Kyle Anderson is through to the second round at the 2020 PDC World Championship but had to dig deep to stay in the tournament.
Anderson faced Xiaochen Zong who impressed at the start of proceedings averaging towards 100 for a lot of the early parts of the game; but after the latter went two sets up, he started to fall apart and despite 'The Original' not taking his chances originally; he did enough to claim victory.
To begin the tie, Zong impressed in the opening leg and despite fluffing his lines in the finish; Anderson couldn't take advantage and he pinned double 16 first time of asking to get a hold of throw on the board.
He continued that into the requisite leg breaking the throw with an 80 checkout; which featured an excellent leave after his dart in exhibition fashion leaped over the other two to go into the 12 when aiming at the 20.
Anderson and Zong exchanged 180's; but it was the former who blinked first landing a clutch double 10 last dart in hand. He held throw in the following leg with Zong well back and this allowed him to force a decider.
He did so pinning double nine letting out a roar in the process; as he took the first set looking impressive in doing so.
Zong left himself handily placed in the first leg of the next set and hit double 10 last dart in hand to break. Anderson had a chance to break back but Zong held his throw and held his nerve to punish.
Anderson stopped the rot with a 96 checkout so the impetus was now over to Zong to hold throw and win the second set. Zong finalised this averaging 93 as he went 2-0 up in sets.
Anderson despite messing it up to begin with successfully broke the throw to start the next set as he aimed to mount a comeback into proceedings.
This continued as he held throw successfully with a 38 checkout and suddenly he was back within a shout. Zong though brought himself back into the set with a clutch 36 checkout but this was in vein as Anderson claimed a set back.
Zong wasn't fazed though and claimed an early break in the set but Anderson broke back with a 76 checkout which he fluffed his lines on initially but recovered well.
The Chinese ace began to fold and Anderson capitalised to go one away from levelling it up. He did so coming from two down to send it into a decider.
A timely 180 to begin the decider from Anderson saw him claim an early break. Zong had a chance to break back as he nearly found his range again but when he missed his chance, Anderson pounced to go one away,
Zong missed a 118 checkout on double 20 but Anderson also missed a 120 finish meaning he had a reprieve which he didn't take originally but he did the next time to hold throw and send it further.
Anderson though finally came through to defeat Zong who impressed to begin with but fell apart towards the end.
Click here for more information on the PDC World Championship, which takes place at the Alexandra Palace between December 13 and January 1.
PDC World Championship 2020 schedule
December 15, afternoon
Kyle Anderson (89.56) 3-2 (83.16) Xiaochen Zong (R1)
Ross Smith vs Ciaran Teehan (R1)
Brendan Dolan vs Nitin Kumar (R1)
Ian White vs Darius Labanauskas (R2)
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