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He didn't have much to blame.
His own performance was right, Max Hopp had shown what he should have planned.
An average of 95.58, the odds on the double fields were 50 percent.
But the opponent was too strong and threw the German record participant out of the tournament on his eighth participation.
With 3: 1 (3: 0, 3: 2, 2: 3, 3: 1), Mervyn King, seeded in 19th position, won his opening match against Hopp, who was doomed to watch especially at the beginning and after two third-round defeats in 2018 and 2019 this time eliminated in round two.
"Max is a high quality player who took advantage of my weaknesses," King said afterwards.
King started with a 180, brought his throw through after 13 darts and broke the German in 14 darts to 2-0.
When he won the first set a little later, the average was 110. Hopp did not get a single attempt on a double field.
Here darts professional Martin Schindler imitates his colleagues
Martin Schindler is not only one of the best German darts professionals.
He is also an excellent impersonator.
Here he recreates six world-class players.
Do you recognize these players?
Source: WORLD
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In the second run it was Hopp who started with his first 180.
King punished an exuberant Legdart of the 24-year-old with a 110 finish on the break.
When he then clearly won the fifth leg in a row, a class difference became apparent.
Kings Average: 109. Checkout rate: 63 percent.
King missed the early 2-0 after sets, but missed three darts on the double-20.
Hopp took the small chance and checked 100 points on the double 10 to win the first leg.
An effective hit.
For the first time, King showed negligence, while Hopp followed up with his second 180 and developed two break chances.
He used it directly in the first attempt on the double 16: 2: 2.
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The fact that he did not secure the set when throwing it himself was due to King, who started with five perfect darts and awarded a set dart on the bullseye.
Hopp now had to delete 142 points, but missed the double 11 by millimeters.
The English scored on double 16.
2-0 for the King.
Hopp missed the 170 and got the third set
King also checked in the third set whenever Hopp, who was at a 95 average and had met half of his attempts on the doubles, faced a two-dart finish.
Not much was missing for the German, but always the crucial piece.
Hopp fought, got the 1: 1 again and even broke to 2: 1.
Ultimately, however, he was up against the strong 54-year-old who had reached the final at the Players Championshipo Finals, the World Cup dress rehearsal three weeks ago.
King broke back to 2-2.
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In the decider of the third set, Hopp missed the maximum finish of 170 points on the bullseye.
King earned a match dart with 156 remaining, but missed on double 18, so that Hopp was able to get his first set on double 8.
He now bit his way into the game, showed emotions and started 1-0 in round four, but then missed the break on double 16.
King took advantage of the mistake to make it 1-1 and pulled through to the finish line.
With the third match dart on double 18, the veteran made it into the third round perfectly.
Briefly in use, Campbell twice as strong
On Saturday evening (including live on the DAZN * streaming service), the second German will start the tournament with Nico Kurz.
Gabriel Clemens, number 31 on the seed list, already qualified for the second round, would be the next opponent for Hessen on Monday if he prevailed against Andy Hamilton.
Before that, Scott Waites and Matt Campbell had provided the afternoon's playful highlights.
The good-class and gripping first round duel went over the full five legs in all five sets.
In the end, Scott Waites won, who was just ahead in the average (96:95) and the checkout rate (52 percent: 46 percent) with 3: 2.
Campbell seemed to have already booked the two sticking points of the match for himself.
In the decider of the first set, he achieved a new record at this World Cup with a 160 finish.
And when he added 152 to the decisive break in the last set, the victory seemed to go to Canada.
Waites shifted up a gear and won the next three legs in 18, 14 and 11 darts.
Kim Huybrechts also set a new record, at least for the time being.
The Belgian missed Di Zhuan thanks to a points average of 104.05 on whitewash: 3-0 sets, 9-0 legs.
The Chinese only brought an average of 73.09 on the stage.
Saturday's games
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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
2nd round
Mervyn King (ENG / 19) - Max Hopp (GER) 3-1
Still playing in the evening:
1 round:
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Andy Hamilton (ENG) - Nico Kurz (GER)
Andy Boulton (ENG) - Deta Hedman (ENG)
Damon Heta (AUS) - Danny Baggish (USA)
2nd round:
Michael van Gerwen (NED / 1) - Ryan Murray (SCO)
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