Cameron Menzies lost his head after defeat in the opening round of the World Darts Championship to Charlie Manby, repeatedly punching his table before being asked to leave the stage with blood streaming from his hand.
The Scot was ahead at 1-0 and 2-1 in sets, but the 20-year-old debutant kept fighting back and then triumphed in a deciding set to win 3-2 and progress to the second round at Alexandra Palace.
Menzies, the seeded player, was absolutely furious in defeat and as Manby came to shake his hand the 36-year-old was throwing uppercuts at his drinks table.
The youngster didn’t really know what to do as the more experienced man completely lost his head.
After the violent outburst, Menzies did go to shake his opponent’s hand and give him a hug, but the referee stepped in and asked him to leave the stage.
Menzies did raise a hand in apology and gestured towards the crowd as they booed him, seemingly regretting his reaction quickly afterwards.
‘Cameron Menzies is beating the living daylights out of the water table,’ said Dan Dawson on commentary. ‘He kept his calm all the way through the game but could not take his chance to save himself right at the end.’
Glen Durrant, on commentary for the next game between David Cameron and Mensur Suljovic, said on Sky Sports: ‘It wasn’t the ending we all want to see.
‘For Cameron Menzies I think he’ll regret that for the rest of his life, it was not a good watch.’
On the match, Duzza added: ‘Charlie Manby, there’s a superstar in the making.’
Menzies has since released a statement, explaining why he was especially emotional at Alexandra Palace.
He wrote, via Online Darts: ‘First of all, I would like to apologise for what happened. I am sorry that I reacted in the manner that I did. It’s not an excuse, but I have had a lot of things on my mind recently and I suppose it all just became too much at the end.
‘It has not been an easy time for me with my uncle Gary passing away recently. I saw him four days before he died and he gave a look which told how much he thought of me. He treated me like a son. Had I won the game against Charlie, my second match would have been on the day of Gary’s funeral and that has not been lost on me in recent days.
‘Let me say again, that’s 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 and deserved his win.
‘This is not how I would like people to view me. Yes I can get emotional at times, but not like that and that wasn’t right.’
The winner will not be bothered by Menzies’ meltdown, saying after his brilliant win: ‘It was absolutely amazing.
‘I think when I won my first set I settled a lot. It was a good feeling to get settled on the stage where I’ve never played before.
‘This is hundred per cent, hands down, the greatest thing I’ve ever done in darts.’
Manby will be hoping he can follow up this win when he takes on either Canadian Matt Campbell or American Adam Sevada in the second round.
