World Championships in London - "Very annoying": The German darts end at the Ally Pally
The pictures of Ricardo Pietreczko were emblematic of the quick German end at Alexandra Palace. The defeated Pietreczko stood somewhat lost on the world's biggest darts stage and had to watch as opponent Luke Humphries cheered his impressive World Championship comeback loudly and boisterously.
"That's very, very annoying," said Pietreczko, nicknamed Pikachu, after the extremely bitter 3:4 despite leading 3:1 in the meantime. He hadn't quite understood this turn of events in the crazy darts temple of London himself.
Lack of quality and a ruthless approach
The relations between Germany and the darts motherland England were clearly clarified immediately after Christmas. All four duels in the third round went to the local heroes. While England are longing for their next triumph at the Ally Pally a year after Michael Smith's World Championship title, the adventure for the German quartet in north London has come to an early end. "You have to take the positives with you," said Florian Hempel, who had no chance despite a decent performance in the 4-0 defeat to Stephen Bunting on Thursday.
The quartet of Pietreczko, Hempel, Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler would have loved to repeat Clemens' unexpected semi-final coup from the previous year. However, this time they either lacked quality (Clemens clearly lost 4:1 to Dave Chisnall) or they were not ruthless in the decisive moments. In addition to Pietreczko, Schindler also had to retire after a 3:4 defeat. From the World Championship round of 16 onwards, there will be no German participation. With the exception of 2021 and 2023, this has always been the case.
No German among the top 20
"I have to say, I'm more annoyed than anything else - because it was 3:1," said Pietreczko. The 29-year-old from Nuremberg had the big surprise in sight. A coup over the weakening Humphries would have crowned his great year for the time being. But the top favorite found his way back to his game in time despite the tremendous support of the German fans for Pietreczko and won sets five, six and seven with a strong performance. Even after the World Championships, no German professional will be among the top 20 in the world rankings.
While the unseeded Pietreczko and Hempel lived up to expectations with two wins, the early knockout in round three is likely to put more pressure on the established duo of Clemens and Schindler. Schindler had already stated before the World Championships: "I think you can see that overall, the Germans are getting closer and closer. But getting closer is not enough for the Germans. The Germans would like to see tournament victories."
2024 chances in Frankfurt and Dortmund
This was exactly the case in the days at the Ally Pally, which were particularly strong before Christmas. The Germans played well, but the big Sid Waddell Trophy will once again be contested by others after the turn of the year and until January 3.
What will 2024 bring for the quartet and the other German pros? In any case, plenty of opportunities to do better in front of their own fans. The World Team Championships in Frankfurt in June and the European Championships in Dortmund are the highlights of the season before the all-important World Championships in London in mid-December.
In Clemens, Schindler and Pietreczko, three professionals are now among the world's best. Both the 40-year-old Clemens and Schindler (27) have one flaw: Neither has won a title with the world association PDC.
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- The German darts team faced a swift exit from the World Championships at Alexandra Palace, with Ricardo Pietreczko's defeat serving as a poignant representation.
- The German quartet of Pietreczko, Hempel, Clemens, and Schindler hoped to replicate Clemens' impressive semi-final performance from the previous year, but fell short in various rounds.
- The English darts team solidified their dominance immediately after Christmas, with all four third-round encounters going to the English champions.
- Luke Humphries squared off against Pietreczzo at Alexandra Palace, coming back from a 3:1 deficit to win 4:3, leaving Pietreczzo feeling bitterly disappointed.
- Despite a strong showing, Florian Hempel fell to Stephen Bunting in their 4-0 defeat, with Hempel acknowledging the positive aspects of their performance despite the defeat.
- Michael Smith claimed the World Championship title for England the previous year, and England will be eager to win again at the prestigious Ally Pally venue.
- Gabriel Clemens struggled in his match against Dave Chisnall, losing 4:1, while Martin Schindler also exited the tournament earlier than expected after a 3:4 defeat.
- The World Darts Championship round of 16 will be devoid of any German participants, a situation that has occurred for all but two years since 2011.
- The aftermath of the World Championships will see no German professional ranked among the top 20 in the world, a setback that could put more pressure on established German darts players like Clemens and Schindler.
Source: www.stern.de
