Worlds round two day four thoughts

Tata/Meikle - Yikes. First set was scruffy. Second set was a bit better, third set maybe regressed a tad from there, fourth set might have been worse again especially with Tata forgetting how to hit a double in the first leg, and while the fifth set at least wasn't terrible, it wasn't anything to write home about. On paper it's a great comeback but both were such much of a muchness that it seems to me to be just variance that Jonny got up two nil rather than things going another way, nobody had a grip on that match at any point.

Gurney/Rydz - Now this one was a bit better, although still back and forth. First set was kind of a mix of missed opportunities, second and third sets Callan couldn't really get close to Gurney, but he couldn't continue it into set four, Callan playing his best stuff to date there. Then of course the first leg is a dumpster fire, could have avoided a whole string of holds where nobody got really close to breaking, until Rydz found an eleven darter in overtime, Gurney then giving him all the time in the world to kill the match off, not that he needed it.

Wattimena/Williams - This one was decidedly odd. Scott missed a bunch of doubles to go two legs down, does well to level but then runs into an eleven from Jermaine. Next set is kind of the same - except here it's more the scoring that saw Williams down 2-0. Third could easily have been a repeat except this time Jermaine missed the double for 2-0, and Scott claims it 3-1 instead. Williams then made it six straight legs to take us to a decider, only for Wattimena to sweep the decider. Solid set from Jermaine, but fuck knows what the hell Williams was thinking when, on 80 to save the match, he goes straight for double double, but on the VERY NEXT VISIT needing 10, he opts to split seconds after thinking going for the adjacent double twice is the optimal play? If you genuinely think you're good at D20 but shit at D5 then head's gone.

Wright/Merk - Don't think I'll go into this one too much. Merk was fine, but more or less anyone in the field would have won this one. Just sad to see Peter playing like this. But not surprising.

Noppert/Hood - Match of the year contender. I'll say nothing more. If you have not seen it, go away and watch it right now. It's that good.

Anderson/Scutt - Good to see Gary putting in a solid TV performance, and I think Connor putting him under a bit of early pressure with a fine start to take the opening set helped to some degree. After that, Ando looked really, really good. Even the legs Connor did take, Gary was scoring real heavily and forcing Scutt to take the chances he did take. Very promising going into what will be a tough third round match.

van Gerwen/O'Connor - This one had a fair bit of build up, especially given the players' respective first round matches, but this more or less got decided quickly after Willie missed the shot to take the first set quickly himself, proceeding to lose the next six legs and be two nil down in sets. In some he was close (was on 16 after nine in one ffs), others not so much. A set was pulled back, two good holds and then a maybe slightly fortunate break to avoid needing to serve it out, but would still need to break in the fourth and he couldn't find it. Maybe if Willie had have gone 1-0 up, this plays out a fair bit differently, but we'll never know.

Rock/Comito - Not a great deal to say in this one - much like yesterday, this one was just a big mismatch, Rock posting a ton average without ever really getting out of second gear. Which is a good sign for him. Joe wasn't bad but just couldn't score heavily enough by comparison.

Might have round three projections up later. Might be tomorrow. Might be Friday. It'll be in time to punt though.