In a stunning turn of events at Alexandra Palace, Ricky Evans delivered a post-Christmas shock by knocking out the tournament's seventh seed, James Wade, in a breathless second-round encounter at the PDC World Darts Championship.
Evans Edges Epic Five-Set Battle
The colourful underdog from Kettering, known for his festive attire, secured a monumental 3-2 victory in a match that went down to the wire. Evans missed a staggering seven match darts before finally clinching the decisive final set 6-4 in legs, condemning the four-time semi-finalist Wade to a fourth consecutive second-round exit at the Ally Pally.
Wade, who had looked poised for victory when leading 4-3 in the final set, missed a crucial match dart of his own at double five. Evans held his nerve to complete the upset with a superb 99 finish, sparking wild celebrations. "I'm weird but I'm box office," declared the fast-throwing 35-year-old after the match, referencing his flamboyant style.
Walk-On Song Dilemma for Victorious Evans
The win created an immediate dilemma for Evans, famed for walking out to Shakin' Stevens' 'Merry Christmas Everyone' while holding a dancing Santa toy. With his next match scheduled after the holiday, he joked about needing a new anthem, suggesting Madonna's 'Like A Prayer'.
His victory was built on strong performances throughout the match. He took the opening set against the darts, aided by a 128 checkout, and claimed the third set with a decisive 13-dart leg. Despite losing composure in the fourth, checkouts of 144 and 89 at the start of the fifth set put him on the brink. After the nerve-shredding finale, he now prepares to face 20-year-old Englishman Charlie Manby, who progressed in straight sets.
Humphries Cruises, Clemens and Doets Advance
Elsewhere on a busy Monday at the Palace, second seed Luke Humphries delivered a ruthless display to sweep aside the legendary 71-year-old Paul Lim 3-0, winning the first eight legs. The 30-year-old expressed mixed feelings, stating it was "hard" to dominate a player he admires so much.
Germany's Gabriel Clemens, a former semi-finalist, rediscovered his form to upset 31st seed Wessel Nijman 3-0, setting up a tantalising clash with Humphries. Meanwhile, the historic run of Kenyan qualifier David Munyua, a full-time vet from Nairobi, was ended by a 3-0 defeat to Kevin Doets. Munyua, who had never left Africa before the tournament, won the crowd's affection, hitting five 180s despite the loss.
Other results saw Latvian Madars Razma, Dutchman Gian van Veen, and England's Nathan Aspinall all secure their places in the next round, ensuring the drama at the Ally Pally continues unabated.
