Mensur Suljovic was dragged into a battle by Michael Smith. After being 5-0 and 7-2 up, Suljovic was forced to break Smith's throw to avoid a deciding leg.
The 10-8 victory was hard-earned, and Suljovic felt a mixture of relief and annoyance afterwards.
The sixth seed said: "It was a very hard game and I'm happy I won. I won so that's good but I was five legs ahead and I should have got it finished."
The Gentle notched up five 180s and two 116 checkouts. Smith replied with a 110 and a 130 during his comeback, but Suljovic prevailed with a 99.89 average.
"Michael is a very hard player so to be 5-0 up I was happy. I played well and my finishes were brilliant at the start," he said.
"At eight-eight I thought I would lose but the 116 was super. I showed some good form and I know that the next game will be very hard too because it's the 16 best players in the world."
Next up for the 2017 Champions League winner is a tricky quarter-final tie against world champion Rob Cross.
https://twitter.com/OfficialPDC/status/957090229902561280
https://twitter.com/MensurSuljovic/status/957007339860709376
The sixth seed said: "It was a very hard game and I'm happy I won. I won so that's good but I was five legs ahead and I should have got it finished."
The Gentle notched up five 180s and two 116 checkouts. Smith replied with a 110 and a 130 during his comeback, but Suljovic prevailed with a 99.89 average.
"Michael is a very hard player so to be 5-0 up I was happy. I played well and my finishes were brilliant at the start," he said.
"At eight-eight I thought I would lose but the 116 was super. I showed some good form and I know that the next game will be very hard too because it's the 16 best players in the world."
Next up for the 2017 Champions League winner is a tricky quarter-final tie against world champion Rob Cross.
https://twitter.com/OfficialPDC/status/957090229902561280
https://twitter.com/MensurSuljovic/status/957007339860709376
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- It's his attitude. Zero fight when it's not going his way and looks like the darts owe him a treble. He carries every poor visit into the next one. Maybe he should decide one final year, goodbye tour and f*ing enjoy itBandB18-12-2025
- Difficult one. Obviously has some struggles but you can't allow that behaviour. The damage to his hand from punching and blocking the pyrotechnics will keep him out for months anyway, but ban to the matchplay and fine whatever his prize money was for this event, with a heavy suspended ban on top.BandB17-12-2025
- 1 year ban and £15,000 fine.medinabello16-12-2025
- can you not at least attempt to proof read these recaps? the whitlock scutt one in particular is both inaccurate and mindbogglingly unreadablecolt16-12-2025
- Look, everyone knows he likes to wind up his opponents. Today,his worst,and always will be,best opponent,is himself. I don't dislike the bloke,but he can only blame himself.rick6715-12-2025
- Look, everyone knows he likes to wind up his opponents. Today,his worst,and always will be,best opponent,is himself. I don't dislike the bloke,but he can only blame himself.rick6715-12-2025
- DRA - just a warning please. Obviously not deliberate, in good spirits a s immediate apology. (P.s. Good on you Joe! Tough season, hope you keep that standard into the next round and beyond)BandB14-12-2025
- This bozo says he can't take darts any further and he's left it in a good place.....no-one cares about this nobody. The PDC was always in a good place before he came along. Does this buffon think the crowd are there for him.richieburnettrocks14-12-2025
- Yes, a warning indeed. He is coming to the buffet table, out of his way. This class A goof continues to blither about how he is playing the best darts of his life and even had the laughable audacity to say he was in the best shape of his life. He had a lucky run at Blackpool and even luckier at the World Championship and is still living off that. His form the past year especially the last 6 months completely sucks. 6 micky mouse titles mean nothing.richieburnettrocks13-12-2025
- I'm a big Huybretchs fan from when he broke through at the euros in the early days, but his action has gone. So jerky and inconsistent. Looking at where he'll be in the rankings, hopefully he can treat the new year as a new start, relax, enjoy it and push on without the pressure of defending lots of ££BandB12-12-2025
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