Cameron Menzies broke down in tears as he was sent crashing out at the Ally Pally.
The Scot was visibly distressed on stage after being beaten 3-1 by American Leonard Gates. The Ayrshire ace had been hounded by the crowd throughout the match. The Rangers fan wept openly at the finish in a heartbreaking finale which was tough to watch for any fair-minded fan in the crowd and millions on TV.
And just minutes after the defeat, the emotional star took to social media to post a now deleted picture of his ill dad Ricky in hospital saying: “This is all.”
Crushed Menzies, who is Fallon Sherrock’s boyfriend, was comforted by Texas Lorry driver Gates as the torturing crowd hammered him from his walk-on. Gates said: “I definitely picked up on it throughout the game and like I told him in the end, I just said use that energy. I told him I said, ‘you have a lot of darts left in you.’
“We played together in Vegas. So I know what he can do. You know when he’s feeling good and he’s had good having fun and have a good time. He can throw some great darts and I mean I hats off to him. You know Cameron Menzies is a great man a great opponent and I hope he keeps going.”
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Three-time world darts champion Glen Durrant also shared his sympathy, adding: “On the floor, Cammy has been the best player in the room. He’s the one that has stood out. It feels like it is a different game when you go on stage. It is just not happening for him. He is full of emotion.
“When you look at his preparation, he will have to work out if he is to find a solution about why he doesn’t play on the stage as he does on the floor. He’s extremely talented. But at the end, it was a little worrying.”
Menzies’ fellow Scot Alan Soutar was left broken darted too. The firefighter’s dreams were earlier sunk as he lost 3-1 to German Kai Gotthardt. James Wade was also sent packing as the Englishman was blitzed 3-0 by the Netherlands’ Jermaine Wattimena. But Gerwyn Price eased into round three with a 3-0 win over Keane Barry.