Crazy evening already makes the World Darts Championship historic

Florian Hempel makes a crazy comeback, Martin Schindler plays remarkably confidently, Gabriel Clemens returns victorious to the scene of his greatest success. Three Germans are through to the third round of the World Darts Championship and Ricardo Pietreczko is still playing.

"I was actually already eliminated, but I'm still alive," said a beaming Florian Hempel after the craziest match of his career. The professional dart player from Cologne defeated Belgian top player Dimitri Van den Bergh on Friday evening - for the second time since 2021, once again in the second round of the World Darts Championship in London.

Hempel didn't win the match somehow. Van den Bergh looked like the sure winner several times. After the second set, when the Belgian seemed to have a comfortable 2:0 lead. In the fourth set, when Van den Bergh had a total of three match darts. But Hempel was simply unbeatable that evening, becoming the comeback king and putting the German dream evening on course.

"I lost all feeling in my body when I was leading 2:0 in the first set. I lost the feeling for my darts, but I got it back. This win is something very special for me," said Hempel after the completely crazy match.

Chaotic journey

The "Kölsche Jung" is now heading home to his family in the Rhineland. "I have to think about whether I can even get off the island by car. I tend to fly home from Heathrow, leave the car here in London, leave the darts in it, then there's no problem with the luggage on the return flight," said Hempel, who had to switch to the ferry at short notice when traveling to the match due to a strike by Eurotunnel workers.

After Christmas, the world number 59 will face either Stephen Bunting or Ryan Joyce. In any case, Hempel can play freely, has exceeded his target by reaching round three and has also secured his place on the professional tour with his surprise victory. After the World Championship, only the top 64 in the world rankings are guaranteed a starting place in the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) for the next twelve months. Hempel would have had to tremble in the event of a defeat against Van den Bergh.

Schindler's best World Championship performance

Another German didn't have these worries on Friday evening in London's Alexandra Palace, but Martin Schindler naturally wanted to take the momentum of Hempel's victory with him. And the 27-year-old succeeded perfectly. "The Wall" beat Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena 3:1 and can therefore also return to the British capital after Christmas. It was only Schindler's second ever victory at the most important tournament of the year in his fifth year at the World Championships.

On Thursday evening, Germany's top player Gabriel Clemens, last year's sensational semi-finalist, had already secured his place in round three. This afternoon, a fourth German, Ricardo Pietreczko, could even follow suit. The shooting star from Nuremberg is even a slight favorite against England's Callan Rydz (approx. 14:45, Sport1/Dazn).

Four German darts players in the last 32 of the World Championship? That would be a Christmas fairytale. The fact that three Germans are certain to reach round three is already a first. Never before have there been so many players from Germany in the Mecca of darts after the traditional Christmas break.

Netherlands facing darts disgrace?

If Pietreczko makes it four today, darts Germany could even have more third-round participants than the Netherlands. So far, only superstar Michael van Gerwen and former champion Raymond van Barneveld have secured their place in the last 32. With Richard Veenstra and Berry van Peer, only two more players can join them. For the darts stronghold, the result is a downright disgrace, for darts Germany a milestone in comparison with its neighbors, who have been overpowering for years.

There is still a long way to go to catch up with the Netherlands, even beyond the results of this World Championship. The structural differences between German and Dutch darts are huge. But in the meantime, the talent density is also increasing in Germany. And the historic performance of the Germans this year could ensure that even more children and young people try their hand at the dartboard.

"It's great to see how German darts is developing. We've reached a new level," said a delighted Schindler on the German dream evening at the Ally Pally.