07 January 2020

Mikuru Suzuki battles back from set down to begin BDO World Darts Championship defence with victory over Maria O'Brien

Defending champion Mikuru Suzuki booked her place in the quarter-finals of the 2020 BDO Women's World Darts Championships with a 2-1 victory over England's Maria O'Brien.

Last year, the 37-year-old became only the third non-English woman to win the tournament since its inception in 2001 when she beat Lorraine Winstanley 3-0 in the final.

But despite her pedigree, Suzuki was made to work to ensure she did not face an embarassing first round exit this time around as O'Brien took the first set without reply.

But the Japanese world title holder fought back valiantly to win the best of three set match and advance through to the last eight.

Suzuki is back in familiar territory in a women's tournament after she was knocked out in the men's PDC World Darts Championship event at the end of 2019.

The BDO champion will now play either three-time winner Anastasia Dobromyslova or The Netherlands' Sharon Prins for a place in the semi-finals.

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox