PDC World Champs: Taylor Brushes Painter Aside to Gain Quarter Final Spot
Phil Taylor came from a set down before seeing off Kevin Painter 4-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Monday night.
The 13-time World Champion responded from losing the first set by winning ten consecutive legs in the course of the match and finished the match with an average of 101.63.
He will meet either Wayne Mardle or Co Stompe in the last eight on New Year’s Day, as he bids to claim glory at London’s Alexandra Palace.
“I’m so determined to win this tournament and that’s showing in my game,” said Taylor. “Kevin had a brilliant first set but then I came back and seemed to take advantage when he missed and put him under pressure.”
Taylor will now return to Alexandra Palace on New Year’s Day to meet the winner of Tuesday’s third round clash between Wayne Mardle – who knocked him out of last year’s World Championship at the same stage – and Co Stompe, who defeated him in the German Darts Championship final at the start of December.
Welshman Barrie Bates joined Taylor in the last eight with a 4-0 rout of Mark Dudbridge, with the 2006 UK Open finalist producing his best World Championship display to check out 60 percent of his chances at a double.
The third round continues on Tuesday, with James Wade progressing to the last 16 earlier on Monday night with a 4-1 win over Tony Eccles.
The world number three – who meets Vincent van der Voort in round three – was not at his fluent best despite the win, and admitted: “I’m practising well but not taking it up on stage.
“I’m relaxed and happy and it’s only a matter of time before it clicks in.”
Tuesday’s afternoon session begins with the meeting of two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley and Australian number one Paul Nicholson, while resurgent Dennis Smith meets in-form Mervyn King before Mardle and Stompe clash.
Andy Hamilton and Jelle Klaasen – who have impressed so far in the tournament – meet in the evening session’s opener, while five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld takes on Ronnie Baxter.
Monday December 29
Second Round
Paul Nicholson (AUS) 4-3 Adrian Lewis (ENG)
Dennis Priestley (ENG) 4-1 John MaGowan (N.IRE)
Vincent van der Voort (NED) 4-1 Colin Osborne (ENG)
James Wade (ENG) 4-2 Tony Eccles (ENG)
Third Round
Phil Taylor (ENG) 4-1 Kevin Painter (ENG)
Barrie Bates (WAL) 4-0 Mark Dudbridge (ENG)
Tuesday December 30
Afternoon Session
Paul Nicholson v Dennis Priestley
Dennis Smith v Mervyn King
Wayne Mardle v Co Stompe
Evening Session
Andy Hamilton v Jelle Klaasen
Raymond van Barneveld v Ronnie Baxter
James Wade v Vincent van der Voort
JAMES WADE 4-2 TONY ECCLES
(3-0, 1-3, 3-1, 3-1, 0-3, 3-2)
JAMES WADE earned his place in round three of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a 4-2 defeat of Tony Eccles.
In a game mirroring his first round win over Brendan Dolan, Wade never hit top gear during the contest but did enough to end the challenge of the Hartlepool man.
Wade led 2-0 in the opening set, breaking throw in the second leg by landing double ten.
Eccles missed two darts at doubles to win the third leg, and Wade stepped in to hit double top and take an early lead.
All three legs were won with throw at the start of the second to give Eccles the edge, and he then managed to win the fourth with an excellent two-dart 79 finish to level the match.
Wade missed two darts at doubles to win the first leg of the third set, and Eccles managed to hit double one with his last dart to go 1-0 up.
But Wade was clinical from then on, and took the next three legs in 14, 15 and 15 darts to regain lead.
Both players hit maximums at the start of set four, but it was Eccles who ended up taking the leg.
Wade soon leveled and then won the third leg against the darts with a 14-dart finish before punishing Eccles misses to take a 3-1 advantage.
In the fifth set Eccles, who defeated Remco van Eijden his first round game, produced some brilliant finishing to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
He hit a two-dart 65 finish to win the first leg, a 119 checkout to break throw in the second and a fine 143 to wrap up the set.
Both players held throw at the beginning of the sixth set, before Eccles hit a superb 123 finish on the bullseye to go 2-1 ahead.
Wade won the fourth leg and then hit his seventh maximum of the game in a 13-darter to seal victory.
Wade admitted afterwards to being frustrated with his performances so far at Alexandra Palace, saying: “I’m practicing well but not taking it up on stage.
“The standard for the World Championship is high and I’m not there yet, but I can do it.
“A year ago I’d caught up with Phil but then he started to play under-par. Now he’s found a new level and I’m chasing him again, and I’m not playing at the top of my game.
“I’m in the last 16, playing bad darts but still winning and I need to knuckle down now. I’m relaxed and happy and it’s only a matter of time before it clicks in.”
THIRD ROUND
PHIL TAYLOR 4-1 KEVIN PAINTER
(1-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 3-1)
PHIL TAYLOR came from a set down before seeing off Kevin Painter 4-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
The 13-time World Champion responded from losing the first set by winning ten consecutive legs in the course of the match and finished the match with an average of 101.63.
He will meet either Wayne Mardle or Co Stompe in the last eight on New Year’s Day, as he bids to claim glory at London’s Alexandra Palace.
“I’m so determined to win this tournament and that’s showing in my game,” said Taylor. “I was quite steady.
“The first set was a bit dodgy but then I came back and seemed to take advantage when Kevin missed and put him under pressure.
“If Kevin could play like he did in the first set all the time then he’ll be World Champion, but he has lapses and that costs him.”
Painter won the first leg with a 13-dart finish, before Taylor took out 68 to level the match.
But Painter, who was defeated by Taylor in the classic 2004 final, won the third leg, and produced a fantastic 10-darter to take the set.
The Stoke ace opened up a 2-0 lead in the second set, after Painter missed four darts in leg two, before double 16 gave him the set.
Taylor won the first leg of the third set against the darts with a 14-darter, and six misses from Painter were punished in the second before double four gave the world number one the lead.
Taylor continued to add to Painter’s pain by hitting a fantastic 124 checkout, finishing on the bullseye, at the start of the fourth set to take his run to seven straight legs.
He then broke with a 15-dart finish after both players had recorded maximums and took leg three to move a set away from victory.
Taylor won the opening leg of the set five, but Painter managed to stop his opponent’s run with a polished 11-darter.
However, four missed opportunities to take the third leg cost him, and Taylor broke throw again before landing double top for the win.
“I started well but went a little flat,” admitted Painter.
“Phil won four or five legs on the trot with his third dart and that killed me. I was in with a shout in the last set too and could have won the third too, but I missed a few doubles and Phil punished me.
“His last dart is as good as anybody else’s first dart and he doesn’t feel the pressure. I didn’t think Phil was particularly fantastic but he finished well.
“I had my moments but went through phases and I’ve got no complaints. I’ve got to try and up my level of consistency really.”
BARRIE BATES 4-0 MARK DUDBRIDGE
(3-0, 3-1, 3-0, 3-2)
BARRIE BATES ended the hopes of 2005 runner-up Mark Dudbridge with a convincing straight-sets victory to reach his first quarter-final at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
Bates, a former UK Open finalist, will take on Mervyn King or Dennis Smith in the New Year after a brilliant finishing display earned him his best run in the tournament.
He checked out 60 percent of his doubles, and swept past a below-par Dudbridge.
Bates broke throw in the second leg with a 107 finish to take a 2-0 lead in the opening set, and then capitalized on three missed doubles from Dudbridge to take the third leg and open up a 1-0 lead.
The Welshman – who has defeated Felix McBrearty and Bill Davis so far at Alexandra Palace – continued his excellent start with a 13-dart finish at the start of the second set.
Dudbridge managed to get himself on the board by winning the second, but a two-dart 78 finish put Bates back in front and he also won leg four to double the advantage.
Bates continued in similar fashion in the third set, hitting legs of 15 and 14 darts to take his run to nine from the first ten in moving 3-0 up.
Dudbridge managed to take a 2-1 lead in the fourth set, courtesy of a 106 finish in the third leg, but a bullseye checkout from Bates put him one leg away from victory.
The Welshman then pounced on two missed attempts at double 12 from Dudbridge with a clinical two-dart 66 finish to reach the quarter-finals.
“It looks a big win but there was still pressure on me,” said Bates. “Mark was outstanding against Mensur Suljovic in the second round but he didn’t perform tonight.
“I’ve never lost to him and must have something over him! The commentators had Mark through to the last eight and I wasn’t supposed to win, but I’m up there to win and it’s my job.”
Dudbridge conceded: “Barrie’s finishing was brilliant and he was consistent with his scoring.
“At this level you can’t get your game together when you’re three sets down, and even then it wasn’t enough. He really ran out an easy winner.”
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