Rd 1 Geert de Vos (Bel) 3 Tony West (Eng) 1

De Vos outsprints speedy West to the winning double

Little known Belgian Geert de Vos made a big name for himself grounding 11^th seed  Tony “Tornado” West 3-1, the 11^th seed with a confident display in his Frimley Green debut.

West was forced to borrow the darts of Tony Martin - husband of women’s semi finalist Anastasia Dobromyslova - after leaving one of his darts in Holland. He had tried using darts from several players but when he tried Martin’s he hit a maximum and opted to use them in the match.

Despite the strange darts he still managed to notch two 180s and a 13-darter but was unable to catch the in-a-hurry 31-year-old Belgian.

De Vos made a dream start, taking the opening leg in 15 darts but then stole the throw in the next for a shock 2-0 lead. West grabbed the third and then the man who lives near Brussels missed four darts for the set as the seed piled on the pressure. Both players hit 180s in the deciding fifth leg but it was the man from Aalst in West Flanders who clinched double six for a 78 set winning finish.

Legs went with the throw in the next set including a 13-dart third leg from West who then fluffed chances to take the set in the fourth as the grateful De Vos leapt to finish on double tops. A maximum from West with his makeshift darts, gave him an impressive lead and he capitalised by firing in double 12 at the second attempt.

With the throwing advantage in the next set De Vos leapt into a 2-0 lead, aided by a maximum in the second leg and then cheekily clinched the set with a 99 checkout finished with two double tops.

His fourth successive leg gave him the opening leg of the fourth set against the throw and he then turned the screw clinching his favourite double tops for a 2-0 lead in the set, needing a single leg for a shock victory.

West delayed the agony firing out 137 and 100 scores as he exited on double four but the confident Belgian hit 140 and 121 to open up a lead but then missed two double tops, West missed double tops for a 108 finish and then three bids for double 10 as De Vos nailed double 10 for victory with his third double attempt.