PDC take action as darts star hits out at crowd amid chaotic Austrian Open scenes | Other | Sport

PDC chiefs ejected five spectators at the Austrian Open on Saturday evening after they riled up Chris Dobey by whistling. Dobey eventually came out on top in his encounter with Ricardo Pietreczko as he thrashed the German 6-1.

Dobey has endured mixed fortunes this year, having lost his previous seven European Tour matches after reaching the Players Championship final and winning the Players Championship 3 title. He is part of the star-studded Premier League Darts line-up and clinched his first victory of the campaign in the competition when he defeated Stephen Bunting in the final on Night 11 earlier this month. The talented ace is one of the favourites to win the Austrian Open in the absence of Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen.

Dobey appeared distracted at times during his showdown with Pietreczko as some members of the crowd whistled at crucial moments of the match. But he held his nerve after they were removed as he threw an average of 105 to cement his place in the last-16.

The 34-year-old then took aim at the crowd after the match as he exclaimed: “You get a few idiots in the crowd who try and put you both off. It put me off at the start and it put him off at the latter stages of games.

“All I can say is respect the guys on here. You have all paid to come and see the darts so just be respectful.”

Discussing his recent form, he then added: “I keep bumping into Jermaine Wattimena, who gives us an absolute hiding every single time. I’m comfortable at where my game is now. It’s about time I come up on stage here and produce the game that I can. It’s nice to be winning.”

Dobey will take on Dutchman Wessel Nijman in his next match, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

And he explained: “He is a great player and an upcoming talent. We have had many games already. He was one of the players to beat me on the Euro Tour and I will be looking for my revenge.”

The winner of the Austrian Open will get their hands on a cool £30,000, with the runner-up earning £12,000.

But Dobey will face plenty of competition for the title, with Peter Wright and Ross Smith going head-to-head in the last-16 and Dirk van Duijvenbode due to take on Matt Campbell.

Josh Rock is the favourite to lift the trophy, with the Northern Irishman facing a clash with Danny Noppert in the last-16.