Cameron Menzies was taken to hospital after punching a table in frustration, an action he later apologised for, following his 3-2 first-round defeat to 20-year-old debutant Charlie Manby at the World Darts Championship.
Menzies led twice in the match — taking the opening set and then going 2-1 up — but Manby, from Huddersfield, fought back to force a deciding set and ultimately pinned double four after both players had missed several attempts at double.
As Manby went to celebrate, Menzies punched the underside of the water table three times, dislodging bottles. Referee Kirk Bevins approached asking him to stop. The 26th seed, visibly upset, congratulated his opponent, raised his hands and apologised to the crowd. The incident drew blood on his knuckles, which he wiped on his face before leaving the stage.
Sky Sports commentator Glen Durrant said: “It wasn’t the ending we all want to see. For Cameron Menzies, I think he will regret that for the rest of his life, it wasn’t a good watch.”
This is the second consecutive year Menzies has been knocked out in the first round at Alexandra Palace; he also broke down in tears during and after his exit to Leonard Gates last December.
The PDC said there will be no immediate announcement on any potential fine or disciplinary action. PDC chief executive Matt Porter said he had spoken with Menzies and his management before the player left the venue and confirmed support is available from the PDC and the PDPA (Professional Darts Players Association). Porter added that incidents of this nature are reported to the Darts Regulation Authority for review, but that the main priority is the player’s health and wellbeing.
Menzies: Reaction wasn’t right
Shortly after the match, Menzies issued a statement apologising for his actions. “First of all, I would like to apologise for what happened,” he said. “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.”
He explained he had been dealing with the recent death of his uncle Gary, saying: “I saw him four days before he died and he gave a look which told me 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.”
Menzies added that none of that was an excuse: “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.”
Mardle: Menzies must control that anger
Former player and pundit Wayne Mardle said he hopes Menzies gets the support he needs and can correct his behaviour. “The frustration boiled over, the anger, the anguish in losing. But you’ve got to control that,” Mardle said. “That’s what conducting yourself the right way is all about. And he didn’t — he let himself down. I’m sure he’ll be punished accordingly by the Darts Regulation Authority. But I hope the Professional Darts Players Association are there for him. You can’t do that anywhere, let alone on the biggest stage of all. I hope he can correct his behaviour and move forward.”