English darts pro cheers and draws World War II comparison
Many German darts fans have traveled to London to watch the World Darts Championship at the Ally Pally. They watch the second round exit for the Germans Martin Schindler and Gabriel Clemens. Schindler's opponent recalls the two world wars after his progress.
German darts pros Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler have missed out on the World Championship round of 16. While Clemens was clearly beaten 1:4 by England's Dave Chisnall, Schindler experienced a thriller without a happy ending: despite leading 2:0 in sets, the player from Strausberg lost 3:4 to England's Scott Williams after a rollercoaster ride of emotions in London's Alexandra Palace.
"I had one or two darts at the doubles a couple of times and I didn't use them. That's why I lost," said Schindler after the match in the famous "Ally Pally" on Sport1. "But in the end, it doesn't matter who was the better player. I lost and that's what counts." Even though he set a German World Championship record with 13 perfect 180s and had a better average than his opponent, it was not enough to progress in the end.
Against Williams, Schindler initially continued his convincing second round performance against Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena (3:1), but then lost the thread with five lost legs in a row. It was only after the third break that Schindler played great again, but had to admit defeat in a match with constant changes of direction.
Before he won the first set after a break, the numerous German fans - including BVB pro Nico Schlotterbeck - celebrated the 27-year-old with shouts of "Martin-Schindler-Ole". Williams also praised the crowd, but also surprised them with an interesting comparison. "The game was incredible for the neutral fan. I've never experienced a crowd like that," praised the Englishman. And then added: "I know we've won two world wars and a World Cup, but there were so many Germans here. I could only hear them."
Clemens gets off to a disastrous start
Despite the cheers, Schindler was no longer able to score after winning the second set, while Williams played two high-finishes and had the momentum on his side. The last of three short interruptions after the fourth set then seemed to suit Schindler: Schindler briefly played like he had been transformed, checking a 161 over the bull's eye to win the set. Williams now tried to win over the crowd with loud cheering gestures and almost always found an answer. The set was decided in extra time. Schindler was also unable to play at the desired level in the deciding set.
In contrast to Schindler, Clemens, a semi-finalist in last year's World Championships, made a false start and didn't get into the match at all. The Saarlander's double rate was below ten percent at one point - a catastrophic figure. His experienced opponent was able to play the match from the front. The first match between two seeded players thus became a clear-cut affair - even if Clemens, who had become the first German darts pro to reach a World Championship round of 16 in 2021, briefly raised his hopes by winning the fourth leg.
Clemens therefore found a simple reason for his clear defeat, "because I played like shit - especially the first three sets," said the 40-year-old, adding: "You could see I was trying. It's incredibly difficult to turn around a 0:3. I didn't succeed either."
Germany now face the threat of disillusionment after the festive period before Christmas, with two chances remaining on Thursday. Florian Hempel and World Cup debutant Ricardo Pietreczko are fighting to progress - and the tasks are tough. Hempel, who lives in Cologne, will face the highly rated Stephen Bunting in the afternoon (1.40 p.m.), while "Pikachu" will have to deal with top favorite Luke Humphries in the evening (approx. 9.15 p.m.).
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Despite the disappointing results for Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler, many German darts fans continue to support their team at the World Darts Championship in London. The World Darts Championship round of 16 remains a goal for German darts pros Florian Hempel and World Cup debutant Ricardo Pietreczko, who will face Stephen Bunting and Luke Humphries respectively.
Source: www.ntv.de
