The World Darts Championship action on Saturday saw Paul Nicholson go through, although Denis Ovens retired through injury
Paul Nicholson overcame Austrian Mensur Suljovic 3-1 to win through to the second round of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship, but veteran star Denis Ovens was forced to withdraw through injury.
Nicholson, the number nine seed at Alexandra Palace, had to show his class to see off a determined showing from Suljovic, who reached the last 16 a year ago.
Nicholson took out 110 in winning the first set before a 121 checkout saw Suljovic take the second 302, but Nicholson won the third before coming from 2-1 down in the fourth to secure progression.
"It was a real struggle and something didn't click for me, but the main thing was that I won," said Nicholson.
"Something is about to happen with my game and I'm starting to find it. It was a gritty game and I was happy to get through."
There was drama in the night's final game, when UK Open semi-finalist Denis Ovens withdrew through injury a set into his game with German debutant Kevin Munch.
Ovens had suffered a trapped nerve in his back which caused shooting pains in his throwing arm, and after losing the opening three legs without earning a dart at a double the 54-year-old pulled out.
"I didn't want to give up but there was too much pain when I was throwing," admitted Ovens. "I was in bed for two days after injuring my back.
"It's gone before because I work in building, and I thought it was getting better but on Saturday I had shooting pains down my right arm."
Earlier, Steve Beaton came from two sets down to defeat Sweden's Magnus Caris in a fifth-set tie-break to earn his spot in the second round.
The former Lakeside Champion won only two legs as Caris took the first two sets and moved 2-1 up in the third, only to miss three match darts in the set's deciding leg.
Beaton won the set and then took the fourth without reply to level the game, only to see Caris move 2-1 up in the decider.
However, double 16 kept Beaton in the game and he took out 100 and 61 in the next two to complete a remarkable turnaround.
Holland's Vincent van der Voort turned on the style by hitting 11 180s in a 3-2 defeat of Mark Hylton, the left-hander who twice hit back to level the game only to see last year's quarter-finalist take the deciding set without reply.
The second round continues on Sunday evening with four further first round games and the preliminary round contest between Ireland's Connie Finnan and New Zealand number one Warren French.
Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld enters the fray when he takes on Northamptonshire-based debutant James Richardson, while Mark Dudbridge plays Dave Chisnall, World Grand Prix finalist Brendan Dolan meets Belgian Kim Huybrechts and Mark Walsh plays the preliminary round winner.
Ladbrokes World Darts Championship
Saturday December 17
Afternoon Session
Peter Wright 1-3 Jelle Klaasen
Dietmar Burger 0-4 Christian Perez (P)
Ronnie Baxter 2-3 Steve Farmer
Robert Thornton 3-1 Ian White
Alan Tabern 3-1 Christian Perez
Evening Session
Steve Beaton 3-2 Magnus Caris
Kevin Munch 4-2 Lee Choon Peng (P)
Vincent van der Voort 3-2 Mark Hylton
Paul Nicholson 3-1 Mensur Suljovic
Kevin Munch Bye (Denis Ovens withdrew through injury after first set)
Sunday December 18 (7pm)
Brendan Dolan v Kim Huybrechts
Connie Finnan v Warren French (P)
Mark Dudbridge v Dave Chisnall
Raymond van Barneveld v James Richardson
Mark Walsh v Finnan/French
