Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton became the first two players to advance to the quarter-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship on Thursday evening.
Following the completion of the third round games, the business end of the competition began with the meeting of 2021 champion Price and Jose De Sousa.
The former rugby star comfortably took the first set before coming from 2-0 behind in legs to clinch the second set and move into a 2-0 lead.
17th seed De Sousa showed his class in the next set as he halved the deficit, but ‘The Iceman’ was in no mood to hand out anymore gifts to the Portuguese native as he took out 64 to move 3-1 ahead before sealing the victory in the deciding leg of the fifth and final set with D20.
Price’s fellow countryman Jonny Clayton progressed to the last-eight for the first time in his career after he defeated Josh Rock 4-3.
‘The Ferret’ could not cope with his opponent’s high scoring in the early stages of the game as a 110 average by the Northern Irish youngster helped him take the first set.
He replied by taking the second set before an astonishing 104 checkout of single 18, D18 and bullseye saw Clayton clinch the third set.
‘Rocky’ refused to wilt however, and was back on level terms when he cleaned up D5 following Clayton’s missed set-dart at D11 and he moved 3-2 ahead by claiming the fifth set.
Former Premier League champion Clayton knew there was no margin for error if he was to return to the Alexandra Palace stage next month and he was back on equal terms when he won the sixth set 3-1.
Rock’s inconsistent finishing proved fatal as Clayton broke the young star’s throw with a 13-dart leg before securing a 4-3 victory with D16.
