Ted Hankey made a disappointing start to the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-3 defeat to Scott Waites.
BDO champion makes poor start on Wolverhampton debut
Ted Hankey made a disappointing start to the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-3 defeat to Scott Waites.
The current BDO world champion and number two seed was making his debut in the event and now faces a must-win clash with Wayne Mardle on Monday if he is to have any chance of reaching the last 16.
Waites broke for a 3-1 lead with double nine and after stretching the lead with a 15-dart fifth leg missed four chances at double top, with Hankey making him pay with a 100 checkout.
And the pressure continue to affect Waites, as he missed no fewer than nine arrows to close out the match before Hankey landed double six to keep his hopes alive.
However, the Yorkshireman held his nerve to hit a 96 finish in the eighth leg to clinch the win.
Mardle's bid took an early knock when he slumped to a 5-1 defeat to Australian Simon Whitlock.
He hit a maximum in the opening leg and doubled his lead with a 142 checkout in the next, but Mardle pulled one back after Whitlock missed four darts to make a double break.
However, a 68 finish, a 14-dart leg and a 141 checkout brought the match to a swift conclusion.
Third seed James Wade overcame American Gary Mawson 5-3 in a laboured performance while Robert Thornton defeated Andy Hamilton 5-2 in the other Group H contest.
Terry Jenkins averaged 103 as he slammed Denis Ovens 5-1 while American left-hander Darin Young came from 2-0 down to stun Adrian Lewis 5-2, including a 147 checkout.
Steve Beaton earned a debut victory over Dutchman Co Stompe 5-2 while Gary Anderson overcame Kevin McDine by a similar margin.
