Chris Dobey soared into the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace (Picture: Getty Images)
Chris Dobey sparkled on the Alexandra Palace stage on Friday night as he hammered reigning champion Michael Smith 4-0 to surge into the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship.
Hollywood has been in fine form all tournament so far, averaging over 102 for the third straight game, and averaging 52% on his doubles to pick up the huge win.
Smith did not play badly at all, averaging over 102 himself, but it was Dobey who landed at the big moments, despite saying that he didn’t feel that comfortable during the contest.
‘To be honest, he missed a lot of doubles and let me in,’ Dobey told Sky Sports. ‘I didn’t feel too good up there tonight. I was a bit nervy. Playing another good friend on the biggest stage of them all, him being world number one and world champion, the occasion got to us a bit. I kept calm and battled through.
‘My scoring wasn’t there. He was banging in 180s for fun early doors and I thought, “I’m going to have to wake up.” My doubling helped us tonight and I’m in another quarter-final.
‘He’s battered me numerous times, it’s nice to get one back on him. But he’ll come back from that, he’s bigger and better than that, I’m not looking forward to the next time I play him.’
Dobey will now play either Rob Cross or Jonny Clayton in the last eight and has no doubts over his ability to go all the way.
‘I’ve said to many people, I wouldn’t have turned up here at the start of the competition if I didn’t believe I could win it,’ he said. ‘I’m still in it so who knows.’
Michael van Gerwen is looking in dangerous form (Picture: Getty Images)
Earlier in the evening Michael van Gerwen also stormed into the quarter-finals, thrashing Stephen Bunting 4-0 and looking very impressive in doing so.
On the prospect of playing Scott Williams or Damon Heta in the last eight, the three-time champion said: ‘They are going to be my first dessert for new year.’
The opening match of Friday evening was the last third round contest and saw Gary Anderson look good in a 4-1 win over Croatian Boris Krcmar.
The Flying Scotsman takes on Brendan Dolan, conqueror of Gerwyn Price, in the last 16.
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Hollywood sparkled against the champion.
