Klaasen reaches last 16 at Players Championship 1

Wim Blokpoel - today the PDC circuit started again, with Players Championship 1 2021. There were loads of Dutchmen involved, but unfortunately only 1 of them reached the last 16. it was former BDO World Champion Jelle Klaasen. Klaasen started his very surprising deep run with a 6-4 win over Scotsman Andy Boulton in round 1. In the last 63 Jelle had his best performance as he averaged 98.6 against Callan Rydz. Klaasen got 4-1 up however, he still needed to fight as he only edged out Rydz 6-5, as Rydz averaged 99 himself. In the last 32 the Cobra had another 98 average to beat South African Devon Petersen brilliantly 6-3 However, in the last 16 Klaasen lost 2-6 to Nathan Aspinall despite averaging 99.6. It still was a brilliant start of 2021 for Jelle Klaasen who needs a great year to keep his tourcard.

3 more Dutchmen reached the last 32. First of all we had world number 2 Michael van Gerwen who started with a 99.4 average to beat Prime Time Matthew Edgar 64. MVG followed it by a great 104 average in a 6-2 win against Mark McGeeney. In the last 32 MVG averaged 94 in a surprising 5-6 lose to Welsh talent Lewy Williams. MVG’s good mate Vincent van der Voort also reached the last 32, he started with a 96 average to beat Joe Murnan 6-3. Another good 95 average saw van der Voort beat William O’Connor 6-3. In the last 32 Van der Voort got out of steam and lost 3-6 to today’s nine dart hero Michael Smith who also hit a 170 finish in that match. 

Final Dutchman in the last 32 was Aubergenius Dirk van Duijvenbode. DVD averaged almost 99 in round one where he demolished Martin Atkins 6-1. Round 2 saw a 97 average and another 6-1 win for Aubergenius over Spanish Jesus Noguera. The last 32 was also the end for Van Duijvenbode as he lost 2-6 to Krzysztof Ratajski despire averaging 4 points higher.

Only 2 more Dutchmen got prizemoney and reaches the last 64 today. Danny Noppert won 6-4 against Polish Krzysztof Kciuk despite Kciuk averaging an astonishing 103.8, before Noppert lost 4-6 to Chris Dobey in round 2. Urk’s Geert Nentjes edged out Austrian Michael Rasztovitz 6-5 in round 1, before losing in the last 64 as well in another 6-5, against Welshman Jonathan Worsley.

Niels Zonneveld lost in round 1 against Dave Chisnall who hit a 108 average, while Derk Telnekes lost to Mark McGeeney who only averaged 77. Jermaine Watt8mena got edged out by John Brown 5-6, other 5-6 loses were for Jeffrey de Zwaan against Mensur Suljovic, Ron Meulenkamp despite being 5-2 up against Nick Kenny and comeback hero and 5 time world champion Raymond van Barneveld who got 5-1 down to Stephen Bunting, came back to 5-5 but still lost to Bunting who averaged 98. Martijn Kleermaker lost 3-6 to Ricky Evans, Berry van Peer started his year with a 4-6 defeat to Mickey Mansell and Luc Peters lost 4-6 as well, against Kim Huybrechts. Maik Kuivenhoven lost 3-6 to eventual finalist Jonny Clayton, and finally Lorenzo Pronk lost  2-6 on the streaming board to former world championship finalist Kirk Shepherd. Hopefully we’ll see Dutchmen in the last 8 tomorrow, onto tomorrow!