Nathan Aspinall became the latest seeded player to be knocked out of the PDC World Championship after losing a dramatic 4-3 match to Kevin Doets. The 15th seed won the first and third sets but was repeatedly pulled back, and despite hitting a brilliant 170 checkout, he could not stop Doets from taking control. The Dutchman won six legs in a row to book a last-16 clash with world number two Luke Humphries.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Charlie Manby continued his impressive debut tournament by beating Ricky Evans 4-2 to reach the last 16. Manby struggled early with his finishing but stayed strong in scoring and improved as the match went on. His win guarantees him at least £60,000 in prize money, and he will now face 10th seed Gian van Veen next.
Another debutant, Justin Hood, also progressed after beating Ryan Meikle 4-1. Hood’s victory means he too has secured a minimum £60,000 and has climbed up the world rankings. The tournament continues with more third-round matches before the last-16 action begins.
