Cameron Menzies’ World Darts Championship campaign ended in ugly fashion on Monday afternoon as the Scot lost his cool following a shock defeat to debutant “Champagne Charlie” Manby at Alexandra Palace.
The 26th seed was dumped out of the tournament after Manby, just 20 years of age, held his nerve to land double one in a deciding set and secure a memorable 3–2 victory on his World Championship debut.
While Charlie Manby celebrated the biggest win of his career, the spotlight quickly shifted to Menzies’ reaction in the moments that followed.
Sky Sports cameras captured Cameron Menzies punching the water table multiple times and knocking items to the floor as he exited the stage, scenes that drew immediate criticism from the commentary box.
Former PDC world number 11 Glen Durrant was visibly disappointed as he reacted to the incident.
It was not the ending we wanted to see. I’ll keep it short and sweet. For Cameron, I think he’ll regret that for the rest of his life. It was not a good watch.
Stuart Pyke echoed those sentiments, acknowledging the raw emotion but questioning the manner of the response.
I agree. An extraordinary reaction. We actually saw him walking off the stage, he did raise his hand, didn’t he? A spur-of-the-moment thing. Whatever happens to Cameron Menzies, that’s for the future.
The incident overshadowed what should have been a breakthrough moment for Charlie Manby, who showed impressive composure throughout the contest. Trading blows with a seeded opponent, the young Englishman refused to be overawed by the Ally Pally stage and calmly closed out the match when the opportunity presented itself.
For Cameron Menzies, the defeat and subsequent outburst ensured his World Championship exit will be remembered for the wrong reasons, while Charlie Manby moves on with momentum, and a nickname, firmly intact as his fairytale debut continues.
