First time wins for Kuivenhoven and Kleermaker at PDC World Championship

Wim Blokoel - Yesterday 2 Dutchmen came in action at the 2022 PDC World Darts Championship: Maik Kuivenhoven and Martijn Kleermaker.

Maik Kuivenhoven made his second worlds appearence and played Australian Ky Smith. A comfortable 3-1 win in set 1 for Kuivenhoven, as he won his first set ever at the Worlds, having lost 0-3 to Matthew Edgar in his debut year. Kuivenhoven then easily won set 2 3-0 while Smith was very much struggling. However, in set 3 Smith woke up as he hit a 116-finish and won that set 3-1 to make it 2-1 for Kuivenhoven. One set later though, Kuivenhoven got over the line, as without playing his best he comfortably beat Smith 3-1 to move through to the last 64. In that round, he will play World Number 4 James Wade tonight. 

Maik Kuivenhoven 3-1 Ky Smith (3-1, 3-0, 1-3, 3-1)

In the evening session Harderwijks’ Martijn Kleermaker made his PDC Worlds debut, after testing positive for covid last year. Kleermaker played Greece’s John Michael in the last 96. In the first 2 legs Kleermaker strugled on the doubles but he still won both legs, and finished set one with a 156-checkout to go 1-0 up! In set 2 Kleermaker still scored great but missed more loads of doubles as this set went to a deciding leg. However, Kleermaker did win it 3-2 as he went 2-0 up! In set 3 Michael suddenly woke up, and he comfortably won that set to make it 2-1. However, in set 4 Kleermaker really started to play great, an 11 and 12 darter in the fist 2 legs, but in the last leg matchdarts missed. Michael couldn’t profit from it though, as it was the Dutch Giant who won the game, 3-1 in sets as he goes through to the last 64 where he’ll play former finalist Simon Whitlock.

Martijn Kleermaker 3-1 John Michael (3-0, 3-2, 0-3, 3-0)