Andy Hamilton produced one of the best battling performances of his career to reach the 3rd Round of the World Championship.
He won an epic – beating Vincent van der Voort by 4 sets to 3……and he will be joined there by Terry Jenkins who had an easier passage against Co Stompe.
But Hamilton wrote the headlines on Tuesday afternoon at the Alexandra Palace!
It was ‘Hammer Time’ again.
“I thought the best man won!” he said.
“I battled away and knew that one crucial break of throw would be enough. I was always playing catch up but my scoring got better and better and to win it with a 13 darter was special.”
There was no hint of the drama to come after two very ordinary sets which were shared….the Dutchman regained the advantage as the match finally sparked into life
And it was some third set…..Hamilton hit a 180, 177 and 174 and won his legs in 11 and 12 darts but it still wasn’t enough!
The Dutchman could have gone further in front, but wired D16 for a 3 sets to 1 lead in another deciding leg! It was now a great standard.
Van der Voort nailed two 180s, a 177 and finishes of 110 and 72 to re-establish his advantage at 3 sets to 2….but he missed seven darts for a crucial break at the start of set six and it was a game changer, because despite a 148 check-out from the Dutchman, Hamilton reeled off a succession of 180s!
In one leg he hit six perfect darts but crucially for him, he won another deciding leg in 12 darts and we were going the distance!
The big moment came in the third leg…..Van der Voort missed four darts to hold throw…..Hamilton stepped to break on D8 and won the match in style – hitting a fantastic 174 – and D18 finally won it for the man from Stoke!
What a game! Another brilliant match in this tournament…..and Hamilton will face either Phil Taylor of Dave Chisnall in the last 16.
Well, Jenkins can be mighty please with his effort, although he knows he should have disposed of Co Stompe 4-0 in double-quick time….but he’ll settle for 4-1!
The Dutchman came into the match after needing emergency hospital treatment back in Holland after suffering a dog bite, but he ran into a charging ‘Bull’ at the Ally Pally.
Jenkins will now face Justin Pipe in the last 16 on Wednesday night!
“I have to be pleased because the heat was starting to get to me…..it was live an oven up on the stage and when Co missed darts to make it 3 sets to 2, I knew I had to take my chance and thankfully that’s just what I did.”
The Unicorn star produced the single best set of the tournament so far, averaging an incredible 122 to go 1-0 in front….he won it in 11, 14 and 12 darts – hitting three 180s and finishes of 98 and 116 – it was pretty special.
Jenkins then raced into a three set lead, dropping only two legs and banging in some more brilliant check-outs….104, 100 and 126 on the bull to take that third set! At this stage, he was still averaging well over the hundred mark….
The fourth set was more competitive but it looked like being a whitewash as Jenkins stepped up to throw for the match and then missed a dart at ‘tops’ to win it, to allow Stompe to hit D10 and pinch the set.
‘The Bull’ was feeling the heat and in a dramatic finale, he was a relieved man to finally hit the match-winning D10! All five legs went against the throw and in the decider, Stompe missed six darts to win the set and after Jenkins missed another shot at ‘tops’, he sealed the win.
So what about facing Pipe for a place in the World Championship quarter-finals? “I have already worked out my tactics,” Jenkins joked. “I will slow him down!”
In Tuesday afternoon’s other match, three times World Champion John Part rolled back the years with a 4-1 victory over Richie Burnett….and he will now take on in-form Team Unicorn star Kevin Painter in the last 16.
Tuesday afternoon 2nd Round results:
Terry Jenkins 4-1 Co Stompe
Richie Burnett 1-4 John Part
Vincent van der Voort 3-4 Andy Hamilton
Tuesday night 2nd Round schedule:
James Richardson v Kim Huybrechts
Phil Taylor v Dave Chisnall
Paul Nicholson v Alan Tabern
By STUART PYKE at the Alexandra Palace
Photos courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC