Price Avenges Grand Slam Woes - Day 10 Review
The 2023 Cazoo World Darts Championship resumed after a three-day Christmas break and the darting drama continued right on from where it left off, as World Number 1 Gerwyn Price whitewashed Raymond van Barneveld 4-0 to avenge his two defeats at the Grand Slam and reach the Fourth Round at the Alexandra Palace.
World Number 7 and former Premier League champion Jonny Clayton also reached the Last 16, after overcoming Brendan Dolan in the afternoon session with a 4-1 victory.
The Iceman roared out of the blocks, taking the opening set with a 100 percent double percentage, before continuing the pattern in the opening leg of the second set. The Red Dragon star lost the opening set in his Second-Round match with Luke Woodhouse but seemed in a more ruthless mood as the tournament enters its latter stages and the stakes become bigger.
Price checked out 116 for a 1-0 lead in set two and a break of throw, which proved effective as the Welshman proceeded to hold throw twice and take a 2-0 lead in sets against the great Dutchman.
The 2021 World Champion also showed a fantastic effort in front of the lively Ally Pally crowd, in not conceding a single break of throw to a man who has won five World Titles over a long period of playing darts.
The World Number 1 found his highest finish of the match to wrap up a fantastic performance on the oche, finding two treble eighteens and double ten to finish 128 and whitewash Raymond van Barneveld, as he recorded his first win over RVB on the televised stage.
Price will face either Jose de Sousa or Ryan Searle who play in Wednesday’s afternoon session for a spot in the World Championship Quarter Finals.
Jonny Clayton showed winning fifth and final legs of sets will get you a long way at the Alexandra Palace, with the Red Dragon man winning all four of his sets on the oche in last leg deciders.
The Welshman included six 180’s but it was his finishing which was the standout stat against Brendan Dolan, with the man from Pontyberem recording a checkout rate of 48.28% in his 4-1 win in the afternoon session.
Clayton will face a hugely anticipated Last 16 showdown with young and upcoming talent Josh Rock, who beat Nathan Aspinall 4-3 in what was the game of the tournament so far at this year’s World Championship, with the Asp winning the more legs of the two players on the oche despite defeat.
Elsewhere, defending champion Peter Wright saw his Ally Pally campaign come to an end with a 4-1 defeat to Kim Huybrechts, with the Hurricane going through to face compatriot Dimitri van den Bergh in Round 4, after the Dream Maker beat Krzysztof Ratajski 4-1 in the opening tungsten tussle of the day.
Wednesday sees the return of tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen who faces 30th Seed Mensur Suljovic, whilst reigning UK Open champion Danny Noppert takes on Alan Soutar for the right to face Gabriel Clemens in the Fourth Round.
By Harry Masterson
2023 Cazoo World Darts Championship: Day 10 Results
Round 3:
Dimitri van den Bergh (15) 4-1 Krzysztof Ratajski (18)
Josh Rock 4-3 Nathan Aspinall (10)
Jonny Clayton (7) 4-1 Brendan Dolan (26)
Gabriel Clemens (25) 4-3 Jim Williams
Gerwyn Price (1) 4-0 Raymond van Barneveld (32)
Kim Huybrechts (31) 4-1 Peter Wright (2)
Day 11 Afternoon Session: Order of Play
Ryan Searle (16) v Jose de Sousa (17)
Danny Noppert (9) v Alan Soutar
Gary Anderson (22) v Chris Dobey