Spectacle in London - German-English days at the Ally Pally: Four duels at the World Cup
Now the motherland of darts awaits. After a brilliant pre-Christmas period, the German quartet can make history at the World Championship in Alexandra Palace.
Last year's semi-finalist Gabriel Clemens is the only German to have ever reached the last 16 at the most important tournament of the year. This time, four professionals - Clemens, Martin Schindler, Ricardo Pietreczko and Florian Hempel - have the chance to secure a ticket to the last 16. And they will all be taking on local heroes from England in London.
"The way German darts is developing and the way we're developing is great. The support was great for us. The atmosphere was really great and I hope that we experience the same after Christmas," said Schindler before the German-English days in the famous Ally Pally. Even before Christmas, the proportion of black, red and gold was higher than ever before. Experience has shown that this is even higher after the holidays.
Close to elite level
The 27-year-old Schindler himself will kick things off on Wednesday (1.30 pm/Sport1 and DAZN) and can start as the favorite with a win against the unseeded Scott Williams.
In England, the duels with the Germans are hardly an issue in view of the twelve remaining starters and teen sensation Luke Littler (16). For the German quartet, however, it is a huge opportunity to achieve another milestone a year after Saarland's Clemens ' semi-final coup.
"Players like Gabriel and Martin are really close to this elite level. The first professional to make the breakthrough will benefit massively from the past few years," PDC Managing Director Matthew Porter told the German Press Agency. The ratings and audience figures in the arenas have been rising in Germany for years. And that's without a real star of their own.
"Simply madness"
Schindler and Williams as well as Clemens and England's world-class pro Dave Chisnall duel one after the other on Wednesday afternoon. Last-minute qualifier Florian Hempel will challenge co-favorite Stephen Bunting on Thursday (13:30). Finally, top favorite Luke Humphries and German debutant Pietreczko, nicknamed Pikachu, will meet in the evening (9.30 pm). With the exception of Schindler, the Germans are outsiders, but this role has often suited them recently. This was also the case at the Team World Cup, when Germany clearly won the quarter-final against England.
TV pundit Robert Marijanovic, who has been actively following the team for a long time, is delighted. "What Gabriel Clemens, Martin Schindler, Florian Hempel and Ricardo Pietreczko are tearing down at Alexandra Palace is simply amazing! This is an incredible moment for German darts," said Marijanovic on Sport1. German professionals won six out of seven matches before the Christmas break. Only national qualifier Dragutin Horvat lost right at the start.
Only one German remained in London
The duel between Pietreczko and Humphries is particularly explosive. The 29-year-old from Nuremberg is Germany's high-flyer of the year. Cool Hand Luke, as Humphries is known, is the best professional of the season and has won more than twice as much prize money as any other player. "I'll see how it goes. Humphries is just as much an opponent as Callan Rydz," said Pietreczko.
He had defeated the Englishman Rydz 3:2 on December 23. Pietreczko is the only German in the quartet to have spent the Christmas period in London. Clemens, Schindler and Hempel had traveled back home. The three Christmas days and New Year's Eve are traditionally match-free at the World Cup.
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Source: www.stern.de
