Cameron Menzies leaves Grand Slam of Darts ‘in a huff’ to get back to work before getting last-gasp place in knockouts
CAMERON MENZIES left the Grand Slam “in a huff” before getting a last-gasp place in the knockout stages.
The Scottish ace thought he was out of the event after losing 5-1 to Beau Greaves in his final group match on Monday night.
But Menzies, 35, was in the car on the way home with girlfriend Fallon Sherrock when he was told that due to Danny Noppert’s 5-2 win over Martin Schindler, he was back in the tournament!
After finishing level on points and legs won, the Scot had qualified by the narrowest of margins thanks to his victory over Schindler on Saturday night.
He now faces James Wade on Wednesday night and admitted: “No I didn’t watch it, I took the huff. I said to Fallon, get back to the hotel, get our kit and drive home because I’m working on Tuesday.
“I got in the passenger seat, laid back and said to Fall ‘don’t talk to me’.
“I thought if I get beat, I need to get beat 5-3 or 5-4. But when I got beat 5-1 I went off in a huff.
“I’m very lucky to get through. But I guess that’s just darts for you. I’ll take the luck.
“Fallon’s manager Jason Thame called her to tell her I was through. I thought I was done. I was in the passenger seat of the car. I owe Danny Noppert a beer or two!”
“I’m working plumbing on Tuesday and Wednesday but I’ll have to phone in and ask to work just half a shift on Wednesday.
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“I’ll be honest, I never thought that far ahead for the knockout stages and I probably don’t deserve to be there. But everything is a bonus.”
By reaching the last 16, this is now his most successful run in a PDC event.
He added: “It’s a bit of a free hit now. I might lose this game, I might win this game.
“Personally I don’t think I deserve to be here. No pressure because I’m lucky to be here.”
Menzies struggled in his clash with Greaves and believes the occasion got to him.
He said: “I think I got caught up thinking ‘just win, just win’. I think I played OK.
“But Beau played really well, she was really good. I knew that was going to happen.
“I felt she had nothing to lose now. Beau under no pressure is a scary Beau. She battered me to be fair.
“I missed a couple of doubles here and there. I hit a lot of 180s but not a lot in between.
“It was pressure I guess, I don’t know. It wasn’t a good game. I felt tension in my arm. I didn’t feel good.”