PDC Super Series 7: Callan Rydz wins Players Championship 25 in Barnsley | Darts News

Rydz follows up breakthrough success in February this year with second title of 2021 – Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright fail to reach quarter-finals for a second successive day

Callan Rydz claimed his second Pro Tour title of the season, beating Gabriel Clemens to win Players Championship 25 on a day where all the big guns faltered.

The 23-year-old from Newcastle – nicknamed ‘The Riot’ produced a string of consistent performances across the day with a 6-4 last 16 victory over Grand Slam of Darts Champions Jose De Sousa the highlight of his run to claim his second winner’s cheque of the season.

Rydz won the first senior title of his career in February when he beat Jonny Clayton 8-7 to claim the honours at Players Championship 2 in Bolton and in another keenly contested final he edged our Germany’s Clemens for the £10,000 first price.

« I’ve played consistently well all day, the final wasn’t the best but I’m just glad to come through it, » said Rydz.

« These tournaments are the hardest ones to win, you’ve got 128 of the world’s best players in one room hitting huge averages, so to win another one shows I’m heading in the right direction.

« It’s been a massive few months for my career. I think the best thing that happened to me was having a break after James Wade beat me at the World Championship. I said I’d come back with a vengeance and so far, so good. »

Rydz was playing Development Tour darts in 2020 and in 2019 was a quarter-finalist at the PDC World Youth Championship, but this year he has made huge strides on the senior tour, including a run to the quarter-finals at the World Matchplay.

The world No 41 kicked off his day with a 6-2 win over Andy Boulton before beating Darius Labanauskas and Ross Smith on his way to his clash with De Sousa. Having overcome ‘The Special One’ Rydz was too strong for Mervyn King in the last eight and saved his best display for a 7-1 semi-final win over Dirk van Duijvenbode.

Rydz rallied from 3-0 down in the final, winning five of the next six legs to edge into a lead that he would not relinquish.

Leading 6-5 Rydz watched on as Clemens – in his fifth PDC final and still awaiting a first title – missed two doubles for a crucial break throw and double top from The Riot moved him to within a leg of the title, which he secured when he pinned double 16.

World No 1 Gerwyn Price has opted against playing in the opening two matches of Super Series 7 in Barnsley while Matchplay champion Peter Wright was beaten by Peter Jacques in the second round and Michael van Gerwen, the world No 3, continues his search for a first ranking title since the Players Championship Finals last November.

The Dutchman averaged more than 100 in 6-0 wins over Madars Razma and Steve Beaten, and while he averaged three figures against countryman Dirk van Duijvenbode in the last 16 he was edged out 6-4.

Tuesday’s champion Dimitri Van den Bergh was beaten 6-5 by Wayne Jones in the second round, while European Championship winner Rob Cross was beaten by an inspired Chris Dobey who reached the last four before falling to Clemens.

Former Premier League champion and three-time BDO world champion Glen Durrant continued his struggles, suffering a second successive 6-0 first-round exit. Following his loss, he announced on social media that he was pulling out of the last two events of the week as he tries to find the form that has deserted him over the last 12 months.

Players Championship 25

Wednesday October 20

Quarter-Finals

Gabriel Clemens 6-4 Steve Brown

Chris Dobey 6-1 Ryan Meikle

Callan Rydz 6-3 Mervyn King

Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Maik Kuivenhoven

Semi-Finals

Gabriel Clemens 7-6 Chris Dobey

Callan Rydz 7-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode

Final

Callan Rydz 8-6 Gabriel Clemens

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