Ryan Meikle denies Fallon Sherrock chance of Luke Littler clash
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Ryan Meikle managed to withstand a determined comeback from Fallon Sherrock, securing his place in the second round where he'll face last year’s finalist, Luke Littler, in the World Darts Championship.
Sherrock, the pioneer female player who made history by winning a match in the tournament in December 2019, took the lead in the first set and rallied from a 2-1 deficit to set up a final showdown at Alexandra Palace.
The 30-year-old almost hit the bullseye, scoring 170 in the fourth leg. Then, left-handed player Meikle stayed calm and successfully hit double 18 for a 96 finish, securing a tough victory.
"I was feeling confident as I entered the match, but during the first leg, I missed a few darts. Suddenly, Fallen took advantage, and before I realized it, she had secured the first set," Meikle shared with Sky Sports.
From the very beginning, I felt the weight of pressure, and just getting through it all feels incredible. When I was leading 2-1, I felt like I was in charge. But then, out of nowhere, it became 2-2, and I realized I had lost that control.
"It's clear that the audience is cheering for Fallon, and the energy in the place is amazing. Fallon plays exceptionally well, so I'm really pleased to have made it through that."
Commenting on Saturday night's second-round matchup against the young talent Littler, Meikle expressed: "To me, this is an incredible opportunity."
"Facing Luke Littler on this stage is the pinnacle of it all. I'm overjoyed. While I won’t claim that I’ll win, I’m really looking forward to the match."
Two-time champion Peter Wright praised the fans for their support after securing a 3-1 victory against Wesley Plaisier in the second round.
"It wasn't my fighting spirit that helped me succeed; it was the support of the crowd," Wright said to Sky Sports after finishing with an average of only 89.63.
"I didn’t play well at all, but all I could hear was my teammates cheering for me. I felt like I had to give my best so I wouldn’t disappoint them or my family."
During the afternoon session, Noa-Lynn van Leuven found herself reflecting on what could have been.
Van Leuven made history as the first transgender athlete to participate on the Alexandra Palace stage, putting up a strong fight despite a 3-1 defeat against Kevin Doets.
The Dutch player, who made her transition in 2021, will depart with disappointment over the third game of the second set, as she missed a golden opportunity to break Doets' serve and gain the chance to take a 2-0 advantage.
However, she was unable to score 68 points in 18 tries, and in the end, her fellow countrywoman won the leg using 33 darts.
Doets arranged a rematch in the second round against Michael Smith, who had previously defeated him in a final-leg tiebreaker at the same stage of the tournament last year.
James Hurrell made a strong impression in his first appearance at Ally Pally, securing a 3-0 victory over Jim Long. This win sets up an exciting match against three-time champion Michael van Gerwen on Friday night.
"It's incredible; the only thought I had during the match was about facing Michael van Gerwen on Friday," he remarked.
"It's a huge undertaking, and it's amazing! I can hardly wait to get started."
Mike De Decker was eliminated by Luke Woodhouse in the second round.
De Decker, who was ranked 24th, was considered a long shot to compete for the title following a standout year that included his victory at the World Grand Prix last October.
However, he was defeated 3-1 by Woodhouse, who advanced to the third round for the second time.
"The victory is amazing. I've only made it past the second round once before, so I'm really pleased," he shared during his interview on stage.
"I have to be open about this and keep it up. I was lucky that Mike wasn't involved, and we'll find out what happens after Christmas."
In other matches, Ryan Joyce triumphed over Darius Labanauskas with a score of 3-1, while Jeffrey de Graaf also won against Rashad Sweeting by the same margin. Additionally, Ricardo Pietreczko easily won against Xiaochen Zong with a score of 3-0.
