Upsets Rock the Darts World Championship as Anderson Crashes Out
The 2024 World Championship saw a wave of shock exits in the second round, with two-time champion Gary Anderson being the most prominent casualty.
The Scot, known for his consistency, succumbed to a crushing 3-0 defeat against Dutchman Jeffrey de Graaf, marking his first opening match loss in the tournament. Anderson struggled throughout, hitting only three of his 20 checkout attempts against De Graaf’s impressive 75% success rate.
"Gary didn’t really show up as he usually does, but I am very happy with the win," said a jubilant De Graaf, who sealed his victory with an 11-dart finish in the opening set. "I was very nervous after the first set, even when I was 2-0 up, I was thinking, ‘what’s going on now?’"
Anderson’s exit wasn’t the only surprise of the day. A number of other seeded players also fell by the wayside, including Ross Smith, Martin Schindler, Dirk van Duijvenbode, and Ritchie Edhouse.
Cullen’s Fury at the Media
After securing a comfortable 3-0 victory over Wessel Nijman, Joe Cullen made a dramatic exit from his post-match press conference, accusing the media of disrespect.
"I think the way I’ve been treated probably with the media and things like that – I know you guys have no control over the bookies – I’ve been shown no respect, so I won’t be showing any respect to any of you guys tonight," he said.
CULLEN DOUBLES HIS LEAD!
An excellent end to the second set as Joe Cullen pins double 13 for a 2-0 lead over Dutchman Wessel Nijman!
📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj#WCDarts | R2 pic.twitter.com/HMlYKiKjvW
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2024
White’s Poker-Face Rivalry Plays Out
Ian White, the 54-year-old veteran, jokingly referred to his upcoming opponent, 17-year-old sensation Luke Littler, as "Runcorn’s number two" after securing a 3-1 victory over European champion Ritchie Edhouse.
The pair hail from the same Cheshire town, setting the stage for a fascinating clash of generations.
"I’m from Runcorn and I’m number one!" White quipped, acknowledging the hype surrounding Littler. "Hopefully it will be a better game than what I played tonight."
Nebrida’s Rise, Razma’s Revenge, and Rydz’s Dominance
Filipino qualifier Paolo Nebrida achieved a career-defining victory, stunning former European champion Ross Smith 3-0. Meanwhile, Latvian Madars Razma produced a stunning upset with a 3-1 win over Dutch 25th seed Dirk van Duijvenbode. German 22nd seed Martin Schindler suffered a disappointing 3-0 loss to Callan Rydz after missing a nine-darter.
Ryan Searle delivered a powerful performance, opening his campaign with a 10-dart finish en route to a convincing 3-0 win over Canadian Matt Campbell.
These early round upsets have thrown the World Championship wide open, setting the stage for an exciting and unpredictable tournament.
Who do you think will lift the trophy? Share your predictions in the comments below!