Third time lucky for Chris Dobey! 'Hollywood' survives matchdart nerves to reach first ever PDC World Darts Championship semi-final
PDC
Chris Dobey is the first man through to the semi-finals at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship, kicking off a New Year of darting action with a 5-3 victory over Gerwyn Price at the Alexandra Palace.
With Dobey in a third consecutive World Championship quarterfinal and Price a former world champion, there was plenty of Ally Pally experience on stage in this one. That was on show early doors as well, with both players settling quickly in a high-quality opening set. After four solid holds of throw, it went all the way to a decider, where Dobey had the darts. It was Price that took it though, breaking in style with an 11-darter to go 1-0 up.
Follow the PDC World Darts Championship 2025 via our LIVE SCORE!
In their 15 previous meetings over the years, Price held the undoubted psychological advantage, winning 14 of them. Holding throw in the opening leg of set 2, Price made it three legs on the spin to continue his momentum. Out of nowhere though, the Welshman then squandered four chances to break throw in the next leg, allowing Dobey to level up the set at 1-1. Despite some more double trouble in the next leg, Price's scoring power gave him plenty of time and he eventually took the hold of throw. A few moments later, Price pinned double 12 to double his advantage in sets.
As Dobey began to get more of a foothold on proceedings in set 3, the former Masters champion averaged around 113 in it, sealing the set in style with a 107 checkout on double 14, to halve his deficit at 2-1.
With Dobey missing a chance to then break Price in the opening leg of set 4, the Welshman pinned double 10 last in hand to hold, letting out a big roar of relief afterwards. As the next three legs also went with throw, another deciding leg was needed to decide set 4. Price started with the advantage of throw and the Welshman had the first set dart too, but dropped low on double 7. Dobey punished with a 76 checkout, levelling the score at 2-2.
Another big deciding leg came in set 5. After all four legs in the set had gone against throw, Dobey halted that run in the fifth leg with a 14-darter on double 5, to take his 3rd set on the spin and edge into the lead at 3-2 as the players headed off for a another break.
Both players struggled on the doubles in the opening leg of set 6. After Price missed eight darts to hold throw, Dobey eventually got a break to the good. A few moments later, after holding and breaking again, Dobey picked up his 4th set on the bounce to move just one away from a first ever PDC World Darts Championship semi-final.
A 12-darter opened the 7th set for Dobey as he threatened to steamroll towards the winning line. Price stopped the rot of losing legs and missed doubles in the next, but when Dobey held in leg 3, he moved one from the winning line. With Dobey waiting on 72 for the match, Price made no mistake on double 10 to force a deciding leg. Dobey had the darts in leg 5 though, and kicked off with a 180. 'Hollywood' though, succumbed to nerves, blowing five matchdarts as a joyous Price punished to make it 4-3.
Credit to Dobey though, he very impressively put that massive disappointment out of his mind to race into a 2-0 lead in set 8 and get back to one leg from the win. Price held throw in leg 3 to stay alive and the nerves visibly returned to Dobey as he incredibly hit double 19 when aiming for the treble at the start of the next leg. With the Welshman sat on tops to level the set, Dobey sensationally pinned a double-double 18 92 checkout for the victory.
Read also
ALL LEVEL AT THE BREAK! #WCDarts | @Dobey180 pic.twitter.com/osWdghY3oo
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 1, 2025