Welsh darts star Gerwyn Price enjoyed a rousing reception from the Alexandra Palace crowd as he swept into the second round of the PDC World Darts Championship on Tuesday night.
Price Powers Past Gawlas
Price secured a commanding 3-0 victory against Czech opponent Adam Gawlas, displaying impressive scoring power throughout the match. The former world champion hit six maximum 180s and sealed the win with a stylish 120 checkout, his second of the evening.
Despite some struggles on the doubles, missing 17 of his 26 attempts, his high-scoring ensured a comfortable passage. He finished with a solid three-dart average of 96.44 to book a meeting with Dutch player Wesley Plaisier in the next round.
Embracing the Ally Pally Roar
In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Price expressed his gratitude for the vocal support, a contrast to some past experiences for the often-controversial figure. "I don’t usually get this, so thank you very much," Price said.
He added, "The fans have been great for me the last 18 months, two years, and to come here and get the support like I have... they’re chanting my name." Price emphasised his motivation lies in silverware and ranking, stating, "Honestly, if I win the million, it’s not going to change my life, but I want to win trophies. I want to be back in the top four in the world."
Noppert and Pietreczko Also Progress
The evening session also saw Dutchman Danny Noppert recover to beat Jurjen van der Velde 3-1. Noppert finished strongly, throwing four perfect darts at the start of the final leg. Van der Velde's preparation was unusual, arriving on stage with insect spray after wasp issues at the venue the previous day.
Elsewhere, Germany's Ricardo Pietreczko defeated the impressive Jose de Sousa 3-1, while Italy's Joe Comito caused an upset by beating Niko Springer, also by a 3-1 margin, in the last match of the night.
