PDC World Championships: Smith, Stompe, Painter Advance in Afternoon Session
Dennis Smith produced one of his greatest ever comebacks to win a place in the third round of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Saturday afternoon.
The qualifier from Swindon knocked out world number five Terry Jenkins in round one, and found himself 3-0 down against emerging youngster Kevin McDine at Alexandra Palace.
But Smith, who has dropped out of the world’s top 50 in the past two years, marked his return to form by winning four sets in a row to power into the last 16.
“When I went 3-0 down I thought I was going home,” said Smith. “I thought I was dead and buried but I kept digging in, and Kevin took his foot off the pedal.”
Smith will now meet either Mervyn King or Mark Walsh in the third round.
World number nine Alan Tabern became the latest big name to crash out of the tournament, losing 4-1 to Co Stompe.
The Dutchman, making his debut in the PDC’s World Championship, averaged almost 97 and won nine of the final 11 legs to punish a below-par display from Tabern.
Kevin Painter remains on course for a repeat of the 2004 final in round three after marching past Carlos Rodriguez 4-1, winning six successive legs to power to victory.
He could face Phil Taylor in the last 16 if the world number one – who defeated Taylor in a sudden-death leg five years ago to claim the title – overcomes Michael van Gerwen on Saturday evening.
Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Dennis Smith (ENG) 4-3 Kevin McDine (ENG)
Co Stompe (NED) 4-1 Alan Tabern (ENG)
Kevin Painter (ENG) 4-1 Carlos Rodriguez (ESP)
Evening Session (7pm start)
Mensur Suljovic (AUT) v Mark Dudbridge (ENG)
Phil Taylor (ENG) v Michael van Gerwen (NED)
Wayne Mardle (ENG) v Robert Thornton (SCO)
DENNIS SMITH 4-3 KEVIN McDINE
(2-3, 2-3, 1-3, 3-1, 3-0, 3-2, 3-1)
DENNIS SMITH produced an incredible comeback from three sets down to defeat Kevin McDine and reach the last last 16 of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
McDine had established a 3-0 lead and was on course for a last 16 berth before Smith, who had to qualify to play in the event, hit-back by winning the remaining four sets.
The opening set proved to be a tight affair with both players holding their own throws in the opening four legs.
In the decider, McDine missed three darts at double top to win the set, but returned to take the lead after four misses from Smith.
The second set followed a similar pattern with both players holding their throws to send the set into a deciding leg.
But it was the 23 year-old who broke throw for the first time in the match with an 11-dart finish, which included two timely maximums to double his advantage.
McDine then increased his lead to go one set away from the match by the winning the third set 3-1, taking out 110 in the opening leg and a superb 128 on the bull for the set.
Smith, who put out world number five Terry Jenkins last Saturday, built up a 2-1 lead in the fourth set before breaking his opponent’s throw for the first time in the match, hitting double three to reduce the deficit to 3-1 and begin the comeback.
The man from Swindon continued the charge in the fifth set, taking it without reply with legs of 14, 14 and 15 darts.
Smith continued in the same vein in the sixth set, landing a 121 checkout in the first leg, followed by a two-dart 60 in the next.
McDine took the third, with his opponent waiting on a two-dart finish for the set, and took the fourth leg to keep the set going.
Despite a maximum from McDine, the deciding leg it was Smith to the double first, and he converted double two to bring the game back to three apiece and stun the youngster.
Smith, a semi-finalist in the 2000 World Championship, then opened up a 2-0 lead in the deciding set, including a fantastic 128 checkout of his own, to move to the brink of victory.
McDine won the third leg with the aid of his eighth maximum, but Smith was not to be denied and completed a memorable victory on double eight.
“I thought I was dead and buried but I kept digging in, and Kevin took his foot off the pedal,” said Smith.
“I had a shot to win the first set but when I went 3-0 down I thought I was going home.
“I went off stage at 3-0 and backstage I had a think of my late Dad, who died earlier this year. I said ‘come on Dad, get on my shoulder’, came back out and everything was going right for me. I don’t know why, but it just happened.
“I thought the longer the match went on, the more I could probably get to him and he tried to speed me up at one stage.
“I think I hit 31 140s in the last two sets I was hitting them consistently and then going out on the bullseye for a 128 was a cracker.”
Smith, who has dropped out of the world’s top 32 in the past two years, will meet Mervyn King or Mark Walsh in round three, and added: “It feels absolutely brilliant and great to be back in the big time.
“I thought I was going home but I have to come back on Tuesday now!”
McDine admitted: “To be 3-0 up and lose 4-3 is a joke. I played too well to lose.
“I seemed to ease off when I was 3-0 up and it was my own fault. Frustration isn’t the word, but it’s not the first time and won’t be the last, but I hope to learn from it.”
CO STOMPE 4-1 ALAN TABERN
(3-2, 1-3, 3-2, 3-0, 3-1)
CO STOMPE won a place in the last 16 of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship after defeating Alan Tabern 4-1 at the Alexandra Palace.
The former tram driver from Amsterdam, who moved onto the PDC circuit in June, will now play either Wayne Mardle or Robert Thornton on Tuesday in round three after claiming a notable scalp in the number nine seed.
Stompe won the game’s opening leg with a 96 finish to break throw, and doubled his lead after six missed doubles in the next from Tabern.
The St Helens star managed put that disappointment behind him to win the next two legs and keep the set alive, but it was the Dutchman who took the lead by winning the decider against the throw on double top.
In the second set both players held their throws in the opening two legs, but Tabern put in an important surge to level the match.
He broke throw in the third leg by landing double top, and then hit his first maximum of the game followed by an 84 finish to win the set.
Tabern continued his good form at the start of the third with a fantastic 141 finish, with his opponent waiting on double ten.
But the Dutchman, making his debut in the PDC’s World Championship this year, managed to take the next two legs, which included a two-dart 85 finish, to lead 2-1.
Tabern managed to win the fourth leg, and had a dart at double 12 for a 104 finish to give him the lead after Stompe had missed previous opportunities at doubles himself.
But he was off-target and Stompe stepped-up to convert double five and regain the lead.
From then on, Stompe was the dominant player and won six of the remaining seven legs to romp to victory.
He won the opening two legs of set four with finishes of 68 and 96 and then landed his sixth dart for the set at double two move 3-1 ahead.
Stompe broke throw at the beginning of the fifth set, but Tabern managed to stem the tide in the second with a 120 finish.
However, Stompe moved clear once again, hitting his fourth maximum of the game to move one leg away from victory, which was secured on double 12.
“The bookies never gave me a chance in the game and that motivated me,” admitted Stompe. “Alan has beaten me before but I raised my game and it feels awesome.
“I feel more confident on this stage than any other I’ve played on and I’m determined to play well and be successful.”
Tabern conceded: “I didn’t turn up and didn’t deserve to win. The first set cost me the match but Co took some good shots out.
“There were spells where I thought it would be my day but Co did the right things at the right time to hurt me.
“I’m disappointed and it’s dented my belief but I’ve got to keep going. I’ve got to too good a position in the rankings to throw it away and I hope it can click again soon.”
KEVIN PAINTER 4-1 CARLOS RODRIGUEZ
(3-0, 3-1, 1-3, 3-0, 3-0)
KEVIN PAINTER ended the hopes of Carlos Rodriguez to march into the third round of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a convincing 4-1 win.
After needing a sudden-death leg to see off Matt Clark in the opening round, Painter powered past the Spanish newcomer to book a last 16 date with Phil Taylor or Michael van Gerwen.
Painter started the match confidently, breaking his opponent’s throw with a two-dart 86 finish and went on the win the first set without reply.
The 2004 runner-up then hit his second maximum of the game in taking the first leg of the second set, before Rodriguez opened his account in the next leg, hitting a 180 of his own.
But Painter, who reached the semi-finals last year, stepped up the pace to lead 2-1 before converting a fantastic 136 finish to double his advantage.
Painter had opportunities to break throw at the start of the third set, but seven missed doubles allowed Rodriguez to lead and then double his advantage to 2-0 in the set with a bullseye finish on 95.
He missed four darts for the set in the third leg before Painter landed double four, but Rodriguez regained his composure to take the next and reduce the arrears.
Painter, though, replied in style to power through the next two sets for victory, with a 102 finish for a 12-darter at the start of the fourth set marking the start of a six-leg charge.
He followed that with a 13-darter and punished Rodriguez’s misses in the third leg to take the set.
Painter then kicked off set five with a maximum and landed double 11 for the first leg, before winning the next two comfortably to seal victory.
“I’m pretty pleased with that,” said Painter. “I expected more from Carlos but concentrated on my scoring.
“I thought he would wake up but he never did and I pushed through for the win.”
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