PDC World Championship - Match Report Second Day, Afternoon
JENKINS AND ANDERSON HIT NINE-DARTERS IN DEFEAT AT LADBROKES WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP!
Terry Jenkins and Kyle Anderson wrote their names into the history books with nine-darters at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship on Saturday afternoon - but both fell to defeat in a dramatic session at Alexandra Palace!Seven-time major finalist Jenkins hit only the sixth nine-dart finish in the history of the tournament during a thrilling first round clash with Danish qualifier Per Laursen. The 50-year-old had twice hit back from a set down to level the game, before hitting two 180s and a 141 finish in the second leg of the deciding set. Jenkins' joy, though, was short-lived as Laursen won the final set 4-2 in a tie-break, following his earlier 4-2 legs win over Colin McGarry in the preliminary round, as he won through to the last 32.
"I've always said that I need to hit nine-darters to win games, but even that wasn't enough today!" admitted Jenkins, who also hit a 170 checkout during the game. "I knew I was practising well and I said to my mate beforehand that I thought I was going to hit a nine-darter. I felt I played really well but I don't seem to get those second chances. It was my fault in the last set, but it shouldn't have gone to the last set and the way I was playing I should have won beforehand."
Laursen now progresses to play Peter Wright in the second round, having reached the last 32 for the third time on the World Championship stage.
"I felt I played the best I could today and I kept it going throughout the match, despite everything Terry was throwing at me," said Laursen. "He's a great player, as he showed with the nine-darter, so I'm really happy to have won."
An hour after Jenkins' amazing feat, top Australian ace Kyle Anderson matched his achievement in his clash with Ian White, landing two maximums and a 141 checkout in the opening leg of the fourth set. The Australian Grand Prix champion's achievement will see him share the nine-dart bonus of 30,000 pound with Jenkins - should no other player land a perfect leg in the remainder of the tournament - and saw him be the seventh to achieve the landmark in the World Championship. Although Queensland-based Anderson went on to lose both the set and the match 3-1, the 26-year-old could barely hide his pride in becoming only the second Australian to hit a televised nine-dart finish, behind Simon Whitlock.
"The nine-darter was the highlight of my game, something special," said Anderson, whose rise to the top of the game in Australia has been supported by boxing World Champion Anthony Mundine, who champions Aboriginal sporting talent.
"You can't describe the feeling, to hit a nine-darter and have my baby boy and fiancee watching back home. I came here to be a part of history and I played well today. There's disappointment, but the high of the nine-darter outweighs the disappointment of losing. It hasn't sunk in and I'll probably wake up tomorrow still buzzing, but I think it will help people to recognise me because I want to raise the profile of darts in Australia."
Anderson's older brother Beau will be in action at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday, and he said: "I'll be there when Beau plays and I hope he can win."
A dramatic afternoon session at Alexandra Palace also saw seeded stars Mark Walsh and Wayne Jones knocked out of the £1 million-plus, 72-player event.
Former UK Open finalist Walsh went down 3-1 to Finland's Jarkko Komula, who won through to the second round for the first time at Alexandra Palace. Komula opened up a two-set lead, hitting a 126 checkout as he came from 2-1 down to edge the first, and though Walsh finished 121 to win the third set in a deciding leg, the Finn punished five misses from his opponent in the final leg of set four to complete his triumph.
Wolverhampton's Jones, a World Championship semi-finalist in 2006, was another big name to be eliminated on Saturday afternoon as he went down in a deciding set to Kevin McDine.
McDine made a fine start to win the opening set 3-1 before Jones won six of the next nine legs to move himself in front at 2-1.
McDine - who had to win back his Tour Card at Qualifying School in January - took the fourth set 3-0 to force a decider, before sweeping through the final set without reply.
"It's amazing," said McDine. "I've had a couple of years away from the big stage and it's the best feeling in the world, especially to get the win as well. "I enjoyed myself and I'll take the positives from this. I've been practising well and although I can play a bit better, I'm over the moon. I said at the start of the year at Qualifying School that all I wanted to do was make the World Championship, which I've done, and I've won my first game so I'm delighted with myself. Hopefully I can push on back towards the top 32 now."