Darts star Menzies apologies for punching table after five-set defeat

Cameron Menzies has apologised for angrily punching a drinks table after his five-set defeat by Charlie Manby in the first round of the PDC World Championship.

The 26th seed from Scotland hit the underside of the table three times before holding his hand up in apology to the Alexandra Palace crowd as he left the stage.

Menzies, 36, was pictured with blood pouring from a gash on his right hand.

He had led 1-0 and 2-1 in sets before highly rated English debutant Manby, 20, fought back and clinched victory with his seventh match dart.

In a statement released after the match, Menzies said: “First of all, I would like to apologise for what happened. I am sorry that I reacted in the manner that I did.

“It’s not an excuse, but I have had a lot of things on my mind recently and I suppose it all just became too much at the end.

“It has not been an easy time for me with my uncle Gary passing away recently. I saw him four days before he died and he gave me a look which told me how much he thought of me.

“Had I won the game against Charlie, my second match would have been on the day of Gary’s funeral and that hasn’t been lost on me.

“Let me say again, that’s no excuse for what I did on the stage. It was the wrong thing to do and I don’t want it to take anything away from Charlie. He played well.

“This is not how I would like people to view me. Yes, I can get emotional at times, but not like that and that wasn’t right.”

Professional Darts Corporation chief executive Matt Porter said: “I spoke with Cameron and his management before he left the venue, and he knows there is support available from the PDC and the PDPA [Professional Darts Players Association].

“Any incident of this nature is reported to the Darts Regulation Authority for review, but our main priority is the player’s health and wellbeing.”

It is the second year running that Menzies has been knocked out in the first round, after he broke down in tears during and following his exit to Leonard Gates last December.

Menzies later revealed his father Ricky had been ill in hospital at the time.

Players can be sanctioned under Darts Regulation Authority rules for aggressive, disruptive or abusive behaviour.

Former World Championship semi-finalist Wayne Mardle said on Sky Sports: “The frustration boiled over, the anger and the anguish of losing, but you’ve got to control that. That’s what conducting yourself in the right way is all about.

“He let himself down and I’m sure he’ll be punished accordingly by the Darts Regulation Authority, but hopefully the Professional Darts Players Association are there for him.

“You’ve got to control yourself and he didn’t and you can’t do that anywhere, let alone on the biggest stage of them all. I hope he can correct his behaviour and move forward.”

Two-time champion Peter Wright made it through to round two with a straight-set win over Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

The 55-year-old Scot, wearing a festive-themed outfit, landed a 152 checkout in the first set and was taken to a deciding leg in the second, before closing out victory comfortably in the third.

Wright, who will face German Arno Merk in round two, told Sky Sports: “I know I didn’t play well but I will play well in the next round. You’ve got to grow into the tournament.”

Wright, the winner in 2020 and 2022, has struggled for form in recent times and has slipped to 30th in the PDC world rankings as a result.

He reached the quarter-finals last year, ending Luke Humphries’ title defence on his way to the last eight before losing to Stephen Bunting.

Van Leuven, who became the first transgender player to appear at the PDC World Championship last year, was one of five players from the Women’s Series to qualify for the event at Alexandra Palace.

Welsh fifth seed Jonny Clayton averaged just above 93 in a 3-1 win against English debutant Adam Lipscombe, while Dutch 29th seed Dirk van Duijvenbode came through the deciding set of an entertaining match with Belgium’s Andy Baetens.

Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan, Austria’s Mensur Suljovic and Max Hopp of Germany were also victorious on Monday while Englishman Connor Scutt edged out Australian veteran Simon Whitlock 3-2.

Among the players in first-round action on Tuesday are England’s Chris Dobey, a semi-finalist last year, and Wales’ 2021 world champion Gerwyn Price.

From 12:30 GMT:

From 19:00 GMT: