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Nico Kurz took a deep breath.
He led 2: 1 by sets, 2: 1 it was in the legs.
He was still 60 points away from victory when Andy Hamilton came to the oche.
The highest possible finish of 170 was waiting for the Englishman, who missed the required triple in the first attempt.
But the German scored to win and thus made the first German duel at a Darts World Cup perfect.
On Monday, Kurz will deal with his compatriot Gabriel Clemens, whom he had defeated in the Super League in June.
"First of all, I'm happy to have won the start," Kurz said in an interview with WELT, "but of course: we now have a German in the third round." And he will meet the world champion.
After Christmas, Peter Wright is waiting.
Future music.
15.12.2020, Great Britain, London: Darts: World Cup, 2nd round at Alexandra Palace: Peter Wright from Scotland in action.
Photo: Kieran Cleeves / PA Wire / dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
Source: dpa / Kieran Cleeves
Hamilton's sleepy tactics
That Kurz had a good chance of successfully completing the first stage of the World Cup was already evident before the match began.
The 23-year-old beamed when he took the stage of the empty Alexandra Palace.
Even without the locked out fans and the typical World Cup atmosphere, he would be able to enjoy his performance.
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Hamilton's break in the first leg immediately countered 1-1, although he initially missed three darts on double 18 and one on double 9.
Then both players brought their throws through.
Kurz used his third set dart on double 10 to win the first set.
Even if he had not yet reached his level in the scoring with an average of mid-80s, the young German was not externally nervous.
Rather, Kurz had to deal with the provocatively slow pace of his experienced opponent, who deliberately delayed the pace.
Hamilton often took more than half a minute for his recordings.
If it takes a little longer again: for Nico Kurz, the World Cup prelude was a game of patience
Source: Getty Images / Luke Walker
Not easy for the amateur from Hesse, who repeatedly acknowledged the tactical means of his opponent with a smug smile and gave the sporty answer.
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“Of course I knew what to expect.
Nevertheless, it took some getting used to.
This gives you more time to deal with your bad recordings, ”reported Kurz, who kept looking for eye contact with his friends in the hall.
Welcome distraction.
The small entourage from Hessen then saw how the German got the necessary break right at the beginning of the second set and took the lead 2-0.
But then left a set dart on the bullseye with 129 points remaining and missed further opportunities to double-4 and double-2 when the score was 2: 1.
Hamilton was able to equalize and bring through his attack to 1: 1 after sets.
The match entered a phase in which Kurz's mistakes increased.
With his false darts 13, 14 and 15 on the doubles, he missed the 2: 1 in round three and conceded the break.
Hamilton took the lead for the first time.
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But Kurz had the right answer again and, thanks to a 177, came back 2: 2 at the right time, screwed his throwing average over 90 for the first time and transformed his fourth set dart into a 2: 1 set lead.
In the decisive round he checked 100 points for the early break, made it 2-0 and could not be brought out of the rhythm by Hamilton, who shortened the rhythm again in 15 darts, rather Kurz ended the match.
Sensation by Paul Lim!
The highlights of the nerve battle in the video
First the “aubergine man”, then that: Paul Lim is 66 years old, is playing his 25th World Darts Championship and, 39 years after his debut, makes it into the second round.
He survived a 2-0 draw and a match dart from Luke Humphries, who threw past doubles 13 times in a row in the fifth set.
Source: DAZN / WELT
This leaves at least two Germans in the tournament.
The third was eliminated on Saturday afternoon.
Max Hopp tried a lot in his second round match, had fought, but ultimately had no chance against Mervyn King, who was in 19th position.
In the end there was a 1: 3, in which Hopp did not have much to blame.
A decent average of 95.58, the rate on the double fields was a good 50 percent.
Hoped and fought, but Max Hopp's opponent was too strong
Source: Getty Images / Luke Walker
Saturday's games
1 round
Steve Lennon (IRL) - Daniel Larsson (SWE) 3-1
Scott Waites (ENG) - Matt Campbell (CAN) 3-2
Kim Huybrechts (BEL) - Di Zhuang (CHN) 3-0
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Andy Hamilton (ENG) - Nico Kurz (GER) 1: 3
Andy Boulton (ENG) - Deta Hedman (ENG)
Damon Heta (AUS) - Danny Baggish (USA)
2nd round
Mervyn King (ENG / 19) - Max Hopp (GER) 3-1
Michael van Gerwen (NED / 1) - Ryan Murray (SCO)
The games on Sunday
from 1 p.m.
1 round
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Derk Telnekes (NED) - Nick Kenny (WAL)
Jason Lowe (ENG) - Dmitriy Gorbunov (RUS)
Maik Kuivenhoven (NED) - Matthew Edgar (ENG)
2nd round
Vincent van der Voort (NED / 27) - Ron Meulenkamp (NED)
from 19 clock
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1 round
Martijn Kleermaker (NED) - Cameron Carolissen (SAF)
Keegan Brown (ENG) - Ryan Meikle (ENG)
2nd round
Jeffrey de Zwaan (NED / 23) - Ryan Searle (ENG)
Jonny Clayton (WAL / 17) - John Henderson (SCO)