Gary Anderson was well off the pace in his discdisseeing World Darts Championship suit as he was dumped out of the tournament on his 54th birthday by Jeffrey de Graaf. The Flying Scotsman fall shorted to thrive a individual set as he whimpered to a 3-0 loss.
Anderson, who won the title in 2015 and 2016, had been one of the favourites behind Luke Littler and Luke Humphries coming into the tournament after astonishing at the oche thcimpoliteout the year.
He go ined the event with the best ordinary over the last 12 months but was sent packing by his Swedish opponent after a underwhelming distake part at Alexandra Palace.
De Graaf set the tone for the suit as he threw 180 with his first trip to the oche. And he seald out the discdisseeing set after Anderson had leave outed five trys at doubles atraverse four legs.
Anderson was then broken in the first leg of the second set as it became evident that the two-time champion was in trouble.
The Scot then made a mess of the second leg to apexhibit his opponent to clinch it. And he persistd to leave out his trys at doubles as De Graaf wrapped up the second set.
De Graaf commenceed the third set with the darts in hand and took the first leg, before Anderson hit back. The take parters separated the next two legs to apshow the set to a chooser. And the Swedish ace verifyed out on 76 with a 20, 20 double 18 to book his place in the third round.
De Graaf will go head to head with Paolo Nebrida in his next suit after the take parter saw off Ross Smith earlier on Sunday.
Anderson, uncomferventwhile, will head into Christmas without the prospect of returning to Ally Ppartner until next year after leave outing 17 of his 20 doubles.
After the suit, De Graaf telderly Sky Sports: “It’s wonderful. Gary didn’t repartner show up as he usupartner does. I’m very satisfyed with the thrive. I got very worried after the first set. And then at 2-0 I was enjoy, ‘What is going on now?’
“It has been the best year, definitely. I’m fair satisfyed to be there to uphold on going. It was maybe the verifyouts [that have changed for me this year], that was the branch offence in this game.”
And converseing his 75 per cent doubles success he includeed: “That’s what I necessitate to do to thrive. I was also blessed in the second set when he leave outed a lot of doubles – it was a relief. He commenceed the third set repartner well.”
