The defending World Champion Peter Wright is out of the 2020/21 PDC
World Darts Championship after losing out 4-3 in sets to German Number One,
Gabriel Clemens in an absolute thriller.
Wright looked to be in the ascendancy when he returned to the foray after losing the lead but Clemens stayed with him and claimed it in a stunning deciding leg.
He averaged 98 with five 180's and hit 44% on the doubles as 'Snakebite's title defence is over and Clemens becomes the first German ever through to the Last 16 with a big chance for either him or Krzysztof Ratajski next up.
Clemens took out 94 to begin the tie but Wright reeled off
three in a row to seal the set with a 104 average and 75% on the doubles as the
reigning World Champion looked good to begin proceedings.
Clemens looked good for a potential break but missed 126.
Despite that though, Wright didn’t take his chance to hold and Clemens went
straight in at double three.
He pinned a 46 checkout from there as he upped the temp and
went one away from making it 1-1 in sets. A 180 followed by a 90 checkout saw
him make it 2-1 albeit with only a hold of throw.
A fourth maximum followed for ‘Snakebite’ on the Clemens
throw but he dropped just under on 140 to leave the 141. He missed the bull for
a 129 but missed two darts further and Clemens levelled up with a 47 checkout.
It was a nightmare on the doubles for Wright who had gone up
to 15 darts missed in the match and Clemens moved 2-0 up as a result to go one
away from leading.
Clemens only hit 25 in going for a 108 but Wright couldn’t
punish on double 12 and the former hit 83 on double 16 to go 2-1 up in sets.
Both players were locked on 81 and Wright fluffed his lines
once more and Clemens replied smashing it in to break and go 1-0 up.
A third 180 saw Clemens leave 84 as Wright’s troubles
continued. He missed double eight to kill it off but Wright was well back and
Clemens pinned double two to go one away from a 3-1 set lead.
Wright missed bull for an 86 checkout but Clemens fluffed
his lines on double eight for the clean sweep and Wright stopped the rot.
A 98 checkout saw him break and look to be the favourite to
level it up at 2-2 in sets and he pinned a 120 checkout to bounce back in
style.
He broke last dart in hand to go 1-0 up in set five and a 67
checkout saw him go one away from a 3-2 sets lead.
But Clemens saved the set with a stunning 144 checkout. A
180 from Wright attempted to wrestle back control but Clemens matched him.
He was left on 84 but watched as Wright missed 130 on the
bull and then pinned it to make it 2-2 and send the set all the way.
Clemens left 126 but Wright was sat on 64 if he was allowed
back but he wasn’t as the former went into a 3-2 sets lead.
Wright held with a 14-darter in a pivotal time of the match
and he pinned a 121 checkout on the bull to go one away from forcing a deciding
set which he did.
Clemens had the darts in the final set and hit a 177 to
leave 24 which he pinned to hit the front. He couldn’t put on massive pressure
which meant that despite Wright not hitting 82, he pinned double 10 to level it
up.
A 180 and 140 left Clemens 81 to go one away, he missed the
bull to go one away but Wright made a mess of 121.
But despite Clemens making a mess of 25, he pinned double
two last dart in hand to go one away. Wright held and a pivotal leg was to come
for Clemens as he looked to hold at sudden death.
Clemens missed 164 on the bull for the win but knew he’d potentially
come back with Wright on 131. He pinned double 16 to dump him out from there.
2021 PDC World Darts Championship schedule
Sunday December 27
Evening Session (18:00 GMT)
Joe Cullen (92.34) 4-3 (91.41) Jonny Clayton (3-2, 3-1, 0-3, 2-3, 1-3, 3-0, 3-2)
Peter Wright (101.5) 3-4 (98.85) Gabriel Clemens (3-1, 1-3, 0-3, 3-2, 2-3, 3-0, 2-3)
Michael van Gerwen v Ricky Evans
