Austrian darts professional Rowby-John Rodriguez from Karlsruher SC lost his match in the first round at the World Cup of Darts. His team cheered on television in Karlsruhe.
Everyone holds their breath during the last dart. Then a collective moan. The arrow stops in the double 18. But no one has broken out in the attic of Florian Flickinger, the head of the darts department at Karlsruher SC. The goal counted for Lourence Ilagan and spelled the end for KSC professional Rowby-John Rodriguez.
About an hour and a half before: In his first round match against Filipino Lourence Ilagan, Rowby-John Rodriguez is the favorite, but the player from KSC Vienna still doesn’t want to take his opponent lightly – and he’s doing well. From the start, Ilagan proves he didn’t come to Alexandra Palace to watch. The Filipino quickly wins the first set and Rodriguez doesn’t fare much better in the second either. Soon Ilagan leads the second set of two legs.
“He Can Still Do It” – Flickinger on Rowby-John Rodriguez
However, Rodriguez is not impressed, he addresses the audience and is an entertainer. “Now he’s doing a show with the audience so that he comes into it,” sums up Flickinger in front of the television at home. The little psycho trick works. Rodriguez took the third leg and narrowed it to 1:2. However, Ilagan replies. With 1:3 Rowby-John Rodriguez is also defeated in the second set. This doesn’t look good. The 20 spectators in KSC jerseys in front of the television in Karlsruhe are getting nervous. 0-2 from Rodriguez’s point of view. For Flickinger, however, it is clear: “He absolutely can still shoot it.”
Flickinger appears to be right. Rodriguez fights his way back into the game. With a “now it’s here” the round in Karlsruher acknowledged the set win of the teammate at 1:2. The game is open again.
Rodriguez equalized – hopefully at KSC
Also in the fourth round Rodriguez pushes his opponent in front of him. The 28-year-old Viennese of Filipino origin also takes the fourth set and is finally back in the match – 2:2. He will decide the fifth sentence. Optimism is spreading in Karlsruhe: “Now you can see Ilagan’s body language: he’s not doing well for him,” says Flickinger. And once again he is right. Rodriguez starts the decisive fifth set with a break. With a double 18, Rodriguez takes a 1-0 lead. The mood is on the rise in Karlsruhe. But not for long. Rodriguez loses two chances to win the first leg, Ilagan is there and equalizes at 1-1.
game start! The World Cup of Darts is just around the corner. A very special time of year for many. So also for the darts professional Rodriguez, for whom the KSC has become part of his sports house.
The momentum seems to be on the side of the Filipino again, who also immediately gets the next stage. 2:1 stands for Ilagan. Rodriguez can equalize again, but now he needs a break. He doesn’t look good for the KSC man. And that’s not even good. Ilagan takes the leg and wins 3-2. His first ever victory in the infamous “Ally Pally”. For Rowby-John Rodriguez the World Cup ended after the first game.
Flickinger is already eyeing Walldorf and Darmstadt
“The run to catch up was actually near perfect,” Flickinger says shortly after the game. “Until he has to make it 2-0. But I still think he played well, and he can still be proud of that,” said Flickinger. And now? “Okay, now let’s move on,” he smiles. Rodriguez will soon have to return to play in the Bundesliga, in matches against Walldorf and Darmstadt. “We’ll rebuild it,” Flickinger says. His group of 20 spectators has long been on target. Playing instead of celebrating first round victory: the night in Karlsruhe could still be long.
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