World Cup of Darts: Germany are 'capable of winning this title' admits Martin Schindler
- Planet Sport writer
- 16 June 2023
Germany turned on the style in front of their home fans on the opening day of action at the World Cup of Darts.
Germany opened their World Cup of Darts campaign with a whitewash win over Hong Kong, as Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler dispatched Man Lok Leung and Lok Yin Lee in four straight legs.
Clemens and Schindler reached the quarter-finals in their first appearance as a partnership 12 months ago, and they averaged 94 to send out a statement in their Group B curtain-raiser.
"I think if we play our game we have a chance, definitely," declared Schindler, who pinned four of his six attempts at double.
"I think we have shown that we are capable of winning this title, but tonight was the first step, and now we have to focus on tomorrow."
Germany's number one Clemens hailed his compatriot's performance, as the sixth seeds prepare to take on 2019 semi-finalists Japan on Friday evening.
"It's a very good start. Martin played amazing darts tonight," added the World Championship semi-finalist.
"We have a lot of confidence. We are a good team and we know that, but tomorrow is a new day."
However, Danish debutant Benjamin Reus produced the performance of the opening night, boasting an astonishing individual average of 114.7 to stun 2021 runners-up Austria in Group F.
Reus also landed four 180s and conjured up a match-winning 116 finish as he and Vladimir Andersen condemned Mensur Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriguez to a shock 4-2 defeat.
"I don't know what just happened. I was completely in the zone," reflected Reus, who featured in January's Nordic Darts Masters.
"I was totally relaxed and everything went perfectly tonight. We played two really good PDC players, so we knew we needed to find something extra tonight."
French duo Jacques Labre and Thibault Tricole also enjoyed a dream debut in Frankfurt, courtesy of an emphatic 4-1 rout against Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan and Daryl Gurney.
Labre and Tricole dominated their more experienced opponents, and a 114 checkout from Tricole capped off a terrific display, as Northern Ireland's miserable recent record at this event continues.
