The Historic Nine-Dart Finishes in Darts Championships
The 2023 World Darts Championship final between Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith witnessed a truly remarkable moment, with both players delivering a nine-dart finish in a breathtaking display of precision. This historic achievement sent shockwaves through the darting world, captivating the audience and fans alike.
While this was not the first time a nine-darter had occurred in a World Championship final, the honor of being the first to achieve this feat belongs to Adrian Lewis. In the 2011 final against Gary Anderson, Lewis etched his name in the record books by throwing a nine-darter in the third leg.
“When you first start playing, your dream is to obviously win the World Championship,” Lewis reflects in an interview on The Checkout podcast by AK Bets. “I actually called it, but I’d hoped I’d hit a nine-darter to win the title, but it didn’t pan out like that.”
The very first nine-darter to be televised on Sky Sports, however, dates back to 2002. During the fifth leg of his quarterfinal match against Chris Mason at the World Matchplay, the legendary Phil Taylor masterfully executed the perfect leg, earning him a substantial prize of £100,000.
“I was lucky enough to call that match,” recalls Russ Bray on the same podcast. “It was the fifth leg actually, and you had a break after the five, so it was sort of a natural time for Phil to hit it. Nowadays, you don’t get anything but a pat on the back.”
These moments of sheer brilliance have cemented their place in the annals of Darts history, captivating the hearts and minds of passionate fans across the globe. As the sport continues to evolve, the pursuit of the elusive nine-dart finish remains a thrilling and highly anticipated aspect of the game.
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