PDC World Darts Championship: Mervyn King & Peter Wright into last eight
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King's best run at Alexandra Palace was his appearance in the semi-finals in 2009
Veteran Mervyn King reached the PDC World Darts Championship quarter-finals for the first time since 2009 as he fought back to beat Raymond Smith.
The 55-year-old Englishman trailed 2-0 and 3-1 before sweeping back to win 4-3 as Australian Smith faltered.
"Wow, it's unbelievable, it's brought tears to my eyes," King told Sky Sports.
He was joined in the last eight by Scotland's Peter Wright, who dispatched England's Ryan Searle 4-1.
Second-seeded Wright, who won the title in 2020, was in ominous form, averaging over 100 before taking six darts to land his match-winning double 18 in Thursday evening's headline match.
But the day belonged to King, who wears earplugs to block out the often unsupportive Alexandra Palace crowd and who was left emotional as support swung behind him in the latter stages of the contest.
King's best run at the tournament in his two decades at the top level is a semi-final appearance in 2009, but he is confident he can go one better this year.
"I've got the game to make the final. It just depends if my proper game turns up," he said.
King will play compatriot James Wade next after the fourth seed demolished Dutchman Martijn Kleermaker 4-0.
Wright is aiming to win back the title he clinched for the first time in 2020
Elsewhere, Luke Humphries, who received a bye through the previous round after Dave Chisnall tested positive for Covid, beat Chris Dobey 4-3 to make his third quarter-final in four years.
World number 36 Callan Rydz is on collision course with Wright after seeing off Alan Soutar 4-1 in his own last-16 tie.
Wright's countryman Gary Anderson, seeded fifth, came through a close-fought contest with England's Gary Cross 4-3 to keep alive his hopes of reclaiming a title he won in 2015 and 2016.
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