The 2023 PDC World Championship has witnessed a remarkable milestone, as 71-year-old Paul Lim has become the oldest player to win a match in the tournament's history. Lim's impressive 3-1 victory over Jeffrey de Graaf at Alexandra Palace has extended his own record, previously set in 2020. This achievement is a testament to Lim's enduring passion and skill for the sport, and he will now face a formidable opponent in Luke Humphries in the second round.
Lim's win is all the more notable given his advanced age, and he has expressed his admiration for his next opponent, Luke Humphries. The Singaporean darts legend regards his 2020 victory over Humphries as a greater achievement than his current record, highlighting the significant challenge that Humphries poses. "I thought it would be really uncanny if I was to meet Luke Humphries again," Lim said. "Luke Humphries these days is not the Luke Humphries from a few years ago. He's definitely a force to be reckoned with and is one of the best players in the world."
Moments like this have kept me going all these years. The moment came and I took advantage of it. - Paul Lim
Humphries, currently ranked second in the world, demonstrated his exceptional skill with eight 180s in his 3-1 win over Ted Evetts. Despite his impressive form, Humphries acknowledges that facing Lim will be an unusual challenge, given their friendly relationship. "It's amazing – Paul's a legend. The hardest thing for me is that he loves me to bits," Humphries said. "I talk to Paul and he says: 'You're my favourite player.' And then I've got to go and play him, so it's hard!"
The tournament has also seen other notable victories, including Wessel Nijman's straight sets win over Karel Sedlacek and Gabriel Clemens' impressive victory over Alex Spellman. In the afternoon session, two-time champion Gary Anderson edged through his first-round clash with Adam Hunt, citing the prospect of playing in a new arena as a motivating factor. Anderson's desire to remain competitive and play on the new stage next year has driven him to push through the challenges of the tournament.
The afternoon session on day three also saw Andrew Gilding beat Cam Crabtree 3-1, Luke Woodhouse defeat Boris Krcmar by the same score, and David Davies whitewash Mario Vandenbogaerde. The tournament is shaping up to be an exciting and unpredictable competition, with a range of talented players vying for the top spot.
As the tournament progresses, fans can expect to see more thrilling matches and unexpected upsets. With a range of talented players competing, the 2023 PDC World Championship is shaping up to be an unforgettable event. The combination of experienced legends like Paul Lim and rising stars like Luke Humphries ensures that the competition will be fierce and captivating, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Original: The Guardian
Image: The Guardian
Written by Npsports
