Paddy Power World Championship – Days 3-5

Updated: December 19, 2023

On Sunday, the third day of the tournament, there were no real shocks, although there was disappointment for Fallon Sherrock. Having clinched a close-fought first set with legs of 15,15, and 14, things looked good for Sherrock,but Jermaine Wattimena kept his head, and won the next three sets. There were comfortable victories for Ricky Evans and the strongly-fancied Luke Humphries, while Canadian Matt Campbell squeezed past the experiences Lourence Ilagan in five sets.

2021 World Champion Gerwyn Price beat Connor Scutt in a dominant display on Monday night, but it was Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung who grabbed the headlines. Leung was superb as he rebounded from a two-set deficit to shock Dutchman Gian van Veen. Another winner was last year’s WDF World Championship runner-up Thibault Tricole (France), who beat Belgian Mario Vandenbogaerde.

On to today (Tuesday), and three-time Champ Michael van Gerwen started his quest for a fourth title in style, as he dropped only two legs in his demolition of Keane Barry. Japan’s Tomoya Goto showed his class as he dispatched PDC stalwart Ian White, while his compatriot, Mikuru Suzuki slumped to a disappointing defeat against German Ricardo Pietreczko. Suzuki only reached the winning double in one leg.

Best display of the day – certainly from a North American point of view – came from Matt Campbell. The Canadian faced James Wade, and twice bounced back from being a set down to clinch a massive win.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) sees the third American in action this week, as North Carolina’s Alex Spellman kicks off the evening session against Ryan Joyce.