London, Dec 23 (FN Agency) Two-time champion Gary Anderson has been dumped out of the PDC World Championship on his 54th birthday by Jeffrey De Graaf. The Scot, winner in 2015 and 2016, lost 3-0 to the Swede in a second-round shock at Alexandra Palace in London, according to a BBC report. “Gary didn’t really show up as he usually does. I’m very happy with the win,” said De Graaf, 34, who had a 75% checkout success and began with an 11-dart finish.” It’s a dream come true for me. He’s been my idol since I was 14 years old.” Anderson, ranked 14th, became the 11th seed to be knocked out from the 24 who have played so far, and the fifth to fall on Sunday.
He came into the competition with the year’s highest overall three-dart average of 99.66 but hit just three of his 20 checkout attempts to lose his opening match of the tournament for the first time. De Graaf will now meet Filipino qualifier Paolo Nebrida after he stunned England’s Ross Smith, the 19th seed, in straight sets. Ritchie Edhouse, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Martin Schindler were the other seeds beaten on day eight. England’s Callan Rydz, who hit a record first-round average of 107.06 on Thursday, followed up with a 3-0 win over 23rd seed Schindler on Sunday. The German missed double 12 for a nine-darter in the first set – the third player to do so in 24 hours after Luke Littler and Damon Heta – and ended up losing the leg. Rydz next meets Belgian Dimitri van den Bergh, who hit six 180s and averaged 96 in a 3-0 win over Irishman Dylan Slevin.