Coming from a set down, the Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski secured his place in round 3 at the 2024 PDC World Darts Championships with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Jamie Hughes on Friday afternoon.
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"I lost the first set, it was very close. The second set was also very close, Jamie had two darts to make it 2-0," Ratajski recalls in his post-match press conference. "I was lucky, he missed and I was able to take the second set. So, I'm very happy for this win."
A former quarter-finalist at the Ally Pally back in 2021, Ratajski needed all of his experience to bounce back from his sluggish start and book his spot in the third round. "Maybe it was the key moment when he missed," he admits.
"I feel I'm playing some of my best darts. Not in this match, that wasn't my A-game but I won so I'm happy with this," he continues. "I think now I'm in a really good position to play my A-game!"
In the next round, either Jonny Clayton or Steve Lennon awaits Ratajski. "We don't know who it will be yet, but I'm ready for both so I'll just wait."
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
🗣️ "I think now I'm in a really good position to play my A-game!"
Poland's number one Krzysztof Ratajski reflects on his hard-fought second round victory against Jamie Hughes...