FORMER champions Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld opened the 2017 bwin Grand Slam of Darts with big victories on Saturday as Glen Durrant produced an outstanding win over Peter Wright in Wolverhampton.
Dutch star Van Gerwen, the winner in 2015 and 2016 at the Wolves Civic, dropped just one leg as he powered past Scottish debutant Ross Montgomery to begin his bid for a third straight title. The number one seed now plays Rob Cross on Sunday in a repeat of the recent European Championship final, after the emerging star from Sussex averaged an impressive 104 in his own 5-1 win, against Joe Murnan. "It's a good start," said Van Gerwen. "I was never troubled and it was a solid win. "I hit the right shots and the right moments and I want to keep that going. Of course I want to add another title this week and I know I've got more in the tank." Six-time champion Phil Taylor also dropped only one leg as he saw off Australian Peter Machin, the BDO World Trophy winner, to begin his final Wolverhampton challenge before retirement in strong style. "It's nice to win but I was a bit nervous, especially when I gave him the second leg," said Taylor, who now faces Robbie Green. "Winning today isn't as important, you have to win tomorrow." Green also claimed an opening 5-1 victory in Group C as he overcame a below-par James Wade, with the two-time Grand Slam of Darts finalist now facing a must-win tie with Machin on Sunday. The 43-year-old from Wallasey had also found himself in hospital during the night ahead of his Grand Slam opener following an insect bite to his head, but showed no ill-effects on the oche. "It's been a crazy day but life throws challenges at you and you've got to overcome them," said Green. "I woke up at 4am and my face was swollen, I had to go to A&E and they put me on antibiotics. It's feeling better and hopefully it will keep improving." Van Barneveld, meanwhile, swept aside local hero Jamie Hughes 5-1 as the 2012 champion came from a leg down to average almost 99 in opening Group B with a win. He now plays Welshman Gerwen Price, who held off a fightback from young Irish qualifier Steve Lennon to claim a 5-3 victory in their opening fixture. Reigning Lakeside Champion Glen Durrant was the opening day's most impressive winner as he stormed to a 5-2 win over number two seed Peter Wright, averaging 106.05 "That's a perfect start for me and I'm delighted with that," said Durrant. "I wasn't sure exactly where my game was at and this is a real opportunity to see where I am. "That's probably my highest average in a TV tournament and I felt good. I was controlled and I stayed calm, even though inside I was doing cartwheels." Durrant now plays Alan Norris, who survived one missed match dart from Australian newcomer Corey Cadby before escaping with the points from their Group E opener. World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney was in clinical mood as he hit five doubles from eight attempts in seeing off Dutchman Danny Noppert, with the number four seed now meeting Mark Webster. Webster defied a 156 checkout from namesake Darren Webster to claim a 5-3 as finishes of 96 and 117 turned the tie the Welshman's way. Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson landed a 148 checkout as he overcame fellow Scot Cameron Menzies 5-3 in Group H. Anderson now plays young Dutchman Berry van Peer, who battled against the effects of dartitis to defeat Simon Whitlock 5-4 in a tense opener. "I'm very pleased with that," said Van Peer. "Simon missed some doubles and I took my chances but it wasn't easy. "I had trouble with dartitis recently and I was okay, but at the World Youth Championship I got it back a bit. I've been back to the physiotherapist but on pressure moments it happens. "It's hard to play with and I was trying to compose myself, but I got there in the end." Former Wolverhampton finalist Dave Chisnall made a strong start with a 5-2 defeat of Scott Mitchell and now takes on St Helens rival Stephen Bunting, who opened Group F with a 5-4 win over Jeffrey de Zwaan. September's Champions League of Darts winner Mensur Suljovic reeled off four straight legs from 2-1 down to defeat BDO number one Mark McGeeney with a 5-2 success. Suljovic's opponent in their second Group G game will be Michael Smith after the former World Youth Champion saw off James Wilson 5-3. The bwin Grand Slam of Darts continues on Sunday with the second round robin matches across two sessions at the Wolves Civic, with Saturday's winning players in each group facing off and the losing players also meeting. 2017 bwin Grand Slam of Darts Saturday November 11 Afternoon Session 8x E-H Group Matches Michael Smith 5-3 James Wilson (G) Stephen Bunting 5-4 Jeffrey de Zwaan (F) Berry van Peer 5-4 Simon Whitlock (H) Alan Norris 5-4 Corey Cadby (E) Dave Chisnall 5-2 Scott Mitchell (F) Mensur Suljovic 5-2 Mark McGeeney (G) Gary Anderson 5-3 Cameron Menzies (H) Glen Durrant 5-2 Peter Wright (E) Evening Session 8x A-D Group Matches Gerwyn Price 5-3 Steve Lennon (B) Robbie Green 5-1 James Wade (C) Mark Webster 5-3 Darren Webster (D) Rob Cross 5-1 Joe Murnan (A) Phil Taylor 5-1 Peter Machin (C) Michael van Gerwen 5-1 Ross Montgomery (A) Raymond van Barneveld 5-1 Jamie Hughes (B) Daryl Gurney 5-1 Danny Noppert (D) Sunday November 12 Afternoon Session (1pm) 8x E-H Group Matches Jeffrey de Zwaan v Scott Mitchell James Wilson v Mark McGeeney Peter Wright v Corey Cadby Simon Whitlock v Cameron Menzies Mensur Suljovic v Michael Smith Gary Anderson v Berry van Peer Alan Norris v Glen Durrant Dave Chisnall v Stephen Bunting Evening Session (7pm) 8x A-D Group Matches Joe Murnan v Ross Montgomery Darren Webster v Danny Noppert Steve Lennon v Jamie Hughes James Wade v Peter Machin Daryl Gurney v Mark Webster Phil Taylor v Robbie Green Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross Raymond van Barneveld v Gerwyn Price All games are the best of nine legs
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THE opening night of the Unibet World Grand Prix on Sunday October 1 will see reigning champion Michael van Gerwen and former World Champions Raymond van Barneveld, Adrian Lewis, Steve Beaton and Jelle Klaasen in action in Dublin. The 32-player tournament - unique for the double-start format where all legs have to begin and end with a double - will be held from October 1-7 at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin, and broadcast live on Sky Sports. With the first round split across the opening two nights, reigning champion and top seed Van Gerwen begins his bid to win a fourth World Grand Prix title in Sunday's first eight games as he takes on John Henderson. 2015 World Grand Prix winner Robert Thornton is also in action as he faces Kim Huybrechts, while a host of other big names also take to the stage. Five-time World Champion Van Barneveld meets Australia's Kyle Anderson, while Lewis plays Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney, Klaasen faces Dave Chisnall and Beaton meets shooting star Rob Cross. Alan Norris plays former World Grand Prix semi-finalist Justin Pipe, while Joe Cullen meets Darren Webster. Monday's remaining first round games include two-time World Grand Prix winner James Wade meeting Steve West and 2016 finalist Gary Anderson, the number two seed, playing debutant Richard North. Benito van de Pas opens up against Cristo Reyes before Mervyn King takes on Ronny Huybrechts, Simon Whitlock plays Christian Kist and Unibet Champions League of Darts winner Mensur Suljovic faces Ian White. Monday night also sees Michael Smith up against Gerwyn Price, before UK Open champion Peter Wright concludes the first round as he takes on former Dublin semi-finalist Stephen Bunting. The second round is then split across Tuesday and Wednesday, with the quarter-finals on Thursday and semi-finals on Friday. Saturday's final will be preceded by the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay final between William O'Connor and Jason Cullen. Tickets for the Unibet World Grand Prix are still available through www.ticketmaster.ie, by calling 00353 (0)1 401 0505 or via email at darts17@citywesthotel.com. 2017 Unibet World Grand Prix Schedule of Play Sunday October 1 (7pm) First Round x8 Alan Norris v Justin Pipe Joe Cullen v Darren Webster Steve Beaton v Rob Cross Robert Thornton v Kim Huybrechts Raymond van Barneveld v Kyle Anderson Adrian Lewis v Daryl Gurney Michael van Gerwen v John Henderson Dave Chisnall v Jelle Klaasen Monday October 2 (7pm) First Round x8 Benito van de Pas v Cristo Reyes Mervyn King v Ronny Huybrechts Steve West v James Wade Simon Whitlock v Christian Kist Mensur Suljovic v Ian White Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price Gary Anderson v Richard North Peter Wright v Stephen Bunting Tuesday October 3 (7pm) Second Round x4 Chisnall/Klaasen v Thornton/K Huybrechts Lewis/Gurney v Cullen/Webster Van Gerwen/Henderson v Norris/Pipe Van Barneveld/K Anderson v Beaton/Cross Wednesday October 4 (7pm) Second Round x4 Smith/Price v Van de Pas/Reyes Suljovic/White v West/Wade G Anderson/North v Whitlock/Kist Wright/Bunting v King/R Huybrechts Thursday October 5 (7pm) Quarter-Finals Friday October 6 (7pm) Semi-Finals Saturday October 7 (8pm) Unibet World Grand Prix Final Preceded by Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay Final (approx 7.05pm) Jason Cullen v William O'Connor Draw Bracket Michael van Gerwen (1) v John Henderson Alan Norris v Justin Pipe Raymond van Barneveld (8) v Kyle Anderson Steve Beaton v Rob Cross Dave Chisnall (5) v Jelle Klaasen Robert Thornton v Kim Huybrechts Adrian Lewis (4) v Daryl Gurney Joe Cullen v Darren Webster Gary Anderson (2) v Richard North Simon Whitlock v Christian Kist Michael Smith (7) v Gerwyn Price Benito van de Pas v Cristo Reyes Mensur Suljovic (6) v Ian White Steve West v James Wade Peter Wright (3) v Stephen Bunting Mervyn King v Ronny Huybrechts Format First Round Best of three Sets Second Round Best of five Sets Quarter-Finals Best of five Sets Semi-Finals Best of seven Sets Final Best of nine Sets * All Sets are the best of five legs. There will be no tie-break in any Set. * All legs must begin and end with a double, meaning that a player must hit a double before he can begin scoring in each leg. * The order of play for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be confirmed on www.pdc.tv. MENSUR SULJOVIC claimed the first televised title of his career with a brilliant 11-9 success over Gary Anderson in the Unibet Champions League of Darts final in Cardiff on Sunday night.
The world number seven had won through to only his second TV final with a series of outstanding performances throughout the weekend in the BBC-televised event - despite being the 40/1 pre-tournament outsider with Unibet. The 45-year-old opened the tournament with a 10-3 group stage win over Anderson and also saw off Peter Wright and Dave Chisnall to book a spot in the semi-finals. There, Suljovic took out a stunning 160 checkout to seal an 11-9 win over Raymond van Barneveld as he secured his place in the decider. The final proved an equally close affair, before the Austrian emotionally closed out an 11-9 victory to claim the £100,000 title. Anderson - who ended Phil Taylor's title defence in the semi-finals - led 2-0 and 3-1 before Suljovic took out 116 and 118 in a run of five successive legs to move 6-3 up. Anderson then took three in a row to level at six-all, finished an 11-darter to square the game in the 16th leg and took out 80 with two double tops in leg 18 as the final went to a three-leg shoot-out. His favourite double 14 moved Suljovic 9-8 up, before three missed doubles from Anderson allowed his rival back in to seal victory by hitting the same bed. Suljovic's fairytale story comes only weeks after the birth of his second child, a daughter Ema, and saw the Serbian-born ace emotionally drop to his knees on stage as he celebrated the success. "I feel perfect," said Suljovic. "I never thought I could win this tournament. "Gary is a brilliant player, a gentleman and I've got so much respect for him but I played well and I never gave up. I played well and was focused on my game but I never thought I could beat Gary twice. "I couldn't dream of being in the semi-finals but I gave it my best and fought so hard. I was so happy to get to the final against the best players in the world." Anderson had bounced back from his opening loss to Suljovic by overcoming Dave Chisnall on Saturday night before surviving eight missed match darts from Peter Wright in their Sunday afternoon shoot-out to claim a semi-final place with a 10-9 triumph. He then ended Taylor's title defence at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff with an 11-6 triumph in the last four, with the reigning champion taking out 102 and 121 in the opening two legs only to see Anderson win eight in a row on his way to victory. However, Suljovic again enjoyed victory as he denied Anderson the £100,000 title, with the Scot admitting: "Mensur has been brilliant and you can see how much it means to him. "He's been phenomenal for the last two years and he's been the best player this weekend. He deserves it - he's been the player of the tournament and smashed the lot of us. "It's been a great event. It's a couple of weeks since I won in Perth and I got better as the event went on. I struggled against Mensur, then played better on Saturday evening and played well today. "I did alright in the final and I'd have loved to have made it ten-all and then see what happened in the last leg, but I had three clear darts at double ten and made a complete mess of it, so we'll never know." Taylor had topped Group A after defeating World Champion Michael van Gerwen 10-9 in their decisive final round-robin fixture, coming from 2-0 down to book his spot in the last four. However, Anderson proved too strong as he won their repeat of the 2015 World Championship final. "I've enjoyed the whole weekend but I didn't have the energy levels to beat Gary," admitted Taylor. "It's great to play one game per day, but this is gruelling for me. "Gary seemed to follow me in but I missed a few doubles and the one I've learned over the years with Gary is that you've got to put him under pressure and I couldn't - I didn't have the energy. "I was trying so hard but it didn't seem to go in. I've loved it in Cardiff and it's been a great event." The third staging of the Unibet Champions League of Darts will take place on September 22-23 2018, live on BBC Sport. Unibet Champions League of Darts Sunday September 17 Afternoon Session Final Group Matches Dave Chisnall 5-10 Mensur Suljovic - Mensur Suljovic qualifies as Group B winner Gary Anderson 10-9 Peter Wright - Gary Anderson qualifies as Group B runner-up Adrian Lewis 2-10 Raymond van Barneveld - Raymond van Barneveld qualifies as Group A runner-up Michael van Gerwen 9-10 Phil Taylor - Phil Taylor qualifies as Group A winner Evening Session Semi-Finals Mensur Suljovic 11-9 Raymond van Barneveld Gary Anderson 11-6 Phil Taylor Final Mensur Suljovic 11-9 Gary Anderson Final League Tables Group A PWL+/-Pts Phil Taylor (Q)330+86 Raymond van Barneveld (Q)321+94 Michael van Gerwen31202 Adrian Lewis303-170 Group B PWL+/-Pts Mensur Suljovic (Q)330+146 Gary Anderson (Q)321-34 Peter Wright312+22 Dave Chisnall303-130 MENSUR SULJOVIC became the first player to qualify for the Unibet Champions League of Darts semi-finals as Phil Taylor began his title defence in Cardiff with two victories on Saturday.
Suljovic enjoyed one of the most memorable days of his career as he defeated both Gary Anderson and Peter Wright to become the first player to book a last four spot in Cardiff on his Champions League debut. The Austrian stormed into a 6-0 lead in his opener against two-time World Champion Anderson, with the Scot claiming three legs out of four in mid-match before Suljovic landed a brilliant 157 checkout as he closed out a 10-3 success. He then returned to the stage in the evening session to defeat UK Open champion Wright 10-8, averaging 102.77 as he claimed his second win of the day to seal his semi-final berth. Suljovic took out an early 105 finish to lead 3-2, and then won three in a row to move 6-3 up before defying Wright's fightback - as a 144 checkout levelled at eight-all - to hold his nerve in taking victory. "I'm so happy," said Suljovic. "I played well today and to beat Gary Anderson and Peter Wright is a big moment in my career. "I played a very focused game against Peter Wright but first to ten legs is a good format and I was concentrated. It's a long tournament but anything could happen on Sunday - I'm just a normal player but I'm playing well." Wright and Anderson now face a shoot-out on Sunday afternoon to determine who joins Suljovic in the semi-finals from Group B, after both claimed wins over Dave Chisnall to eliminate the world number six. Wright was a 10-5 winner in the tournament's opening fixture as the world number three averaged over 101 and hit six 180s in a strong performance. Anderson later also averaged over 101 as he defeated the St Helens man 10-7 to get his challenge back on track, with Chisnall never able to level after falling 3-1 down early on before the Scot sealed victory with a 124 bull finish. Group A is heading for a dramatic conclusion on Sunday afternoon, with reigning champion Phil Taylor claiming victories over Adrian Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld on Saturday to put one foot into the semi-finals. Taylor defied finishes of 140 and 104 from Lewis as he came from 7-5 down to claim a 10-7 win over his Stoke rival in their Motorpoint Arena opener. The 16-time World Champion also had to hit back from behind against Van Barneveld, with a 120 checkout levelling in leg eight before he won four of the game's final legs to complete a 10-6 triumph. Taylor, though, could still be knocked out on Sunday afternoon should he be defeated by Van Gerwen in their final group game - with all four players in Group A still able to qualify for the semi-finals. "I've done well today," said Taylor. "To win two games today in a group with Adrian, Barney and Michael is unbelievable and I want to carry it on tomorrow when I play Michael. "I'm really looking forward to my next game. It's a big day on Sunday but I'm only focusing on the game against Michael at the moment." Van Gerwen was defeated 10-5 by Van Barneveld in their opening fixture, as the five-time World Champion took out finishes of 120, 136 and 130 on his way to victory. However, the reigning World Champion and world number one bounced back with a 10-4 win in his evening session match with Lewis, who landed an early 170 finish but saw Van Gerwen pull clear from 4-3 to seal a key win. "I had to bounce back because otherwise I was out of the tournament, and I'm glad I did that," said Van Gerwen. "I can't really explain the first loss - things like that happen - but I played well tonight. "I missed too many chances against Raymond but I was a lot more comfortable against Adrian, who wasn't close to his best form. "It will be really difficult against Phil and I need to make sure I win and show everyone what I can do. Tomorrow is a totally different day but I will prepare myself because it will be tough. "I'm looking forward to it. It's a long tournament and I want to win it, but I think I'm in a lovely position at the moment." The results mean that there are two scenarios where there could be a three-player nine-dart shoot-out on stage to determine which players progress from Group A. Wins by a 10-7 scoreline for Van Barneveld against Lewis and Van Gerwen against Taylor would leave the two Dutchmen and Taylor tied on four points and +4 leg difference, meaning that two players would progress from the nine-dart shoot-out. A 10-5 win for Lewis over Van Barneveld, coupled with a 10-5 win for Taylor against Van Gerwen would see Taylor qualify automatically with his three rivals then facing a nine-dart shoot-out for the second semi-final spot. Taylor, though, would qualify for the semi-finals if he wins eight legs against Van Gerwen as the 57-year-old seeks to successfully defend his title in the £250,000 BBC-televised tournament. Sunday sees the final group games take place in the afternoon session, with the event culminating with the semi-finals and final in the evening session. Tickets are available at the Motorpoint Arena Box Office on the day. Unibet Champions League of Darts Saturday September 16 Afternoon Session First Group Matches Peter Wright 10-5 Dave Chisnall (B) Mensur Suljovic 10-3 Gary Anderson (B) Phil Taylor 10-7 Adrian Lewis (A) Raymond van Barneveld 10-5 Michael van Gerwen (A) Evening Session Second Group Matches Gary Anderson 10-7 Dave Chisnall Peter Wright 8-10 Mensur Suljovic Phil Taylor 10-6 Raymond van Barneveld Michael van Gerwen 10-4 Adrian Lewis Sunday September 17 Afternoon Session (1pm) Final Group Matches Dave Chisnall v Mensur Suljovic Gary Anderson v Peter Wright Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld Michael van Gerwen v Phil Taylor Evening Session (6.30pm) Semi-Finals Final GROUP TABLES Group A PWL+/-Pts Phil Taylor220+74 Raymond van Barneveld211+12 Michael van Gerwen211+12 Adrian Lewis202-90 Group B PWL+/-Pts Mensur Suljovic (Q)220+94 Peter Wright211+32 Gary Anderson211-42 Dave Chisnall202-80 Two points awarded per win. No points for a defeat. Top two players from each group progress to semi‐finals. Any ties for Points decided by Leg Difference then: ‐ If two players are tied for Points and Leg Difference, then the winner of the group match between the players will be deemed to be the higher‐placed player. ‐ If three players are tied for Points and Leg Difference, then a nine‐dart shoot‐out will be played between the players on stage to determine placings. PHIL TAYLOR will begin his bid to win a third TABtouch Perth Darts Masters title against Kyle Anderson on Friday, as Corey Cadby and Raymond van Barneveld meet once again on the World Series of Darts stage.
Legendary 16-time World Champion Taylor took victory in the first two years of the Perth Darts Masters in 2014 and 2015, and warmed up for his return to Western Australia by winning last weekend's Melbourne Darts Masters. The 57-year-old will meet August's other World Series of Darts winner, Auckland Darts Masters champion Kyle Anderson, in a plum first round tie after being paired with the Perth-born star. "It will be tough against Kyle because his confidence is up at the moment and he's a really good player," said Taylor. "I've loved it in Perth before and it will be great again this week. "I'm looking forward to it and it's lovely in Perth, probably my favourite place in Australia so far." Local hero Anderson said: "It's good to be home, I'm happy to be here. "I've said before that if I get how I play on the floor onto TV then I can get to the end of the events and that's shown in the last couple of weeks. "I'm playing well and I'm looking forward to seeing my family, playing in front of friends and hearing that roar again like I have for the last four years." The opening night of the World Series of Darts event will also see Australia's World Youth Champion Cadby taking on five-time World Champion Van Barneveld for a second successive weekend, having won their meeting in Melbourne 6-4. World number three Peter Wright, the runner-up in Melbourne, will take on Rhys Mathewson as they meet for a second successive week, with the Scottish ace winning 6-2 last Friday. Top seed Gary Anderson drew New Zealand's Rob Szabo, while former Perth Darts Masters finalist James Wade, the number four seed, meets qualifier Darren Hayes, who is making his TV debut on Friday after winning through a knockout held in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Perth's Adam Rowe will take on former World Youth Champion Michael Smith, while New Zealand-born Koha Kokiri faces Daryl Gurney and top-ranked Australian Simon Whitlock comes up against Justin Thompson. The TABtouch Perth Darts Masters will be held from August 25-27 at HBF Stadium in Perth. For tickets, visit www.downunderevents.com.au or www.ticketmaster.com.au. TABtouch Perth Darts Masters Draw Bracket Gary Anderson (1) v Rob Szabo Simon Whitlock v Justin Thompson James Wade (4) v Darren Hayes Michael Smith v Adam Rowe Phil Taylor (2) v Kyle Anderson Raymond van Barneveld v Corey Cadby Peter Wright (3) v Rhys Mathewson Daryl Gurney v Koka Kokiri Schedule of Play Friday August 25 (7pm local time) First Round x8 Michael Smith v Adam Rowe Peter Wright v Rhys Mathewson Daryl Gurney v Koha Kokiri James Wade v Darren Hayes Simon Whitlock v Justin Thompson Phil Taylor v Kyle Anderson Gary Anderson v Rob Szabo Raymond van Barneveld v Corey Cadby Best of 11 legs Saturday August 26 (7pm local time) Quarter-Finals Best of 19 legs Sunday August 27 (7pm local time) Semi-Finals Final Best of 21 legs ENDS Phil Taylor claimed an eighth World Series of Darts title, and a seventh in Australia as he overcame Peter Wright 11-8 in the final of the inaugural Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters.
Taylor, who has only ever been beaten once in Australia began the final in nervy fashion, missing three darts in the opening leg to break the Wright throw. The pair traded holds of throw until the sixth leg of the match, where Taylor missed double 19 for a 158 checkout before Wright took out 81, finishing seven, double 17 and then double 20 for a break. The next three legs saw Wright miss a total of twelve darts at doubles, allowing Taylor to gain control of the match. Wright then produced another ‘double-double’ finish in the 11th leg to close the gap to one, as once again he took out 81, this time going nine, double 18, double 18. ’Snakebite’ was unable to capitalise though as Taylor then broke again to open up a three leg advantage, with the score at 8-5. With Taylor looking set to seal the title, Wright then produced a fightback of his own, winning the next three legs to level the score at 8-8. Once again though, the Scot could not regain the lead as Taylor broke the throw to move in to a 9-8 advantage. A 112 finish and then another break of throw sealed the win for the 16-time World Champion who spoke of his delight after the final. “I love it over here in Australia, the crowd are brilliant and I’m loving every minute of it, “I’ve not got many tournaments left in me so I want to win as many as I can before I call it a day,” said Taylor. “I’m so proud to see the sport growing in this part of the world, I’ve been lucky enough to see it all over the years, but we never believed it would get this big, “Barry Hearn has done such a brilliant job and here’s to many more years of this sport getting bigger and bigger,” added the 57-year-old. Earlier in the night ‘The Power’ had overcome his second Australian opponent in as many nights as he defeated Simon Whitlock 11-4 to reach the decider in Melbourne. Taylor produced a run that saw him win nine of the last 11 legs to seal the victory including an superb 144 finish to seal the victory. An average of 93.97 and an impressive 57.89% success rate on his double attempts was more than enough for the Englishman to overcome and out of sorts Whitlock. Wright booked his place in the final of the Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters with an 11-4 win over Daryl Gurney at the Hisense Arena. The Scot took full control of the encounter during the first five legs, taking a commanding 4-1 lead, including a 101 checkout. Despite hitting no 180’s during the match, Wright still managed to average 95.27, mainly thanks to some solid finishing. Wright pinned 55% of his attempts at doubles as he sealed a spot in the decider. It was a fourth World Series final for the Scot, who despite not being able to get over the line on this occasion is vey confident ahead of the next event in Perth. “I’ve got to learn from these defeats, I will come back stronger and next week in Perth that title is for me,” said Wright. The sixth World Series of Darts event of 2017 takes place on August 25-27 at the HBF Stadium in Perth, as eight of the world’s best players take on eight qualifiers at the Perth Darts Masters. Sunday August 20 (7pm local time) Semi-Finals Peter Wright 11-4 Daryl Gurney Phil Taylor 11-4 Simon Whitlock Final Phil Taylor 11-8 Peter Wright Best of 21 legs COREY CADBY claimed another big-name scalp by seeing off Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 on the opening night of the Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters, as Simon Whitlock swept aside Kyle Anderson in their all-Australian first round tie.
Reigning World Youth Champion Cadby enhanced his growing reputation by reaching last weekend's Auckland Darts Masters final, and began the new World Series of Darts event with another impressive display. Five-time World Champion Van Barneveld shared the opening eight legs with the Tasmania-born youngster, who claimed a crucial break of throw in leg nine with a 13-darter. Melbourne-based Cadby then closed out victory in style with a 12-darter, following up four 140s with an 81 finish to seal a memorable triumph in his home event at the Hisense Arena. Cadby will now meet 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor in Saturday's quarter-finals, having won the last two meetings with the 57-year-old which included a semi-final triumph last weekend. "I'm so happy, I can't believe it," said Cadby. "My heart is beating so fast, that felt so good! "I can't wait to play Phil again. He's the best there’s ever been so it's going to be another great test for me." Taylor overcame a stern test from New Zealand's Cody Harris before claiming a 6-3 win to open his bid for the title. Harris took out a 126 finish as he shared six legs with the Stoke legend, but Taylor pulled away with back-to-back 14-darters before landing tops to seal the win. "It's a good start for me and Cody played well, but I've got another tough test on Saturday," said Taylor. "Corey's got a big future and I've got to know him a bit better over the last couple of weeks, and he's a good bloke." Kyle Anderson's bid to follow up last weekend's Auckland Darts Masters triumph with another victory was ended with a first round exit to compatriot Simon Whitlock, who averaged an outstanding 107.69 in his 6-1 win. Whitlock lay down a marker for his performance with a 122 finish in the opening leg, with Anderson taking out 71 to level only to see his rival hit three 14-darters in moving 5-1 up. Whitlock then opened the seventh leg with two 180s, and though he was unable to complete a nine-darter he went on to take the leg in 12 darts to crown an impressive display. Having lost out to Anderson in Auckland, Whitlock said: "I'm over the moon. I wanted to beat Kyle after last week and revenge feels good. "We all have our ups and downs but it's how you bounce back. I'm starting to win tournaments again and show everyone that I’ve still got it in me. "Australian darts is booming and it’s so good to see. I'm a proud Aussie and I love this game, I'm so happy we're all playing well and putting Australian darts back on the map." Whitlock now faces James Wade, who punished 20 missed doubles from New Zealander Koha Kokiri before emerging with a 6-3 win from their clash in Melbourne. After Perth-based Kokiri had landed a 180 in the opening leg, four missed doubles allowed Wade in to finish 104 for a key early break of throw, with the left-hander leading 2-0 and adding legs of 14 and 13 darts as he created a 4-2 cushion. Kokiri took out 116 to pull back in leg seven, but missed eight darts at doubles to level the tie in the next as Wade escaped on double one before sealing the win with an 84 finish. "It wasn't great but I'm through and that's all that matters," said Wade, a semi-finalist in Auckland last weekend. "I want to play well every time I get up on stage but that isn't always possible. Today was about the win and I got it." David Platt missed double 12 for a nine-dart finish before losing out to Michael Smith, who progresses to meet Wright in the quarter-finals. A brilliant start saw Platt land double 12 to win the opening leg before opening the second with two 180s, and after landing a seventh treble 20 and the treble 19, he wired double 12 for what would have been only the second perfect leg in World Series history. He returned to win the leg in ten darts, but Smith clawed his way back level before taking the lead at 3-2 with a classy 113 finish, and he also landed a 14-darter and double two to move 5-2 up. Double top kept Platt's hopes alive, but Smith sealed victory by finishing 106 on double 16 to set up a quarter-final with Peter Wright. "All these guys can play darts and David showed that," said Smith. "I wanted him to hit the nine-darter - it's great for darts when moments like that happen - and if anything it helped kick me into life. "It was scrappy, it was a bit messy at times but I got the job done." Number four seed Wright saw off Rhys Mathewson 6-2 in their tie, with the Australian qualifier unable to repeat the heroics which had seen him knock out Wade in Sydney last August. Mathewson missed one chance to lead in the opening leg as Wright landed double 16, and the UK Open champion took the next four legs to move to the brink of victory. Two missed match darts allowed the DPA ace to land double ten to stay in the game before he took out 118 to continue the revival, but two missed doubles in leg eight allowed Wright to finally complete the win on tops. "I'm delighted to win but that was a nightmare - my scoring just disappeared," said Wright. "I have these matches every now and again where the scoring goes, but it doesn't last long. "I need to get on the practice board and it will be okay for tomorrow - I'll be much better." Top seed Gary Anderson needed a superb 170 checkout to break the resistance of TV debutant Justin Thompson before the two-time World Champion took a 6-2 win over the Australian qualifier. Thompson took the game's opening leg and also squared the tie in the fourth before Anderson took out the highest possible finish to complete a 12-darter in moving 3-2 up. Anderson then reeled off legs of 13, 13 and 11 darts to book his last eight spot with a strong 104 average. "I started a bit slow but once I found the length they were flying in," said Anderson. "We've seen the boys over in this part of the world improve so much over the years we’ve been doing the World Series and you can't underestimate anyone." Daryl Gurney produced a display of brilliant finishing to whitewash TV debutant Dave Marland 6-0 in the tournament's opening tie with six doubles from seven attempts to set up a tie with Anderson. Marland - who owns a real estate business in Sutherland and won through the DPA Qualifiers - landed 180s in the opening two legs, but five missed doubles in the second to level gave Gurney a let-off which he punished in style. The Northern Irish ace, the U.S. Darts Masters finalist last month, followed two successive tops finishes in moving 3-0 up with a trio of ton-plus checkouts for finishes of 132 on the bull, 110 and 100 to finish. "The doubles were good tonight but the rest was a little bit off and it's not often I hit less 180s than my opponent," said Gurney. "I knew he was a little nervous so I just had to try and be consistent, but I hope he enjoyed it up there." Saturday's quarter-finals at the Hisense Arena (7pm start) will be followed on Sunday by the semi-finals and final as the inaugural Melbourne Darts Masters champion is crowned. 2017 Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters Friday August 18 First Round Daryl Gurney 6-0 Dave Marland Peter Wright 6-2 Rhys Mathewson James Wade 6-3 Koha Kokiri Michael Smith 6-3 David Platt Phil Taylor 6-3 Cody Harris Corey Cadby 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld Gary Anderson 6-2 Justin Thompson Simon Whitlock 6-1 Kyle Anderson Saturday August 19 (7pm local time) Quarter-Finals Peter Wright v Michael Smith James Wade v Simon Whitlock Corey Cadby v Phil Taylor Gary Anderson v Daryl Gurney Best of 19 legs AUSTRALIAN pair Simon Whitlock and Kyle Anderson will clash in the first round of the inaugural Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters on Friday, while Phil Taylor has been paired with top New Zealander Cody Harris.
Perth's Anderson claimed his first TV title at last weekend's Auckland Darts Masters, seeing off Australian number one Whitlock along the way before overcoming World Youth Champion Corey Cadby in the final. Anderson and Whitlock - the former European Championship winner - were drawn together in a plum first round tie for the inaugural World Series of Darts event in Melbourne, which begins on Friday night. Having been the leading Australian star for a decade, Whitlock has spoken of his pride in taking the World Series to another new venue at the Hisense Arena. "It means a lot for me to be here," said Whitlock. "I'm a proud Australian so it’s great to play in front of an Aussie crowd. "Melbourne is known for high quality professional sport, so hopefully we can carry that on. "I feel great, the darts are going well and I'm looking forward to getting up there. I need to do a bit better than I did in Auckland but with my confidence levels where they are there's no reason I can't win it." Whitlock and Anderson have teamed up to represent Australia in the PDC World Cup of Darts for the past two years, and the pony-tailed star added: "It was great to see Kyle win last week. "I would have liked it to have been me, but Kyle is a great guy and fully deserved to get the win in Auckland. "To see some new Australian talent come through in Kyle and Corey Cadby is massive for the sport over here. If as a group we can all start playing well consistently then it can only be good for Australian darts." Melbourne-based Cadby will face five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld as he looks to enhance his growing reputation by following up his wins over Peter Wright, Michael Smith and Phil Taylor in Auckland with another big-name victim. Taylor, the legendary 16-time World Champion and a winner of six previous World Series events in Australia, will meet emerging Kiwi star Cody Harris in another tasty first round tie. Top seed Gary Anderson, May's Dubai Darts Masters winner, will meet DPA Qualifier Justin Thompson, who is making his TV debut in Melbourne this weekend. Another newcomer to the big-stage, Sutherland-based real estate business owner Dave Marland, has drawn Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney, who reached the U.S. Darts Masters final last month. Number three seed James Wade faces New Zealand-born Koha Kokiri, while reigning UK Open champion Wright plays Hoppers Crossing's Rhys Mathewson and Michael Smith drew Perth-based qualifier David Platt. Following Friday's first round at the Hisense Arena, play continues on Saturday (7pm) with the quarter-finals before culminating with the semi-finals and final on Sunday (7pm). Tickets for the Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters are available from www.ticketek.com.au or by calling 132 849. Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters Draw Bracket Gary Anderson (1) v Justin Thompson Daryl Gurney v Dave Marland Peter Wright (4) v Rhys Mathewson Michael Smith v David Platt Raymond van Barneveld (2) v Corey Cadby Phil Taylor v Cody Harris James Wade (3) v Koha Kokiri Simon Whitlock v Kyle Anderson Schedule of Play Friday August 18 (7pm) First Round Daryl Gurney v Dave Marland Peter Wright v Rhys Mathewson James Wade v Koha Kokiri Michael Smith v David Platt Phil Taylor v Cody Harris Raymond van Barneveld v Corey Cadby Gary Anderson v Justin Thompson Simon Whitlock v Kyle Anderson Best of 11 legs Saturday August 19 (7pm) Quarter-Finals Order of Play TBC Best of 19 legs Sunday August 20 (7pm) Semi-Finals Final Best of 21 legs ENDS KYLE ANDERSON has set his sights on further glory after claiming his first televised title at the Auckland Darts Masters, presented by TAB & Burger King. The 29-year-old from Perth opened the PDC's World Series of Darts August treble-header Down under by taking victory in the third staging of the tournament in Auckland. Watched on by New Zealand's Prime Minister, Bill English, and a packed crowd at the Trusts Arena, Anderson overcame World Youth Champion Corey Cadby in an all-Australian final with an 11-10 success. Anderson shed tears of joy after claiming the dramatic deciding-leg win as he marked his maiden title on the big stage less than five years after making his TV debut at the 2013 World Championship. He has now targeted further success alongside the sport's top players, as he prepares for the inaugural Unibet Melbourne Masters this weekend and the forthcoming TABtouch Perth Darts Masters in his home city. "It was my first time playing in Auckland and I loved every minute of it," said Anderson. "I felt sick in my stomach after the game because of the elation of getting that double four. I'm happy, I'm proud and I'm looking forward to Melbourne. "It's the first tournament in Melbourne and I'm looking forward to that one. I'm rapt with the way I'm playing; it's all in the doubles and the doubles are going in. "I don't want one more [TV title], I want a whole load of them. I know I'm good enough, but it's a matter of on the day when you play. "I'm not going to come out and say that I'll win every title because it's not going to happen, but I'm going to come out and get as far as I can, and if I win one then I win one. "I know I've got the capability and I've just got to put it together. If I get the doubles and scoring together then I should be fine." Following this weekend's event at the Hisense Arena in Melbourne, which will be held from August 18-20, Anderson will be amongst the competitors at Perth's HBF Stadium - where he will be cheered on by a large family contingent. "In Perth, my family's going to be there," he added. "I haven't seen them for 12 months, so it's going to be emotional. "It's going to be brilliant and I'm looking forward to playing well there." The Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters will take place from August 18-20 at the Hisense Arena. For tickets - including $120 Tiered Seat season ticket - visit www.ticketek.com.au or call 132 849. Unibet Melbourne Darts Masters Friday August 18 (7pm local time) First Round x8 Best of 11 legs Saturday August 19 (7pm local time) Quarter-Finals Best of 19 legs Sunday August 20 (7pm local time) Semi-Finals Final Best of 21 legs PDC Representatives Gary Anderson Peter Wright James Wade Phil Taylor Raymond van Barneveld Michael Smith Simon Whitlock Daryl Gurney Oceanic Representatives Invited Player: Kyle Anderson Top three players from DPA World Series Order of Merit: Corey Cadby, Rhys Mathewson & Justin Thompson DPNZ Qualifier: Cody Harris DPA Qualifiers: David Platt, Dave Marland, Koha Kokiri KYLE ANDERSON claimed his first televised PDC title as he secured a deciding leg win in the final of the 2017 Auckland Darts Masters, with victory over fellow Australian Corey Cadby in the final.
World number 29 Kyle Anderson, who had picked up his first PDC title at Players Championship 17 a week earlier was victorious as the third staging of the Auckland Darts Masters, presented by TAB and Burger King, came to a close. The final began with Cadby, who had earlier defeated Phil Taylor, in fine form. The Australian, based in Melbourne, raced in to 4-1 lead courtesy of three maximums in the open two legs and four out of five successful attempts at doubles. A major turning point of the match came in the seventh leg where with Cadby sat on 40, having already missed a dart at tops, Anderson took out 160 to break the Cadby throw. Anderson then went on to move in to the lead for the first time in the match in the ninth leg, taking out 66 on tops. Cadby regained the break in the next leg, as Anderson decided to go for the bull needing 121, with his opponent not on a finish, leaving 25. ‘The Original’ then missed two darts to hold throw before Cadby broke back. The pair then exchanged holds until the 15th leg where Anderson hit back-to-back 180’s to move ahead once again. More misses were to follow for Anderson as three chances were blown to move clear, with Cadby taking out 47 to draw level again. Cadby was next to feel the pressure, with the score at 9-8 in his favour, the 22-year-old squandered five opportunities to extend his lead to two and was eventually punished by Anderson. Two holds of throw followed to take the match in to a decider, where Cadby had the advantage of throwing first. A crucial maximum in the final leg gave Anderson the initiative and he eventually sealed the title, taking out 68 on double four. “I’m so pleased to win this, I’ve always known I’ve had the ability and I’m starting to show everyone now. The 160 in the seventh leg was the crucial moment, it made me believe I could win it after Corey had started so well.” Said Anderson. “My scoring has been good and I’m hitting my doubles now, so let’s hope I can carry that on when we head to Melbourne and Perth.” Added the eventual winner. Cadby also spoke after the final and believes there is more to come from him. “Confidence is the key and I believe in myself, I always want win but I’m really pleased for Kyle. “It’s Aussie, Aussie, Aussie all the way and I can’t wait to go home.” Said Cadby. Earlier in the night Anderson had put James Wade to the sword with an impressive 11-4 victory. The Australian punished ‘The Machine’ for missing four attempts at double in the opening five legs to take a commanding 4-1 lead in to the first break. Anderson’s hot streak continued after the break as he won the next five legs, including a 164 finish to move within two legs of the final. Wade then managed to produce a minor comeback of his own, breaking the Anderson throw, taking out 118 on tops before holding throw to close the gap to six. Anderson’s fourth 180 of the encounter helped him to hold throw in the 13th leg of the match, before sealing his place in a first World Series of Darts final by pinning tops for an 11-4 win. Cadby sealed his place in the final with a magnificent 11-8 victory over Phil Taylor. ‘The Power’, celebrating his 57th birthday started slowly, with the Australian racing in to a 3-0 lead. A quieter period of the match followed with the pair trading holds in front of a packed Trusts Arena crowd. It wasn’t until the tenth leg of the match that Taylor managed to level the score, taking out 116 on double 18. The intensity levels were then upped as the crowd began to get more involved but it didn’t seem to affect the players as Cadby and Taylor hit 11 maximums between them. The drama continued right until the end, with the score at 10-7in the Australian’s favour, Cadby then missed two match-darts, seemingly handing the initiative back to Taylor, as he closed the gap to two. The final leg of the match was also packed with action, with Taylor missing a dart for a 114 checkout before Cadby took out 103 on double 18 to book a spot in the decider. The fifth event of the 2017 World Series of Darts takes place in Australia as the first staging of the Melbourne Darts Masters takes place between August 18-20 at the Hisense Arena. Auckland Darts Masters, presented by TAB & Burger King Sunday August 13 (6pm local time) Semi Finals Kyle Anderson 11-4 James Wade Corey Cadby 11-8 Phil Taylor Final Kyle Anderson 11-10 Corey Cadby |
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