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Cameron Menzies, in a fit of anger after his unexpected defeat to England’s Charlie Manby in the first round, punched the table, bleeding from his right hand. World Darts Championship At Alexandra Palace.
The 36-year-old Scot, seeded 26th in the tournament, lost a final-set decider against the 20-year-old debutant, ranked 166th in the PDC world rankings.
After Mandy scored a spectacular victory, Menzies turned to the Paddy Power-branded drinks stand containing his water bottle and darts case and punched the bottom of it three times.
Menzies had a deep wound on his right hand and was already bleeding heavily when he left the stage. He later apologized for his “emotional” reaction to the defeat and explained that his uncle Gary had recently passed away.
Scott, who was treated by on-site physicians, led the tie twice before going 2–1 ahead after winning the opening set and missing four darts to force a final leg before Manby hit his seventh match dart to win the match.
Menzies did not attack immediately as Manby wildly celebrated his victory, but then when the 20-year-old approached him to shake his hand he delivered several uppercuts at the base of the drinks table.
Manby appeared to be moved by the anger of his defeated opponent and they shook hands as Menzies picked up his darts case which had fallen from the table.
Some members of the crowd then criticized Menzies and Scott raised his hands in acknowledgment as he left the stage.
Sky Sports commentator Glenn Durrant said that Menzies would regret his decision to punch the table for the rest of his life.
“This was not the ending we all wanted to see,” Durant said. “For Cameron Menzies, I think he’ll regret for the rest of his life that it wasn’t a good watch.”
Co-commentator Stuart Pykes said: “I agree, [it was] An extraordinary reaction but we saw him walk off the stage and he raised his hand in apology. It was a momentary inspiration.”
“First of all, I want to apologize for what happened,” Menzies said in a statement released to Sky Sports. “I’m sorry I reacted that way. This is not an excuse, but I have had a lot on my mind lately and I think it all just became too much in the end.
“It hasn’t been an easy time for me since my uncle Gary passed away recently. I saw him four days before he died and the look he gave me told me how much he thought of me.
“If I had won the game against Charlie, my second match would have been on the day of Gary’s funeral and he would not have lost to me. I want to say again, there is no excuse for what I did on the stage.
“It was the wrong thing to do and I don’t want it to take anything away from Charlie. He played well. I don’t want people to see me like that. Yes, I can be emotional sometimes, but not like that and it wasn’t right.”
It is the second time in as many years that Menzies has been ruled out of the opening round at Ely Pally, having started crying during and after his exit from Leonard Gates last December. Menzies later revealed that his father Ricky was in hospital.