PDC World Championship - Report Sixth Day
RUTHLESS LEWIS ENJOYS LADBROKES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WHITEWASH
Adrian Lewis began his bid for a Ladbrokes World Darts Championship treble with a whitewash victory against Dennis Smith on Wednesday morning, as Michael Smith, Andy Smith and Justin Pipe joined him in the second round at Alexandra Palace.Lewis, the 2011 and 2012 World Champion and a quarter-finalist last year, made an ominous start to his challenge in the £1 million tournament this time around by denying his opponent a dart at a double during a straight sets triumph. The number three seed roared out of the blocks by winning the opening set with a 126 finish and successive 14-dart legs, and romped through the next two sets in comfortable fashion as he set up a second round date with Vincent van der Voort.
"I'm pleased with that and I did a good job tonight," said the Stoke ace. "Dennis didn't play his best darts but I had to stay focused, keep finishing and hitting the right scores at the right times. I'm feeling calm and relaxed and I'm here to win this. I'm not here to make the numbers up and I feel as if I've got a great chance this year - my preparation has gone brilliantly and I'm practising well, and I want to go up there and do a job. I'll be better against Vincent in the next round and there will be plenty more 180s."
While Swindon's Smith suffered defeat, there were wins for two other Smiths as Andy and Michael won through to the second round with 3-1 victories over Steve Brown and Morihiro Hashimoto respectively.
Andy lost the opening set of his clash with Bristol's Brown before edging the second set in a deciding leg to level.
Smith led 2-0 in the third before Brown hit two 180s in the third leg as he hit back with a 12-darter before missing double 12 for a nine-darter in the next, dramatically wiring his ninth dart before returning to hit the bed for a ten-darter.
However, that would be the last leg Brown would win as Smith took the set's deciding leg to move ahead in the match, before winning the fourth set without reply to earn his place in the second round.
"It was a scrappy game but I'm glad I came out the winner," said Smith. "I've not got the best of records on the stage here and knew I had a tough game against Steve, so when I lost the first set, I though 'here we go again'. Steve played brilliantly in patches but I got through and did it well."
Brown admitted: "It's gut-wrenching to miss a nine-darter and lose the match. If it had gone 2-0 then I think I'd have run away with the match, so it's disappointing."
World Youth Champion Michael Smith also had to come from a set down before taking victory in his clash against Japanese qualifier Hashimoto, who had completed a 4-2 preliminary round win over Singapore's Paul Lim earlier in the night with a 131 checkout.
Having lost out to Smith's manager Gary Anderson in the first round at Alexandra Palace three years ago, Hashimoto took the first set of this clash 3-1, only for the St Helens youngster to edge the next two in a deciding leg.
Smith then took the game's fourth set without reply as he sealed his first World Championship win, setting up a second round clash with reigning champion Phil Taylor on Friday.
"I'm glad I got the win but I'm not happy with how I played," admitted Smith. "Everything was flying in when I was practising but it didn't happen for me on stage. thought that when I got the first set that I'd settle down, but I still missed too many doubles. I felt the pressure because I was expected to win, so I can relax now. I can't wait to play Phil and the pressure's off me now - I can just go up there and play darts. I will be a lot different because nobody expects me to win, so I won't be nervous."
Justin Pipe, the number 11 seed, was the night's other winner as he overcame former World Youth Champion Arron Monk in straight sets.
Pipe took the game's first set 3-1 before coming from a leg down to win the second in the same manner, and though Monk replied with a 100 checkout in the third, the Taunton ace took out an 11-darter as he sealed his second round spot.
Pipe's last 32 clash with South African star Devon Petersen will be the only second round game to be played after the Christmas break, with the five-time ranking event winner now looking forward to enjoying the festive period with his family.
"It was hard work and there were a few first round nerves there," said Pipe. "Neither of us got going and maybe we showed each other too much respect, but I'll look to put it right in the next round. I can relax now as it's a longer format and it's so hard in the first round. We all want to get through that first round, enjoy Christmas dinner and come back and play well. I can push on now and hopefully put it right after Christmas. I'll still do four hours of practice on Christmas Day, and the family will be right behind me with that. Devon's a great lad who's really dug deep to come back from injury, but I want to focus on my own game."