Francois Schweyen and Brian Raman dumped out seeded stars Danny Porter and Martyn Turner as the 2024 WDF Lakeside World Championships continued on Saturday night.
Schweyen ousts top seed Porter in straight sets
Danny Porter’s bid to become the first Australian winner of a Lakeside World Championship in 22 years ended at the first hurdle as he was beaten 3-0 by Belgium’s Francois Schweyen.
Top seed Porter won the opening leg of the match with a two-dart 80 finish but struggled for consistent scoring after that, with Schweyen producing finishes of 68 and 98 before pinning a 13-darter to take the first set 3-1.
Porter missed a slew of doubles in the second and was duly punished, again losing it 3-1. It was a similar story in the third, as despite Porter banging in a tournament-best 157 finish, Schweyen moved within a leg of victory with a 16-darter before taking out 60 to win 3-0.
Raman powers his way to victory over Turner
Schweyen will face fellow Belgian Brian Raman in the Last 16 on Wednesday evening after ‘The Riddler’ saw off Martyn Turner 3-1 in the final game of the evening.
Raman kicked off the match with a 108 finish but it was Turner that took the first set, firing in a 117 out of his own before sealing it 3-2 with a 17-darter.
Turner then went 2-0 up in the second set before Raman, who hit 7 180s in the match, levelled it up with successive 12 darters and a set-winning 88 checkout.
Raman extended his lead after the break by taking the third set 3-1, before sealing the deal in the fourth set with finishes of 92 and 100.
Bottenberg crushes Edgar’s Lakeside dream
Jarno Bottenberg played spoiler to Matthew Edgar’s Lakeside debut, throwing four 180s in a straight sets victory over the Englishman.
Bottenberg opened up with a 104 out and won the opening set 3-0, sealing it with a 13-darter. ‘Bottie’ then raced 2-0 up in the second, with a 14-darter and then a 116 out.
Edgar got on the board in the next leg, producing a double-double 92 finish and then levelling the set after Bottenberg missed six match darts.
There was no repeat of those misses in the next leg for the Dutch Open champion though, Bottenberg pinning 60 in two to seal a 2-0 win with an 88.27 average.
The 23-year-old returns on Tuesday afternoon to take on Scotland’s 15th seed Ryan Hogarth.
Viinikainen books second-round clash with Greaves
Finland’s Kirsi Viinikainen had too much scoring power for Australia’s Amanda Luch, running out a 2-0 winner in a battle of debutants.
Viinikainen opened the match with a 17-darter and swept the board in the first set, taking it 3-0 in short order.
Loch got on the board in the second with a 19-darter, and threw a maximum, but Viinikainen proved too strong, taking the second set 3-1 and finishing with a 71.47 average.
The experienced Finland international will now return on Tuesday evening to take on defending champion Beau Greaves.
Hutchinson battles through against Ihasz
Kirsty Hutchinson was made to work for it but she’s through to the second round of the WDF Women’s World Championship.
The 2022 finalist started strongly against Veronika Ihasz, firing in a 120 out as she won the opening set 3-1.
She then led 2-0 in the second before a slew of missed match darts were punished by Hungary’s Ihasz, who took it 3-2.
Ihasz hit the front in the third set but errant scoring cost her, with Hutchinson eventually sealing victory on double five and booking a tie with Deta Hedman on Monday.
Credit for all photos goes to Chris Sargeant/Tip Top Pics
