Callan Rydz addresses World Championship crowd after X-rated chants | Other | Sport

Callan Rydz thanked the Alexandra Palace crowd for his or her assist throughout his victory over Welshman Rob Owen, regardless of a number of X-rated chants about his hair.

The Newcastle-born star went viral on social media after the Ally Pally wasp appeared to get caught in his hair in the course of the match, with out Rydz noticing as he continued to throw on the board.

These contained in the venue later seen and commenced bellowing a chant about what they described as “s*** hair” being sported by the 26-year-old, who got here from behind to defeat Owen.

One other disappointing doubles effort from Owen, who was taking part in within the third spherical of the competitors for the primary time in his profession, left Rydz with the prospect to seal a 4-3 victory with double 10 – he duly obliged.

The group quickly went from mocking Rydz’s haircut to chanting his identify and he addressed them on-stage, chatting with Sky Sports activities as he mentioned: “The group received me by way of that match. Rob battered me within the first two units, so thanks very a lot to the gang.

“They have been saying Man United however I am a Newcastle fan! No thanks very a lot to everybody.”

He then devoted the victory to his late grandmother, with Rydz including: “I noticed a photograph this week of me celebrating Christmas with my grandma who I misplaced and it actually harm, so that is for her.

“I did not really feel like I performed good there however I’ve seen the typical and I used to be first rate. I’ve a day without work tomorrow to recharge the batteries. I believe Rob is a superb lad and simply the gang received me by way of this recreation, so thanks very a lot everybody.”

Rydz added in his post-match press convention: “I am not going to cry about it (the mantra) – I’ve the worst buddies on the planet and I get far worse off them.

“If I can win video games with 3,000 individuals taking the mick, they will crack on. I cannot lose sleep over it. The group received me that recreation, not pure potential. I’m grateful to them for that. I’m an absolute fruitcake.”

Owen had threatened to go 3-0 up however Rydz managed to climate the storm and his reward for battling valiantly is a spot within the quarter-finals towards both Michael van Gerwen or Jeffrey de Graaf on New 12 months’s Day.

He averaged 97.38 and threw a dozen 180s, coupled with a 43 per cent success fee on doubles, to storm again after a formidable begin by Owen.

It has been a formidable Ally Pally run by Rydz, who has reached the quarter-finals for the third time in his profession, having downed eleventh seed Dimitri Van den Bergh within the earlier spherical.

That got here after the Belgian had branded Rydz as “unstable” following dominant victories over Romeo Grbavac and Martin Schindler.

“I went, ‘He isn’t mistaken,’ however I believe that was the hearth within the stomach that I wanted,” Rydz defined after decimating Van den Bergh 4-0 and recording a sensational three-dart common of 105.31.