Martin Lukeman and Mickey Mansell delivered stunning victories on Friday night to secure their places in the semi-finals of the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, overcoming heavily favored opponents in dramatic fashion.
Lukeman Stuns Cross
World number four and 2022 runner-up Rob Cross suffered a shock defeat to Martin Lukeman, who triumphed 16-11 in a composed performance. Lukeman recovered from an early deficit, showcasing his finishing brilliance with a spectacular 144 checkout among other key shots.
Despite Cross rallying to tie the match at 10-10, Lukeman displayed nerves of steel to pull away for the win.
Lukeman, visibly elated, reflected on his victory:
“It’s absolutely brilliant but I’ve got two more to go.”
“I fear no one. I’ve beaten all the big players before, so why not here?”
Lukeman is confident heading into the semi-finals, where he expects a fierce battle against fellow underdog Mickey Mansell:
“Mickey is a gentleman and a good player, but I’m up for a war on Sunday.”
Mansell’s Marathon Victory
Veteran player Mickey Mansell edged Cameron Menzies in a nail-biting 16-15 win, decided by the narrowest of margins in a marathon 31-leg thriller.
After falling behind 4-0 early, Mansell stormed back, leveling the match at 8-8 and keeping pace in a contest that ebbed and flowed. Ultimately, Mansell held his nerve in the deciding leg, hitting 59 with a clean tops finish for a career-defining victory.
An emotional Mansell spoke about his hard-fought win:
“It’s an unbelievable feeling…I’ve put in so many hours of practice over the years for this moment.”
“My scoring was fantastic tonight. I felt I was the better player, but I was just missing too many doubles. I stuck in there, and tops came good for me in the end.”
Mansell credited lessons learned from previous heartbreaks, such as his loss to Brendan Dolan at the World Championship, for helping him handle the immense pressure in the final leg.
Semi-Final Matchups
The semi-finals on Sunday will pit the two surprise stars against each other as Martin Lukeman faces Mickey Mansell in what promises to be a thrilling battle of underdogs.
Meanwhile, the remaining quarter-finals on Saturday will determine the other semi-finalists:
Luke Littler vs. Jermaine Wattimena
Gary Anderson vs. Gian van Veen
With the tournament already delivering plenty of upsets, the stage is set for more fireworks as the competition nears its climax.
