In a stunning upset at Alexandra Palace, world number 63 James Hurrell held his nerve to defeat fourth seed Stephen Bunting in a dramatic final-set decider, sealing the biggest victory of his career at the PDC World Darts Championship.
A Calm Demeanor Seals Historic Win
By the climax of the match, the atmosphere in the room had grown hushed. The earlier chants for Bunting had faded, replaced by a tense silence as Hurrell coolly checked out on double top to win the match 4-3. The 41-year-old from the Cotswolds displayed immense composure, packing his darts and leaving the stage with the air of a man who had fully expected to triumph.
This result marks a seismic shock in the tournament, yet Hurrell's dominant performance made it feel almost inevitable. He out-averaged the world number four 98 to 91 and won 18 legs to Bunting's 12. So in control was Hurrell that he expressed mild irritation afterwards that his superiority had still required a deciding set, stating plainly: "Should have won four-nil."
Bunting's Fragility Exposed in Early Exit
For Stephen Bunting, this defeat represents an ignominious and premature end to his championship campaign. Despite flashes of his trademark brilliance—including a spectacular 161 checkout to save the second set—his performance lacked consistency and conviction. He averaged a meagre 84 in losing the opening set and, despite moments of magic, could not sustain a challenge against Hurrell's relentless scoring.
The defeat highlights a recent fragility in Bunting's game, which was evident last month when he broke down in tears after a second-round victory. His early departure significantly opens up the top half of the draw, benefiting rivals Luke Littler and Jonny Clayton.
Littler Marches On as Clayton Survives Scare
World number one and defending champion Luke Littler had no such troubles, delivering a ruthless 4-0 demolition of Austria's Mensur Suljovic in the evening's final match. Littler barely gave his opponent a look-in, advancing with ominous ease.
Welshman Jonny Clayton, now the only top-10 player left in his section, survived a major scare by edging past a much-improved Niels Zonneveld in a deciding set. Clayton's next opponent will be Swedish debutant Andreas Harrysson, who impressed in a 4-2 win over Germany's Ricardo Pietreczko. The 50-year-old factory worker from Målilla is now one win away from securing a professional tour card for 2026.
Hurrell, whose career was once paused by a life-saving emergency operation for a twisted bowel, advances to face either Martin Schindler or Ryan Searle in the next round. Speaking with newfound confidence, he declared: "I've got a different mindset these days. Not feeling no nerves or anything. I'm so confident in my game. I'm not going anywhere." On the evidence of this performance, few would argue.
