‘Rafael Nadal of darts’ leaves commentator stunned with bizarre routine at World Darts Championship
ALEXIS TOYLO has caught the eye during his Ally Pally debut – for his bizarre pre-throw routine.
The Filipino saw off Richard Veenstra 3-0 on Saturday afternoon to book his place in the second round of the PDC World Championship.
Toylo was considered a big outsider against the World No. 47 before a dart was thrown.
But the 32-year-old dominated the contest, completing a whitewash with an 86.03 average.
Methodical at the Oche, Toylo showed off his bizarre pre-throw ritual which he completes before each visit.
Prior to each set of three, he slows proceedings down by attempting a number of ghost throws.
The method caught the attention of Abigail Davies, who was on commentary for Sky Sports.
She said: “Toylo is sort of the Rafael Nadal of the darting world with all these routines.”
Davies was referring to Nadal’s painstaking routine prior to every serve.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner is famous for adjusting his shorts, touching both shoulders and tweaking his nose before throwing the ball skywards.
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Fans were quick to notice Toylo’s slow approach to darts – a far cry from the fast-paced game employed by many at the very top.
One fan wrote on X during the contest: “So hard to play against someone with that tempo.”
Another said: “Watching this bloke is like watching paint dry…”
While a third added: “Gosh……sorry but that was painful to watch.”
But a fourth countered: “Why am I seeing hate for Toylo? He got the job done.”
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Toylo will now face Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski in the second round.
The delighted Filipino said after his win: “I felt the pressure to deliver.
“I’m so happy I won, it’s hard to describe how I’m feeling right now.”