Taylor Defeats van Gerwen 4-0 in Quest for Another World Championship
Phil Taylor stepped up his challenge in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a 4-0 defeat of Michael van Gerwen on Saturday night.
The world number one and 13-time World Champion dropped just three legs in a superb performance at Alexandra Palace.
Having whitewashed Steve Grubb in the first round, van Gerwen was left powerless to stop Taylor, who averaged 102.5, hit finishes of 121, 105 and 103 and a ten-darter in a brilliant display.
“I’m very pleased,” said Taylor. “Every time he hit a big shot I wanted to match him and put him under pressure, and I did that.
“He’s got a lot to learn yet but he was playing the Master! I’m here to win the World Championship and I really want this title.”
Van Gerwen admitted: “He checked out everything and there’s nothing you can do against that performance. He played really well and I think he will win the tournament.”
Taylor now meets Kevin Painter on Monday night in a repeat of the 2004 World Championship final, which the Stoke legend won in a sudden-death leg.
Painter booked his place in the last 16 with a 4-1 defeat of Spain’s Carlos Rodriguez, while another former finalist, Mark Dudbridge, saw off Austrian Mensur Suljovic in straight sets.
Dennis Smith earned a spot in the third round by coming from 3-0 down to win 4-3 against 23-year-old Kevin McDine, while Holland’s Co Stompe defeated number nine seed Alan Tabern 4-1.
Wayne Mardle – a five-time World Championship semi-finalist – set up a tasty third round clash with Stompe after edging past Robert Thornton in a seven-set thriller.
Mardle led 3-1 before Thornton hit back to level, but the Romford ace – who hit four ton-plus finishes in the game – delighted the 2,500 crowd at Alexandra Palace by winning the deciding set 3-1 to progress.
“I should have won 4-1 but Robert was great and came back strongly,” said Mardle. “I was just relieved to get through at the end but the crowd were amazing and I couldn’t have won without them.”
The second round continues on Sunday, with American ace Bill Davis looking to follow up his win over defending champion John Part with a win over Barrie Bates, Ronnie Baxter meeting Denis Ovens and Andy Hamilton taking on qualifier Tony Ayres.
World number two Raymond van Barneveld takes on Wes Newton in Sunday’s evening session, when Mervyn King meets Mark Walsh and Jelle Klaasen pairs up in an all-Dutch clash with Jan van der Rassel.
Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
Second Round – Evening
Mark Dudbridge (ENG) 4-0 Mensur Suljovic (AUT)
Phil Taylor (ENG) 4-0 Michael van Gerwen (NED)
Wayne Mardle (ENG) 4-3 Robert Thornton (SCO
Sunday December 28
Afternoon Session (1pm)
Bill Davis v Barrie Bates
Ronnie Baxter v Denis Ovens
Andy Hamilton v Tony Ayres
Evening Session (7pm)
Jelle Klaasen v Jan van der Rassel
Raymond van Barneveld v Wes Newton
Mervyn King v Mark Walsh
MARK DUDBRIDGE 4-0 MENSUR SULJOVIC
(3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2)
MARK DUDBRIDGE moved into the last 16 of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a powerful straight sets victory over Mensur Suljovic.
The scoreline did not the emerging Austrian justice, as he pushed Dudbridge in each set before going down to defeat.
Suljovic, who defeated Peter Manley in five sets in his opening match came out of the blocks quickly, taking the first two legs in 14 and 15 darts respectively.
But Dudbridge broke throw in the third leg, and won the fourth with a 116 checkout, with Suljovic waiting on double top for the set.
The man from Bristol then won the deciding leg, landing double top for an 80 finish and a 1-0 lead.
Dudbridge hit a 14-dart finish against the darts in the first leg of set two, before his opponent broke back immediately.
Dudbridge took the third leg, and Suljovic leveled again after the 2005 runner-up missed two darts at tops for the set.
But in the fifth leg, Dudbridge hit his second 14-darter of the set to nick it and secure firm control in the game.
Suljovic started the third set well, breaking throw in the opening leg and then following that with a 103 checkout to double the lead.
But Dudbridge took next two before holding throw in the decider to lead 3-0 and move a set away from the match.
The number 20 seed then took a 2-1 lead in the fourth set, courtesy of a 15-dart finish in the third leg.
He missed a dart at tops for 160 and the match in the fourth, and Suljovic kept his hopes alive by landing double ten.
Both players recorded maximums in the next, but Dudbridge won it with an 11-dart finish to take the match in fine style.
“It’s a very good result for me and I’m very pleased to get through 4-0,” said Dudbridge. “Maybe that’s not a fair scoreline but I’m quite happy with that performance and feeling good.
“Against Kevin Painter in the World Grand Prix I was very nervous but I’m starting to relax on stage and enjoy it again.
“If I can go up on stage and let my darts go like I do in practice then anything could happen. I love this event and it’s massive for me.
“I want to get back into the top 16 and push onto the next level, but I’m planning and preparing for a good 2009 anyway regardless of how the rest of this tournament pans out.”
PHIL TAYLOR 4-0 MICHAEL VAN GERWEN
(3-1, 3-0, 3-1, 3-1)
PHIL TAYLOR stormed past Dutch youngster Michael van Gerwen to reach the last 16 of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
The world number one and 13-time World Champion dropped just three legs in a superb performance at Alexandra Palace.
Taylor kicked off the game in brilliant style with a 103 finish against the throw, and doubled his lead before van Gerwen landed a 180 and an 88 finish in leg three.
Taylor wrapped up the set in 15 darts before hitting back-to-back 180s in the second set’s opener.
A potential nine-darter went begging at the seventh dart, but he still went out in ten darts to lead, took out 105 to break and a 13-darter to seal the set without reply.
He also led 2-0 in the third before van Gerwen replied in 13 darts on double eight, but an assured 89 checkout gave Taylor a 3-0 cushion in the game.
Taylor landed another maximum in a 14-darter to open the fourth, with van Gerwen replying in 13 but paying for a missed double 14 for a 121 finish as Taylor took out 63 to lead 2-1.
The Stoke legend then secured victory with a bullseye finish for a 121 checkout to power into round three.
“I’m very pleased,” said Taylor. “Every time he hit a big shot I wanted to match him and put him under pressure, and I did that.
“He’s got a lot to learn yet but he was playing the Master! I’m here to win the World Championship and I really want this title.
“It will be another great tussle against Kevin and if he doesn’t play well I’m going to trounce him, but it’s going to be a great game.”
Van Gerwen admitted: “He checked out everything and there’s nothing you can do against that performance. He played really well and I think he will win the tournament.”
Painter booked his place in the last 16 with a 4-1 defeat of Spain’s Carlos Rodriguez, while another former finalist, Mark Dudbridge, saw off Austrian Mensur Suljovic in straight sets.
Dennis Smith earned a spot in the third round by coming from 3-0 down to win 4-3 against 23-year-old Kevin McDine, while Holland’s Co Stompe defeated number nine seed Alan Tabern 4-1.
WAYNE MARDLE 4-3 ROBERT THORNTON
(1-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 1-3, 2-3, 3-1)
WAYNE MARDLE came through a pulsating seven-set encounter against Robert Thornton to set up a last 16 clash against Co Stompe at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
The number eight seed had led 3-1, but was pegged back to three-all before coming through in a contest where both players hit ten maximums apiece.
Mardle started in incredible fashion, hitting a maximum with his first three darts of the match in taking the first leg.
But Thornton won the next three legs with superb legs of 14, 13 and 13 darts to take the early advantage.
The Romford man started the second set well, breaking throw with an 11-dart finish before Thornton hit back immediately to level the set.
Mardle, though, hit clinical finishes of 96 and 116 in the next two to take the set and square the game.
Mardle, who reached the semi-finals of July’s World Matchplay, continued the superb finishing by recording a 140 checkout to take the opening leg of the third set.
The Scotsman took the next to level, but Mardle pushed away once again, and took the next two legs to lead for the first time in the contest.
Thornton hit a fantastic finish of his own with a ‘party-piece’ 100 checkout which included two double tops.
The Scotsman had two chances at double 18 to take command in the next leg, but missed and was punished with a 101 finish from Mardle.
In the third leg it was Mardle’s turn to make errors on the doubles, and Thornton won it to take a 2-1 lead in the set.
Mardle won the next in 14 darts, and then won the decider to move into 3-1 lead, after both players had a dart to win the set.
Mardle converted an amazing 145 checkout to open up the fifth set, but missed chances to take second and allowed Thornton to level.
The Scotsman then broke throw after his opponent missed further opportunities to win the third leg, and took the set in the next with a 13-dart finish to reduce his arrears.
Thornton continued his good run by taking a 2-0 lead in the sixth set and go one leg away from taking the match into a deciding set.
But he managed to miss seven darts over the course of the next two legs, which Mardle pinched to go one leg away from victory.
The Scot put those disappointments behind him, hitting his eighth and ninth maximums of the game in the deciding leg, and went to win it in 11 darts to force a decider.
Mardle started the final set in amazing fashion and was on course for a nine-dart finish after back-to-back 180s, only to miss a seventh treble 20.
He went on to win the leg before Thornton leveled, but a brilliant double ten – in between two missed darts at the bed – took Mardle 2-1 ahead.
Mardle then took his tally of maximums into double figures to lead in the fourth leg, and landed double 16 for a famous win.
“I probably should have won that 4-1 but I was just relieved to get the win in the end,” said Mardle. “After losing the fifth set I knew it would end up in a decider!
“He took confidence from that and was great, but that was probably my best performance on TV since last year’s World Championship.
“I reached the semis here then and the semi-finals in the World Matchplay, but I seem to switch on when it’s the World Championship.”
He added: “The crowd were fantastic and without them I might have lost that game. They turned up and wanted me to win.”
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