21/04/2023

Kenny and Mansell the first men through to the second round of the Austrian Darts Open

Nick Kenny and Mickey Mansell are the first two players to have made it into the second round of the 2023 PDC Austrian Darts Open thanks to victories over Madars Razma and Dmitrijs Zukovs respectively.

Nick Kenny making his European Tour debut was up against Latvia's Madars Razma in the first match of the day and it was the Welshman that took the opening leg with a 16-dart hold of throw. Razma though who made the final day of this event last year came roaring back with some trademark treble 19 hitting.

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After a succession of holds of throw, the score was sitting 2-2 when Nick Kenny fired in the first maximum of the match while sitting on 184 to leave himself double 2. Eventually the Welshman would pin the double and move 3-2 up.

Following that up with a brilliant bull finish in the sixth leg, Kenny would take the first break of throw of the match and stretch his lead to two clear legs for the first time in the match. Razma though immediately broke back to return to within touching distance then holding to level things back up.

With both players missing opportunities to go 5-4 up, Kenny was the man to eventually take the advantage. In the following leg the Welshman cleaned up a 75 checkout on double 11 to seal the win on his Euro Tour debut and book his spot in the second round.

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Next up it was the experienced Mickey Mansell against another European Tour debutant Dmitrijs Zukovs and it was the Northern Irishman who took the opening leg. The relatively unknown Latvian debutant recovered well however and levelled up with a hold of his own.

From there though Mansell's experience really began to show. Averaging over 102, Mansell took the next two legs comfortably to move 3-1 ahead. Double 10 saw Mansell successfully clean up 40 and get himself a third straight leg.

A few moments later the relentless Mansell had rounded off as comfortable a victory as you are like to see courtesy of a 52 finish on double top and seal his return tomorrow for a tie with Dave Chisnall.