Zong confirms Ally Pally return after glory in the inaugural PDC China Championship
Zong confirms Ally Pally return after glory in the inaugural PDC China Championship.
After winning the inaugural PDC China Championship on Sunday, Xiaochen Zong will compete in his fourth World Darts Championship in December.
Zong, who has been the dominant force in Chinese darts in recent years, won the Sunday final against Wenqing Liu in straight sets, solidifying his position as the sport’s premier player.
Twenty-four players competed in the $10,000 event’s inaugural staging in Xiamen for the title and World Championship qualification; Zong emerged victorious after winning 31 legs and giving up just seven.
The 26-year-old breezed through Group A with decisive wins over Yuyi Shao and Zishuo Wang. Against Wang, he rallied from a 2-0 deficit over five sets, and against Shao, he averaged 96 to finish a five-leg rout.
Zong then defeated Zhiwei Lin in a decisive set to start the elimination stages. In the semi-finals, he defeated Xicheng Han in straight sets after winning six legs without a break.
This set up a match versus Liu for a spot at Alexandra Palace, but Zong, the star of the Chinese national team, stole the show, giving up just one set en route to a convincing straight-set victory.
The PDC Asian Championship, which will be held in the Philippines from October 17–20, will feature Zong as the main attraction. Over the course of four days, top Asian darts players will battle for the coveted crown in Manila.
2024 PDC China Championship
Sunday August 18, Xiamen, China
Quarter-Finals (Set-Play Format)
Xiaochen Zong 2-1 Zhiwei Lin
Xicheng Han 2-0 Binjie He
Wenqing Liu 2-0 Jingsong Lin
Bin Zheng 2-1 Zizhao Zheng
Semi-Finals
Xiaochen Zong 2-0 Xicheng Han
Wenqing Liu 2-1 Bin Zheng
Final
Xiaochen Zong 3-0 Wenqing Liu