- Cameron Menzies suffered a first round loss to world number 130 Leonard Gates.
- Menzies broke down in tears towards the end of the match at Alexandra Palace.
Cameron Menzies broke down in heartbreaking tears during his first round match at the World Championships as he suffered a shock defeat.
Menzies, partner of darts star and pioneer Fallon Sherrock, lost 3-1 to world number 130 Leonard Gates despite being ranked 91 places higher.
The Scot endured a difficult night at Alexandra Palace as he managed to complete just five of 32 checks, with his highest score being 72.
Towards the end of the decisive second leg, as Menzies edged closer to defeat, the 35-year-old began to break down and could barely hold back his tears.
The boisterous crowd rallied behind his opponent and Menzies was even seen crying as he walked up to throw before appearing distraught at the end of the game.
And, speaking after her stunning win, US star Gates opened up about what was happening on stage.
Cameron Menzies broke down in tears during his first round match at the World Championship.
The Scot suffered a shock defeat to world number 130 Leonard Gates despite being ranked 39th.
Menzies looked distraught towards the end of the match as he fell towards the American.
“I was definitely aware of it (his emotions),” he said. “But at the same time, I want my opponent to do the best they can against me to see if I can do the best I can against them.”
“I told him to use the energy of the crowd, to keep coming and playing the best he can to grow the PDC.”
Gates showed his support for Menzies and made sure to point out the Scot’s qualities.
“We played together in Las Vegas,” he added. ‘So I know what he can do. You know when he feels good and has had a good time, having fun and having a good time.
“He can throw some fantastic darts and I mean, I take my hat off to him.” “You know Cameron Menzies is a great man, a great opponent and I hope he keeps going.”
Gates, meanwhile, is known for his showmanship on the circuit and showed plenty of that on Monday night when he performed a variety of dance moves during his walk in an attempt to warm up the crowd.
Gates’ antics were applauded by those in attendance, with chants of “USA” echoing throughout Alexandra Palace.
On the other hand, Menzies endured a more low-key entrance and regularly faced the wrath of the crowd.
The pair hugged after the game, but Menzies was clearly devastated by what had happened.
However, Gates made sure to bask in his victory in front of an adoring crowd in London.
Several fans were quick to show their support for Menzies following his difficult evening.
The 35-year-old was taunted with anti-Scotland chants throughout the clash, including when he managed to get the tie back to 1-1, while he was also booed when he struggled to score big scores and misses, which included will miss 20 darts. double.
Similarly, he was seen sweating and looking nervous on stage as he unfortunately struggled to deal with the pressure of the match.
Gates hugged Menzies after the match, before showing off more dance moves to celebrate.
However, several fans were quick to sympathize with Menzies after the match and took to social media to show their support.
‘Okay, I’m all for drama and tension, but this is beyond difficult to watch. The crowd needs to get Menzies off their back,” said one.
Another added: “Cameron Menzies is breaking down emotionally. This has become a difficult task.”
Another fan chimed in and said: “It’s hard to see Cameron Menzies here.” I clearly have a lot of talent but I can’t keep it together.’
The 35-year-old has shown his quality this year and won his first PDC ranking title at the Players Championship 29 in Leicester in October.
He will hope to bounce back from his difficult night, as Gates advances to face Nathan Aspinall in the second round.