Like his compatriot Gerwyn Price, it was a Williams on the agenda and an all-Welsh battle for Clayton as he faced Jim Williams and like the World Number One, he had to recover to seal the win in the end.
Surging into a 3-0 lead, Williams recovered including a 124 checkout to break as he soon made it parity at 3-3 before going ahead for the first time at 4-3 with an 81 checkout and a 12-darter.
But a 116 checkout kicked off the revival as Clayton made it 4-4 and didn't lose a leg from that points onwards as Williams missed chances to hold and Clayton hit double four for the win.
While for Cross, it was a more simpler equation as he thumped Martin Lukeman 6-1 in what was a tricky test on paper.
But in the end, it was a rout as Cross averaged 100.5 and hit 66% on the doubles en route to sealing it. The European Champion will now face Krzysztof Ratajski tomorrow.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
Jonny Clayton recovers from a mid-game slump to defeat his fellow Welshman Jim Williams and set up a last 16 clash against Peter Wright!
Up next 👉 Rob Cross v Martin Lukeman
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