LONDON -- Ricky Evans booked his place in the third round of the World Darts Championship after coming through a thriller against James Wade in which he missed seven match darts before sealing victory.
With the pair level at two sets each, Evans repeatedly missed the chance to put the game away, allowing Wade to take the match to a tiebreak.
But after eventually edging ahead 5-4 in the tiebreak, Evans, who is renowned for his larger-than-life onstage persona, was finally able to hold his nerve and take out 99 to seal an epic triumph.
"Imagine coming to the darts and winning 3-0 what is the point? Make it interesting! What is the point of playing boring," Evans told Sky Sports.
"I say every year I am weird but I am box office!"
Earlier on Monday, David Munyua's history-making run at the tournament was brought to an end by Kevin Doets.
Munyua,a veterinarian by trade and the first player from Kenya to play in the world darts championship, sensationally beat 18th seed Mike De Decker in the first round.
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But he was unable to rekindle the magic as he produced a disappointingly flat performance. The 30-year-old spoke candidly in a post-match news conference about how he hopes to have transformed perceptions of darts across Africa.
Elsewhere, German marksman Gabriel Clemens whitewashed Wessel Nijman and Madars Razma ensured he will return after the Christmas break as he beat Darren Beveridge 3-1.