Michael van Gerwen has lost 3-2 to Chris Dobey in the World Grand Prix second round in a match where he missed darts for two nine-darters.
The six-time champion of the double-in tournament looked in imperious form during his first-round win over Josh Rock, but his attempt to lift another crown in this format was halted by a relentless Dobey.
Towards the end of set one, Van Gerwen missed the bull for a 161 checkout and perfect leg, and he did the same at the beginning of the second set, missing the bull for a 170 finish on that occasion.
To his credit, he was able to win six of the next eight legs to open up a 2-1 advantage, but a missed bull attempt for the match at the end of the fourth set allowed Dobey to capitalise.
Dobey completed the victory, one of the most notable of his career, with a 156 checkout, ending the contest with a 91.87 average.
DOBEY STUNS MICHAEL VAN GERWEN!! 😲
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) October 5, 2023
Oh. My. Word.
It's simply RIDICULOUS from Chris Dobey as a 156 finish sends Reigning Champion Michael van Gerwen OUT of the 2023 BoyleSports World Grand Prix 🤯
What a game, and what a win for Dobey!
📺 https://t.co/yNO8z3ftB8 | #WGPDarts pic.twitter.com/OOhyC9HIAJ
Meanwhile, Joe Cullen came through a thrilling contest against Ross Smith with a 3-1 victory, with three of the sets going the distance.
The pair shared an astonishing 17 180s between them in four sets, Cullen posting an impressive 94.64 average given the format.
Peter Wright came from behind to see off Ryan Searle by a 3-1 scoreline, while Luke Humphries progressed through his encounter versus Luke Woodhouse with a 3-0 win.
Those pair will now meet in the quarter-finals, with Dobey and Cullen also squaring off, while Michael Smith and Gerwyn Price will play Andrew Gilding and Martin Schindler respectively.
Darren Plant
