Dave Chisnall exited the World Darts Championship after a 3-2 tie-break second round loss to Ricardo Pietreczko at Alexandra Palace.
World Number 21 Chisnall came from two sets down to lead 2-1 in legs in the fifth set before Pietreczko levelled to force a tie-break.
The 31-year-old German held his nerve to win the final set by four legs to two as Chisnall succumbed to defeat despite his resilient fightback to exit at the same stage as last year.
Chisnall went into the game after a 3-0 first round win over “Queen of the Palace” Fallon Sherrock.
Chisnall on form to deny ‘Queen of the Palace’ Fallon Sherrock
Pietreczko came through the first round with a 3-1 victory over 2020 Grand Slam of Darts winner Jose de Sousa.
Pietreczko raced into an early lead with a superb 120 finish to take the first leg.
He restricted Chisnall to just two chances at double in the first set as checkouts on tops (double-20) and double eight allowed the German to take the set 3-1.
Chisnall opened the second set with a 44 checkout to lead against the darts but struggled throughout the set with his doubling.
Chisnall missed 11 out of 12 attempts on the outer ring in the set allowing Pietreczko in and he punished the Englishman.
The German won the next three legs, winning the set 3-1 and pushing the St Helens darter 2-0 down in a race to three sets.
After the second break, Chisnall came out fighting.
Over the next two sets, Chisnall won five out of the six legs, winning 3-1 in the third set and before a 3-0 clean sweep in the fourth to level the game at 2-2.
It was Pietreczko who struggled under pressure in these sets, missing nine out of ten darts at double.
The crowd at Ally Pally began to get behind Chisnall, serenading him with chants of “There is only one Dave Chisnall” at each throw.
Chisnall hit 11 180s in the match as Pietreczko failed to registering a maximum with Chisnall’s improved scoring causing problems in the final three sets for the German.
After taking out 68 to level the game at two sets a piece, Chisnall took the lead for the first time in the match by checking out 11 finishing on double-four.
Pietrezcko levelled the set at 1-1 before setting himself up on tops to regain the lead with Chisnall back on 113.
However, Chisnall prevented Pietreczko from taking this opportunity by taking out the 113 in superb fashion finishing with a crucial double-18 to re-take the lead.
Chisnall blinked first as he narrowly missed match darts by missing double-16 for a ridiculous 143 checkout
The miss allowed Pietreczko to level through a 47 finish on double-eight, despite initially hitting the inside on double-16.
This checkout forced a tie-breaker with the winner needing to win by two clear legs or in a sudden death leg if the scores reached 5-5.
Pietreczko made the first blow in the tie-break breaking throw on double-16 after Chisnall missed darts at tops and double-ten to lead.
This left the German having the darts to secure the victory.
Pietreczko obliged, setting himself up nicely with a crucial 134 to leave himself on 50 as Chisnall sat back on 153.
The St Helens man failed to take the 153 out allowing Pietreczko to finish on double-16 to take out 50 and secure a 3-2 victory.
The win meant Pietreczko has made the third round on each of his three visits to the Palace as he looks to build on last year’s Last 16 straight sets elimination to Nathan Aspinall.
Defeat means Chisnall exits the World Championships at the second round for a second consecutive year in remarkably similar fashion after losing 3-2 to Ricky Evans in a sudden death leg tie-break.
In a game of two halves for both, Pietreczko edged Chisnall on the averages at 88.49 and 88.15 respectively.
Chisnall’s early doubling woes ought to have cost him the tie, converting 27% of his attempts on the outer ring as he hit ten out of 37.
Pietreczko had less opportunities than Chisnall but was more clinical, hitting 39% of his 28 attempts at double at 11, capitalising on Chisnall’s doubling woes, particularly in the second set.
In the post-match press conference, Pietreczko was critical of the whistling he faced during the game.
Pietreczko said: “The booing is not the problem but the whistling.
“The whistling, the concentration is missed in the moment and I think every players hate it.”
He stressed the need for more security tackling whistling, admitting the issue is difficult to control.
Pietreczko was proud of his resilience as Chisnall came back into the tie to level at 2-2 with the crowd on the German’s back.
He added: “It was very important to me to win this fifth set because in the fourth set the crowd was behind Chizzy.”
Pietreczko will face Swede Andreas Harrysson in the third round after Christmas following Harrysson’s 3-0 win over crowd favourite Motomu Sakai earlier on Saturday (20th) afternoon.
(Featured Image by Taylor Lanning and the PDC)
