayter reply by successful the third, with the Englishwoman taking the fourth set to a final-leg decider earlier than the world No 11 closed out victory.

“I was definitely nervous,” stated Rock, who will now play Joe Comito. “I let off the pedal a wee bit, maybe underestimating her, that’s not me being disrespectful, that’s just the way I was thinking. I’m a numpty for thinking that way! I will give myself a kick up the backside because I can’t do that again.”

Ryan Meikle thrashed Argentina’s Jesus Salate in straight units and Kevin Doets claimed a 3-1 win over Matthew Dennant, whereas Leonard Gates edged out Mickey Mansell in a final-set epic.

An intriguing contest included Mansell successful a 33-dart leg within the fourth set to take the match to a decider, the place Gates prevailed.

Second spherical begins on Saturday

Ryan Searle kicks off Saturday’s afternoon session when he faces Brendan Dolan, earlier than Andreas Harrysson performs Motomu Sakai, Dirk van Duijvenbode takes on James Hurrell and Dave Chisnall performs Ricardo Pietreczko.

Former world champion Michael Smith opens the night session towards Niels Zonneveld forward of Chris Dobey enjoying Andrew Gilding, earlier than Stephen Bunting performs Nitin Kumar.

Jonny Clayton was as a consequence of face Dom Taylor within the remaining match of the day, however the Welshman has obtained a bye to the third spherical after Taylor was suspended by the Darts Regulation Authority for failing a medicine check.

Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match solely stay all over till Saturday January 3 on Sky Sports activities’ devoted darts channel (Sky channel 407). Stream darts and extra prime sport with NOW.