Jim Williams Causes Major Shock As James Wade Is Dumped Out Of World Championship

The biggest shock of the tournament so far...
23:11, 22 Dec 2022

Three-time semi-finalist and world number eight James Wade is out of the PDC World Championship after his Round Two clash as Welshman Jim Williams stunned him with a 3-2 win. The first set was dealt with relatively comfortably, as Wade wrapped up the set with a 94 finish and Williams struggled to get himself into the tie. 

It was all going to plan for the man with so much experience on this stage. However the underdog known simply as ‘the Quiff’ wasn’t about to give up his chance easily. Williams improved in the second, and landed a break as he checked out 71, and then he took full advantage of his position by winning the set with a 119 finish. From nowhere, he had found his clinical edge and dragged himself level in the tie. 

In the third, that form continued as 009 found himself in a rut, unable to get his average up. Williams then hit a 119 finish to seal the third set and put himself in front, but even when the whole feeling of the match had changed, Wade dug deep.

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He won the fourth set in style. He hit his first maximum before clinching key doubles to take the set 3-0, when the crowd were against him. This one was heading to a decider, as the match exceeded the pre-match billing. 

Williams got himself back on track by sealing the first leg of the decider. The pair then held their nerve and their throw to make it 2-2. Then in the crucial legs, Williams took the initiative. He landed a huge 180 to give himself breathing space, before landing D20 at the third time of asking to secure a massive win. Heroic stuff. 

Round Two: Vincent Van der Voort 3-0 Cameron Menzies

Wow. What a performance from the world number 28. Vincent Van der Voort, with a rowdy Ally Pally crowd right behind him, made the most of his time in the spotlight. He landed 60% of his doubles while Menzies struggled to get going, as the Dutchman utterly dominated the tie. 

He raced into a two-set advantage with some spectacular finishing and although the Scot tried to get himself into the game with some strange tactics, including joining in with the crowd’s ‘Vincent Van der Voort’ chant, it couldn’t throw VVDV off his game. 

In the third set however, Menzies landed a key break by landing double tops and looked likely to play his way back into it. It wasn’t to be. The magnificent Dutchman flew through the final two legs and landed a D20 to secure his place in the next round. The biggest test he faced all night was avoiding the kiss that Menzies was desperate to plant on him at the close of play! 

Round Two: Luke Humphries 3-2 Florian Hempel

These two gave the crowd an absolute cracker as the number five seed Cool Hand Luke survived a scare to make it into round three. He struggled to find any sort of rhythm but managed to fight his way through against the German in a thrilling final set. 

After the game, Humphries said: “Honestly that was one of the hardest games I've played, not because of the standard against me. For us seeded players it's hard because we're desperate to get through that first game.

"The difference was I felt really good, but when I got up there it just wasn't happening. I was lucky to get over the line in the end.

"18 months, two years ago, I would have lost that."

Round Two: Gary Anderson 3-1 Madars Razma 

Two-time world champion Gary Anderson is through to the next round after getting past Madars Razma 3-1 in the first game of the evening session. The Scotsman came out on fire as he won the first two legs with ease, but he was pegged back in the opening set before taking it 3-2. Even when showing determination to battle back, Razma was beaten and from that moment it looked like the world number 11 would run away with things. It wasn’t to be the case. 

The Latvian missed D6 for the opener and Anderson took full advantage but in the second leg of the second set, Razma finished on a bull to break straight back. Then he hit a 134 finish to go in front and managed to win the set after that incredible finish. Suddenly, we were level and it was all to play for. 

They shared legs at the start of the third but then Razma nailed a spectacular 154 checkout to break Anderson. Despite the big finishes, the Flying Scotsman managed to break straight back in a tie that was so tough to call. Anderson went for and failed to land a bull to win the set, before Razma missed two darts at D10 to finish. When it looked like Anderson was going to take it, he missed two darts at D8! Then Razma missed two at D4, before the Scot finally finished the most chaotic set to go 2-1 up.

A 121 checkout from Anderson allowed him to take control in the third but he couldn’t make it count as Razma once again came back into it. However, he then nailed a 110 checkout, his third ton+ of the night, to win the match and book his spot in round three. A thriller! 

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