For the second round in a row, reigning WDF World Champion Neil Duff prevailed in a thrilling last-set decider. The Northern Irishman battling from behind to see off the challenge of Martyn Turner and keep his hopes of retaining his Lakeside title alive.
“I definitely didn’t play like a world champion,” Duff reflected in his post-match interview. “I don’t know what it was. I practiced earlier on and I was hitting everything but once I got up there, I was questioning in my own head and I couldn’t switch it off. I was very lucky not to be two down but I think once I fought myself back into it again, the last set experience just got me over the line.”
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As he aims to emulate Raymond van Barneveld and Glen Durrant in successfully defending their first Lakeside title, Duff’s biggest asset could be his mental strength, as evidenced by his surviving of two scares. “As a player, you don’t think I’m almost going out here. If you do, you’ll be out. You can’t think of it. You have to fight, you rally and you get yourself back into the game again and give yourself chances,” he analyses.
