Neil Duff got his World Seniors Darts Matchplay campaign off to a winning start on Saturday night, sending home the reigning champion Robert Thornton 8-5.
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"I enjoyed playing it, I felt really comfortable up there," a delighted Duff told Online Darts post-match. "I've know Rob a long time. I've played against him and once he starts doing those hands flying, you know he's under pressure. He didn't play the way he can but I didn't think I allowed him."
In the quarterfinals, Duff faces off against Richie Howson. "I'm not going to give it away. If he wants it he'll have to take it off me," he says of the tie. "I love the fella, he's a lovely guy and it'll be a great game played in the way it should be but he'll have to play his A-plus game to beat me."
Still the reigning WDF World Champion, Duff is hoping to get to finally defend his title later this year. Amidst the ongoing uncertainty in the WDF and the cancellation of the World Masters however, it's not certain just yet.
"It's always nice to know how much you're playing for," he says with a wry smile. "I hope it happens and let's just see. After the Masters being cancelled there's always an element there."
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.