Andy Baetens won a sensational game with Gary Stone as Aileen de Graaf, Wesley Plaisier and Danny Lauby also booked their places in the next round on Wednesday evening.
Baetens sends out a statement
Andy Baetens became the first man to seal his place in the quarter-finals of the Men’s World Championship with a stirring 3-1 victory over Gary Stone.
A battle between two of the biggest favourites for the title duly delivered, with the pair producing two of three highest averages of the tournament so far alongside a slew of excellent finishes and five maximums from Stone.
Baetens started the match in brilliant fashion, taking out a tournament-best 160 finish and ultimately going 100% on the doubles in the first set as also pinned two-dart finishes of 88 and 68.
The second set was much more even, the first four legs going with the throw before Stone levelled the match up going into the break with a double-double checkout for an 11-darter.
Stone continued his excellent run of finishing in the third set, pinning a 142, but found himself a set down again as Baetens produced finishes of 83 and 120.
The fourth set was a mirror image of the second, with the first four legs going with throw. Stone took out 90 but his big finishing was ultimately in vain as Baetens sealed victory with a 14-darter.
The man known as ‘The Beast from the East’ will face Jonny Tata or Jim Widmayer in the last eight.
Plaisier powers past Richardson
Reigning World Master Wesley Plaisier once again impressed on the Lakeside stage as he dispatched James Richardson 3-0.
Plaisier raced into the break with a 2-0 lead, dropping just two legs as he recorded finishes of 105, 110 and 120.
Richardson was more competitive in the third set, breaking the Plaisier throw to go 2-1 up, but he wasn’t able to sufficiently match the scoring power of the big Dutchman who finished the match with four 180s and eventually took the third set with a 14-darter.
A 90.36 average was the final result for Plaisier, who awaits the winner of Dennis Nilsson and Alexander Merkx in the quarter-finals.
De Graaf overcomes Regnaud in last-leg decider
Aileen de Graaf wasn’t at 100% but she dug deep to beat the talented young New Zealander Nicole Regnaud in a last-leg decider to reach the Women’s World Championship quarter-finals.
Regnaud broke the de Graaf throw in the opening leg of the first set but it was the Dutch ace that eventually took it in the fifth leg, going out in 21 darts.
The Kiwi, who threw two 180s in the match and finished with an average of 81.10, also won the first leg of the second set and on that occasion she was able to convert, taking out 16 in successive legs to win it 3-1.
De Graaf’s veteran instincts came to the fore in the deciding set as she survived a 124 finish and a 14-darter from Regnaud to seal victory by taking out 80.
De Graaf will return to the Lakeside stage on Friday to face Lorraine Winstanley in the last eight.
Lauby breezes past Bottenberg
Danny Lauby made a big impression on his Lakeside debut, completing the matches in the second round with a dominant straight sets win over Jarno Bottenberg.
The American kicked off with a brace of 15-darters before Bottenberg found a foothold with a 17-darter. ‘Bottie’, who was so impressive against Jamie Lewis in round one, didn’t get another leg though as Lauby sealed set one with a 17-darter of his own before taking the next two 3-0.
Lauby produced checkouts of 79 and 81 on route to victory and ended with a 91.20 average. Next up for the rapid American will be his compatriot Leonard Gates.
6th December Evening Session Results
Danny Lauby 3-0 Jarno Bottenberg
Aileen de Graaf 2-1 Nicole Regnaud
Andy Baetens 3-1 Gary Stone
Wesley Plaisier 3-0 James Richardson
All photo credit goes to Chris Sargeant / Tip Top Pics
