Players Championship Darts: Damon Heta beats Stephen Bunting in thriller, Michael Smith’s World Matchplay hopes at risk | Darts News
Damon Heta defeated Stephen Bunting – who had previously struck a new darter against Rob Cross – in an exciting decision -maker of the last leg to win the Championship of players 20 in Leicester.
But an outing in the first round for Michael Smith left the former world champion’s hope to qualify for the Betfred World match from July 19 to 27 in danger before the second day of the Mattioli Double-Header Arena Protor.
Le Monde N ° 9 HETA, however, is already guaranteed a place in Blackpool and has warmed up for the winter gardens by demanding its second victory at the event of the players of the year, defeating Bunting 8-7 in an exciting final.
With Momentum swinging spectacularly between the finalists, Bunting ran into an advance of 2-0 so that Heta won the next six feet and moved into the other two of the title to 6-2 to come.
But Bunting was not done and retaliated to win five of the next six, bringing the final to a 7-7 decision-maker where Heta finally withdrew 65 with a double 18.
Bunting hit the perfectly to nine plans in what in itself was a semi-final with similar duration against cross, in which he came from behind to win 7-6. This made amends for the double 12 after eight perfect darts in his victory in the first round against Richard Veenstra.
Australia Heta beat Gerwyn Price 7-5 in the semi-finals, after having demolished earlier Daryl Gurney 6-1 in the last eight.
On a day of high quality darts, the first round produced two nine players – Josh Rock against Sebastian Bialecki and Leon Weber against Tytus Kanik.
Smith faces a quest for semi-final to reach Blackpool
Michael Smith must now reach at least the last four in Leicester on Wednesday to be in Blackpool
But there were not such highlights of the first round for Smith, the 2023 world champion.
“ Bully Boy ‘lost 6-4 against Kim Huybrechts in Belgium and must now reach at least the semi-finals on Wednesday in the players’ championship 21 if he wanted to book a place at the Winter Gardens, where he was a finalist to cross in 2019 and appeared every year since 2014.
The double-head of this week in Leicester is crucial to determine the final qualification points during the World match of World when he starts next week, live Sky Sports.
The 16 best players of the PDC merit order will be classified in the winter gardens, where they will be joined by the 16 best qualifiers depending on the order of merit of the 12 -month -off.
Smith, who speaks openly in January about the suffering of arthritis in his right hand, his launch hand, is currently classified 21st in the world and started the day £ 4,250 outside the other 16 additional Protor qualification places.
2025 Championship Players 20 results
Last 16
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Dom Taylor
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Luke Woodhouse
Damon heta 6-3 Madars Razma
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Chris Dobey
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Danny Noppert
Ross Smith 6-4 Owen Bates
Rob Cross 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Josh Rock 6-3 Keane Barry
Quarter final
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Damon heta 6-1 Daryl Gurney
Stephen Bunting 6-1 Ross Smith
Rob Cross 6-5 Josh Rock
Semi-final
Damon heta 7-5 Gerwyn Price
Stephen Bunting 7-6 Rob Cross
Final
Damon Heta 8-7 Stephen Bunting
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