PDC World Darts Championship Round-Up | Gerwyn Price charges past Adam Gawlas as Joe Comito produces seismic Springer upset

Gerwyn Price produced a real statement as he breezed through his PDC World Darts Championship opener, while Niko Springer who was seen as a real dark horse was felled by the DPA Number One, Joe Comito in a huge surprise.

Other victors were Danny Noppert who is also heavily fancied for a great run over the Festive period also opened up in a Double Dutch affair against Jurjen van der Velde and Ricardo Pietreczko against former major champion Jose de Sousa.
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To Price first though who averaged 96.44, hit six 180's and two 120 checkouts in seeing off a lacklustre Adam Gawlas who had chances to potentially win a set but that was very much a false dawn as Price took the match by the scruff of the neck and while he didn't need to be at his exquisite best, he produced some great darts.

Price opened with a 13-darter on double 18 after a 180 and was at the races early on. He hit double nine and made it 25 darts for two legs. It was a poorer end to the set but he won through. He left the stage pensive and business like instead of his usual roar and boom to the crowd who perhaps were the other big story.

Price has for years been booed at the Alexandra Palace for his role in the infamous 2018 Grand Slam of Darts match against Gary Anderson in very much the match that saw him become public enemy no.1 even wearing ear defenders at the season closer. But since a new audience have entered the darting sphere, Price has got respect and has received chants and his end of walk-on celebration has often been lauded. A real turnaround.

Gawlas threatened a turnaround himself in the second set. Missed chance after chance saw Gawlas lead 2-0 but Price turned it around. He hit double 20 to break and double 10 hold and made it 2-2 and he pinned a 120 checkout at the right time to lead 2-0. Price surged to the winning line from there hitting double 10 to break and a superb 120 checkout to seal it.

Joe Comito was perhaps the unexpected star though of Wednesday night. 'The Waterboy' who is the DPA Number One has taken some time to acclimatise to TV darts but has been getting stronger and stronger and he downed Niko Springer who looked lacklustre in his defeat.

Comito meant business from the beginning. He was sent the distance in the opening set as Springer hit double six to send it all the way but it went with throw as Comito hit 68 on double four to seal it.

Springer came from nowhere in the second as he wasn't at the races again to seal the second hitting double 10 for 1-1. But back came Comito who hit a 62 checkout to prove he was going nowhere and he produced the checkout of the game in the form of a 155 to go one set away.

Springer looked likely to send it to five sets as Comito was a bit edgy heading towards the finishing line but he missed darts and Comito was gifted the chance to take his time and fall over the line. Big chance too for Josh Rock who now has a fairly open section if he gets past Gemma Hayter.

Also impressing on Tuesday was Danny Noppert. After reaching a multitude of major semi-finals this year, the Dutchman who is seen as unconventional compared to some of the more big names in the elite could pose issues when it comes to the Premier League eight the PDC likely desire.

He has been one of the most consistent players on tour over the past two years and for some is overdue a tilt in the roadshow and a good World Championship run would help with that. He saw off his fellow Dutchman Jurjen van der Velde to open up.

Van der Velde led early with a 120 checkout but Noppert broke and hit an 81 checkout for 2-1 as he went one away from the opening set. Van der Velde sent it the distance on double 10 but Noppert hit double eight to take the first set.

Van der Velde hit 109 to crown off the run towards the second set that he took with a 65 checkout. But Noppert was back at the races. He sealed an 88 checkout for the third set and was one away with a 135 checkout en route towards the third set he needed that he took with a 96 average in the end, seven 180's and two ton plus checkouts. Superb from 'The Freeze'.

Finally Ricardo Pietreczko did what Springer couldn't as he made light work of Jose de Sousa 3-1. De Sousa caused late trouble for 'Pikachu' but he was superb throughout.

De Sousa now ends a run as a Tour Card holder, a Premier League finalist and major champion a few years ago he will now head to Q-School to save his career.

While Pikachu lives to fight another day after a great start. Mixed fortunes though with Springer heading out. Schindler awaits but Hopp, Merk and Clemens are through too so not all hope is lost.