Ryan Searle has stormed into the last 16 of the World Darts Championship with a blistering 23-minute demolition of Martin Schindler – completing his 4-0 whitewash faster than even Luke Littler's recent victory.
The Devon player revealed his unconventional preparation: warming up by playing Call of Duty on a console with Luke Humphries.
Searle averaged 102.29 and won nine consecutive legs without dropping a single set in this year's tournament. But he was quick to acknowledge the gap he still needs to close. "[...] I'd say I'm a little bit better than Luke [Humphries] at Call of Duty, but I need to catch up in the darts. Luke's a different animal," he said.
High stakes drive Searle
The win sets up a fourth-round clash with James Hurrell, who Searle described as "pretty granite" after his strong performance in the previous round.
With £1 million at stake and a potential Top 16 ranking within reach, Searle is laser-focused on his prize. "I'm not paid by the hour. So the quicker it is, the better for me. [...]" he explained.
Searle remains motivated by the tournament's top-heavy prize structure. "If you can't get up for playing for a million pounds, then you shouldn't be playing the game, should you?" he said. A semi-final appearance would catapult him into the Top 16, which is where he believes he deserves to be.
Cross sets up Littler showdown
Rob Cross advanced to the last 16 with a clinical 4-0 victory over Australian number one Damon Heta. The 2018 champion – who famously beat Phil Taylor in that year's final – averaged 94.11 and converted 46 per cent of his checkouts, losing just two legs in the entire match.
Cross now faces reigning champion Luke Littler in what promises to be one of the tournament's standout matches. The former world champion is relishing the underdog role. "There's no shackles, no worries. He's fantastic. From a lovely family and a lovely boy. But the pressure isn't on me. [...]" Cross said. "What does it matter? If Rob Cross loses to Luke Littler, who cares? Hopefully I can take the shackles off and get a good tune out of myself."
Despite his dominance, Cross admitted he hasn't hit top form yet. "I've not played my best. I've been clinical in the important moments, but I've not hit the heights I wanted to hit," he acknowledged.
Anderson survives thriller
Two-time champion Gary Anderson secured his last-16 spot with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Jermaine Wattimena at Alexandra Palace. The Dutchman saved four match darts and fought back from 3-1 down, forcing a tie-break with a 124 checkout on the bull.
Anderson averaged 102.24 and hit 14 maximums but narrowly missed what would have been the tournament's first nine-dart finish, failing on double 12 in the decider. Anderson's progression continues his strong form, having averaged 105.41 in his previous round against Connor Scutt.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
