The audience reacted with a little delay. “Here we go,” said the slightly more than 2,000 fans in Riesa’s Sachsenarena. In fact, however, things were already coming to an end on stage, the conclusion of Martin Schindler’s Operation Quarterfinals.
The German faced a heavyweight in the round of 16 of the European Darts Open with Nathan Aspinall. The Englishman is a current Premiere League player and, as number ten in the world, is ranked 17 places higher than Schindler in the Order of Merit.
Aspinall had designed the beginning of the match accordingly. Although Schindler had started the duel directly with a 180, he immediately gave up his throw and was quickly 1:3 behind. His opponent even had the chance to make it 4-1, but missed the double, allowing Schindler to get started.
The 2: 3 was followed by the break to 3: 3, and when the 26-year-old then also won the seventh and even the eighth leg with an 81 checkout on double 13, the spectators were sure: Now it works it’s happening A decisive increase in performance, documented in 16, 15, 15 and 13 darts to 5:3. The chants had only just died away when Schindler converted his first match dart to a 6:3 victory.
Martin Schindler is not only one of the best German darts professionals. He is also an excellent impersonator. Here he recreates six world-class players. Do you recognize these players?
Source: WORLD
“He had the timing at the beginning of the match that I then had in the middle of the match,” said Schindler, who ended up with a strong average of 100.15 points, throwing four 180s and 60 percent of his ten attempts on the doubles court met. World class, which made it possible for him to win his second win against Aspinall in the seventh comparison and made the sixth quarterfinals on the European Tour perfect.
After winning the tricky start against his former idol Raymond van Barneveld on Saturday, he now wants to make it into the semi-finals for the first time on Sunday evening (from 7 p.m. live on DAZN). However, he meets the next Premier League player in Jonny Clayton. The Welshman won the ninth matchday in Berlin on Thursday.
The fact that he was the only player to make it into the top eight on Sunday was due to Damon Heta. “The Heat” defeated Niko Springer in its round of 16.
Like Aspinall, the man from Mainz started with a break in 15 darts, but then gave up three legs in a row and narrowly missed the 132 finish on the bullseye in the fifth round. It might have been another chance for a trend reversal. But the Australian made it 4:1 and brought the lead to 6:3 to the finish. Still, another good showing from the amateur.
With Gabriel Clemens, Florian Hempel and teenager Liam Maendl-Lawrence, three more Germans made it into Saturday, but were eliminated in the second round.
Michael van Gerwen (NL) – Joise de Sousa (POR) 6:1
Peter Wright (SCO) – Alan Soutar (SCO) 6:4
Dave Chisnall (ENG) – Jonny Clayton (WAL) 2:6
Nathan Aspinall (ENG) – Martin Schindler (D) 3:6
Damon Heta (AUS) – Niko Springer (D) 6:3
Dirk van Duijvenbode (NED) – Danny Noppert (NED) 6:5
Rob Cross (ENG) – Josh Rock (NIR) 6:3
Mike de Decker (BEL) – Gerwyn Price (WAL) 5:6
Michael van Gerwen (NED) – Peter Wright (SCO)
Jonny Clayton (WAL) – Martin Schindler (D)
Damon Heta (AUS) – Dirk van Duijvenbode (NED)
Rob Cross (ENG) – Gerwyn Price (WAL)