Rob Cross is the world number nine Reigning champion Rob Cross and top seed Stephen Bunting suffered shock defeats on the opening night of the US Darts Masters at Madison Square Garden in New York. England's Cross suffered a 6-0 defeat by American Danny Lauby, who had previously lost three times in the first round of the event, which is part of the World Series of Darts. Englishman Bunting managed a 170 checkout, but American qualifier Jason Brandon won 6-4 and will next face Australian Damon Heta. England's world number one Luke Humphries came from 4-3 down against American Stowe Buntz, winning the final three legs to set up a meeting with Lauby. World champion Luke Littler eased into the last eight thanks to a 6-1 win over American Jules van Dongen, securing his success with a 120 checkout of three double 20s. His next opponent will be fellow Englishman Nathan Aspinall, who won the title in 2019 when the tournament was held in Las Vegas and who beat Canadian number one Matt Campbell 6-2. Two-time champion Michael van Gerwen returned to action after announcing last month he had separated from his wife Daphne with a 6-1 win over American Leonard Gates. The Dutchman will next face Welshman Gerwyn Price, the runner-up in 2024 who averaged 102.47 and hit six 180s in his 6-2 win over American qualifier Adam Sevada.
Cross and Bunting knocked out of US Darts Masters
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Rob Cross and Stephen Bunting Eliminated in Opening Round of US Darts Masters"
Bbc News
8.6
TruthLens AI Summary
The opening night of the US Darts Masters at Madison Square Garden in New York witnessed surprising upsets as reigning champion Rob Cross and top seed Stephen Bunting were eliminated from the tournament. Rob Cross, currently ranked ninth in the world, faced an unexpected defeat at the hands of American player Danny Lauby, who triumphed with a commanding 6-0 scoreline. Lauby, who had previously struggled in the first round of the event, showcased an impressive performance that led to his advancement in the competition. Meanwhile, Stephen Bunting, despite achieving a remarkable 170 checkout during his match, was unable to secure victory against American qualifier Jason Brandon, losing 6-4. Brandon's win sets him up for a challenging encounter with Australian Damon Heta in the next round.
In contrast to the early exits of Cross and Bunting, England's world number one Luke Humphries managed to overcome a deficit against American player Stowe Buntz, rallying from 4-3 down to win the final three legs of the match. Humphries will now face Lauby in the next round. Additionally, world champion Luke Littler delivered a strong performance, defeating American Jules van Dongen 6-1 and securing his victory with a notable 120 checkout. Littler's next opponent will be Nathan Aspinall, who won the tournament in 2019 and recently claimed a 6-2 victory over Canadian number one Matt Campbell. The night also saw two-time champion Michael van Gerwen return to competition after personal challenges, achieving a 6-1 victory against Leonard Gates, and he is set to face Welshman Gerwyn Price, who impressed with a 6-2 win over Adam Sevada, averaging 102.47 and hitting six 180s during the match.
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