The Cobra strikes as Jelle Klaasen completes comeback win, Lisa Ashton survives scare in Lakeside opener

It has been a dramatic start to Thursday night at the 2023 WDF Lakeside World Championship, with Jelle Klaasen and Lisa Ashton making it through but not having it their own way in the slightest.

Klaasen who impressed to start the week is seen by many as one of the main protagonists alongside Andy Baetens, Neil Duff and Leonard Gates for the title, but he nearly headed out on his return to Lakeside.

He survived match darts in a Double Dutch battle with Dennie Olde Kalter with three legs on the spin including a 134 checkout to show true bottle on the big stage. Olde Kalter led to begin the tie and kept adding to his lead with quick sharp bursts. He won three on the spin from 1-0 down in set one and despite Klaasen winning set two with an 11 and two 15 darters, he won three legs on the spin to go a set away despite averaging 10 less.

But averaging 102, Klaasen swept the next set 2-2 and this began his surge towards the line like alluded to. A great comeback from the Dutchman.

It was a first visit to Lakeside for the BDO/WDF since 2020 for Lisa Ashton where she last lost to Mikuru Suzuki in the final and Priscilla Steenbergen nearly blew that section wide open.

The Dutchwoman nearly provided a huge scare with two ton plus checkouts and made Ashton work super hard for a 2-1 success. Steenbergen's ton topping exploits came in set one to lead 1-0. She hit 118 and 126 before sealing the stunning opener 3-0.

Ashton came back into the tie, and then took three legs on the spin in the decider as Steenbergen ran out of road against the four-time champion who found a way to win.