Defending champion Luke Humphries and previous winners Gerwyn Price and Peter Wright are all through to the fourth round of the PDC World Darts Championship.
Humphries, who has not played since opening night on December 15, was far from his best, but still ended up easily winning 4-0 against Welshman Nick Kenny.
He started off rough and may have been lucky to win the first set, but improved as the game progressed and finished with an average of 98.59 and a checkout percentage of 52.2.
“I knew I wasn’t shooting, I suspected there was so much more to give, but it just wasn’t coming from me,” Humphries told Sky Sports.
“It was a strong performance and I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight. It’s not my best, but when someone pushes me, I know I can deliver the goods.
The 29-year-old will face two-time champion Wright in the last 16 after the Scot beat Jermaine Wattimena 4-2.
Wright, 54, is suffering from a chest infection but was merciless in key moments and put in one of his best performances of a difficult 2024.
“It (a chest infection) wasn’t affecting my darts, I was just holding my breath,” Wright, 17th seed, told Sky Sports.
“I’m not bad for an old man, am I?” It’s all about the spirit and the support has been great. Hopefully I’ll feel a little better next round.
In the match of the evening, 2021 champion Price defeated Joe Cullen 4-3 in a sudden death match to set up a fourth round meeting with fellow Welshman Jonny Clayton.
Tenth-seeded Price led 3-0, but 23rd-seeded Cullen fought back to force a deciding match.
It was chaotic throughout, with nine pitching breaks in 11 innings, as Price hit just 15 of his 58 check attempts in the game and Cullen 19 of 54.
Both missed the match darts, before Cullen produced a superb check-out of 170 to force sudden death leg, where Price broke one last time – the last of seven in a row at the end of the match.
“It was difficult. I actually thought I was going to lose it, but I stuck with it and crossed the finish line. Price told Sky Sports.
“I have a lot more in the tank. I can play much better than tonight. I didn’t play brilliantly but I did enough to win in the end.
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