PDC World Championship 2024: Brendan Dolan ‘mentally collapsed’ in famous Anderson win

Brendan Dolan says he told himself to “be brave” in his thrilling victory over Gary Anderson in the last 16 of the PDC World Championship.

The Northern Irishman was two sets up but two-time champion Anderson pulled off a strong recovery to lead 3-2.

Dolan hit back to level the match and won a tense decider to set up a quarter-final with Luke Littler.

“It was really tough – I mentally collapsed when I was 2-0 up,” Dolan told Sky Sports.

Scotland’s Anderson, who won the title in 2015 and 2016, was off colour in the early stages in the last-16 tie as Dolan, 50, built up a two-set advantage.

“I went 2-0 up and I was wondering what was wrong with Gary,” admitted Dolan, who is now in the quarter-finals for the second time and the win over Anderson comes after he knocked out another former champion Gerwyn Price in the previous round.

“I fell into the trap that he wasn’t at it and he wasn’t going to be at it, then the next thing he’s staring to kick into gear and come back.

“Next thing he’s ahead of me and I’m wondering – ‘don’t let this go, at least fight, make him win it’. I got it back to 3-3 and I thought ‘it’s in the lap of the gods’.”

After both players missed chances to gain an advantage in the deciding seventh set, Dolan had to throw a three double three to seal victory in the topsy-turvey tie.

“When you’re on double three you wonder what to do – I said, in the Matchplay, I hit double three to beat Michael van Gerwen – just go for it, be brave and go for it.

“If not, you split the board and go one double one and it’s into the lap of the gods. I went for, hit it. That was some game.

“[It was] very special because played one of the greats of the game in my lifetime – you have Phil [Taylor], Michael [van Gerwen], Gary, Peter Wright and Gerwyn [Price] is coming into the equation among the greats of all time.

“Just to play them is just an honour but to actually beat them in games is an awesome feeling.”

Speaking ahead of the match between Raymond van Barneveld and teenage sensation Littler, who hammered the former champion 4-1, Dolan said he did not mind who he faced in the last eight on New Year’s Day.

“I’d take any of them – I’m there,” Dolan added.

“It’s not cockiness that I can beat any of them but I just know I can do a job at any time against anybody. The crowd wasn’t with me tonight and I expect the crowd will not be with me the next night.”