Darts: Klaasen's shock win reduces top seed to Jelle
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Your support makes all the difference.Jelle Klaasen turned potential into reality by knocking out the top seed, Mervyn King, to reach the quarter-finals of the Lakeside World Championship in Frimley Green last night.
The 21-year-old Dutchman had already made a big impression after fighting back from two sets down to win his opening match, and tonight he looked even better as he completed a 4-2 win against the world No 1.
King, twice runner-up in this event, was much more experienced than his opponent, but he could not live with Klaasen's heavy scoring and clinical finishing.
Klaasen took time to settle and lost the first set, King living up to his ranking with some fine work on the doubles. However, the tide began to turn and the rapid-throwing Klaasen, who has been playing the game for only five years, reeled off the next three sets.
There was a brief revival from the Englishman as he took four consecutive legs to reduce his arrears to 3-2, but it did not shake Klaasen out of his stride as he maintained his superb form to go through with his second dart at double top.
"I didn't expect anything from the match," said Klaasen. " Maybe I can go on and win the tournament now. I'm going for it."
King conceded: "I didn't play as well as I can and a few loose darts cost me. But the lad was better than me, it's as simple as that."
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