THROUGH: Gerwyn Price is into the last eight of World Darts Championship
Top seed Gerwyn Price completed a comfortable 4-1 win over Jose de Sousa to book his place in the quarter-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
The Welsh world number one averaged just over 94 and hit eight 180s to move into the last eight as he targets a repeat of his 2021 success.
‘The Iceman’, who beat five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld 4-0 in the last round, hailed a professional job.
“I ground out a win. I just wanted to get up there and win, it doesn’t matter about the performance,” Price.
“It was just one of those games where I had to get over the winning line, and that is what I did.
“I was battling against myself and against him, but it is what it is – you come up against certain players and circumstances, so you just have to deal with it.
“I felt comfortable through the game and always felt I was going to win, it was just a matter of time.”
Jonny Clayton come from behind to defeat Josh Rock 4-3 and reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
The west Walian, the seventh seed, fought back after trailing 3-2 to force a deciding set in which he won all three legs.
Clayton’s highest checkout was 122 as he hit eight maximums with an average of just under 98 to finally end the run of the 21-year-old, who shocked Nathan Aspinall in the last round.
“It’s unknown territory for me now, but it’s a good place to be,” reflected the seventh seed, who will play Dimitri Van den Bergh or Kim Huybrechts for a place in the semi-finals.
“Josh went off like a train. I was trying to play at his pace but I had to play my game. It was my night – it was a fantastic game.
“I always think I’m a contender. I know if I play my game, I can do it. It just needs to come together, so hopefully it’s my year.”
