TONY AYRES sealed a dramatic deciding leg victory over 2008 winner James Wade with a 13-darter to reach
the semi-finals of the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open.
Ayres continued his best-ever run as a professional, following up his first quarter-final with a brilliant
display to end the hopes of the world number three.Ayres took a 3-0 lead in the game, and held his
nerve after Wade hit back to lead 9-8 - taking out 152 to force a decider before romping away with the
final leg.
"I don't know what to say!" admitted Ayres. "I've done brilliantly this weekend and enjoyed it, and I've
thrown the darts I know I can play.When James has darts at double top for the match you expect to be out,
but he missed and I took my chance. I'm not scared of anyone at the moment and I can't wait for the
semi-finals."
A brace of double top finishes gave Ayres, from Sussex, the opening two legs before a 78 finish gave the
nerveless star the third leg.A miss at double top allowed Wade in to get off the mark in the fourth,
although an 84 finish put Ayres 4-1 up at the first break.Wade landed a pair of 13-dart finishes to take
two of the next three, but a missed double 12 allowed Ayres to move 6-3 up.
Double 18 gave Wade the tenth leg, but he missed two darts at a double to punish a miscount from Ayres
as the Billingshurst man returned to take out 73 for a 7-4 advantage.Wade replied with a 12-darter and a 101
finish to pull back to 7-6, but Ayres finished a 14-dart leg to move two legs away from the win.
With the pressure of a potential maiden ranking semi-final looming, Ayres missed five darts to win the 15th
leg as Wade stepped in on double top to pull back to 8-7, and he landed the same bed to level.
Double ten from Wade put him ahead for the first time in the game, and he landed a 180 in taking the
advantage in the next - only to miss three darts for the match before Ayres produced a stunning 152 finish
to earn a decider.Three ton-plus scores gave Ayres the advantage in the decider, and he held his nerve to
take out double 18 for a 13-darter for the biggest win of his career.
GARY ANDERSON produced a display of the highest order to win through to the semi-finals of the UK Open
with a 10-6 defeat of Andy Hamilton.
The Scot missed double 12 for a nine-dart finish, a day after Mervyn King achieved the feat against him in
the last 16, and averaged 106.49 to see off the challenge of Hamilton.
Anderson hit scores of 177 and 180 in the opening leg, which he took in 13 darts, before doubling his lead
despite a maximum from Hamilton. Hamilton took two of the next three to cut the gap to 3-2, before Anderson
pulled clear with five successive legs, including a 106 finish, to take a six-leg lead.
Hamilton hit legs of 14 and 11 darts to pull back to 8-4, before Anderson kicked off the 13th leg with
back-to-back 180s. He then hit treble 20 and treble 19 but missed double 12 in his bid for a nine-dart
finish, although he took the leg in 11 darts to move one away from the match.
Hamilton won the next two as Anderson stumbled at the finishing line, but the Scot took leg 16 with the aid
of a seventh 180 and a 92 checkout to seal the win and set up a semi-final against Tony Ayres.
“I was going okay but lost my way a little bit towards the end and Andy made me nervous”, said Anderson.
“I'm happy with the performance and I was pretty good on the doubles - apart from the nine-darter!
I'll look forward to the semi-finals now and it would be great to reach the final, but Tony is a lovely guy
who goes about his business well, and he's a cracking player."
DENIS OVENS won through to his first ever televised semi-final at the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open with a
superb 10-3 defeat of Wes Newton.
Ovens produced arguably his finest performance in a major championship, averaging almost 101 and leaving
Newton with little chance after winning the opening five legs without reply.
The Stevenage-based star took out 85 for the opening leg, and a 13-darter secured an immediate break of
throw as he moved 2-0 up, and he hit a pair of maximums in legs four and five to create a five leg cushion.
Newton took out 120 to get off the mark in the sixth leg, and also won the eighth to pull back to 6-2.Ovens,
though, hit two 180s in an 11-darter and then won the next two legs to move 9-2 up before double top gave
Newton a glimmer of hope.But Ovens produced a brilliant winning leg, landing two more 180s and double 16 to
book his semi-final.
PHIL TAYLOR'S charge towards a fourth Rileys Darts Zones UK Open title continued with a superb 10-2
defeat of Adrian Lewis in the quarter-finals at the Reebok Stadium.
Taylor, who hit a world record televised average on Saturday, set up a semi-final against Denis Ovens in
thrilling fashion, maintaining his unbeaten record on the big stage against Lewis. The world number one made
a statement by taking the opening two legs in 14 and 12 darts and he also fired in a 180 in the
third - although Lewis took out 96 to get off the mark.
The youngster, though, missed two darts to level in leg four, before his opponent landed double 14 to move
3-1 up - a lead which was swiftly extended to 6-1 with the aid of 180s in each of the next three legs.
Lewis landed a maximum of his own in taking the eighth and traded 180s with Taylor in the next, but a
12-darter from the World Champion gave him a 7-2 cushion.
Lewis saw two darts at double ten for the next leg land wide of the mark, with double ten putting
Taylor two legs away from victory.
Taylor also landed double 16 for the 11th leg, after the pair again traded 180s, and landed a seventh
maximum and a 100 finish in completing the rout.
"I love playing Adrian but it's difficult because we're pretty close friends and he maybe respects me
too much," said Taylor."He's a really good player who will batter me one day - but he's not doing it against
me at the moment and he's got a mental block there."
Taylor now takes on Denis Ovens in the semi-finals, and added: "Denis has been there and thereabouts for
years and he deserves to be in the semi-finals. He had a convincing win against Wes and is playing really
well."
GARY ANDERSON marched into the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open final with a 10-3 defeat of Tony Ayres at the
Reebok Stadium.
Anderson followed up his quarter-final defeat of Andy Hamilton with another high-quality display in seeing
off Ayres, the world number 62 who had battled through to the last four in his best-ever run in a
professional event.
The duo shared the opening two legs before the Scot took three in a row to lead 4-1, including a 121 finish
for a 12-darter which was bettered by an 11-dart finish.
Double 16 gave Ayres the sixth leg, but Anderson began the next two with 180s, and finishes on double top
and double ten gave him a 7-2 cushion.
Ayres, from Billingshurst in Sussex, took out 64 to win the tenth leg and hit a 180 in the next - only to
see Anderson take out double top for a 13-dart finish.
The Scot hit a third 180 of the game and finished 76 to move to the brink of victory, and double top in the
next saw his place in the final secured.
“It's a tough event but I'm really pleased to be in the final," said Anderson. "I'm feeling confident and
it would be great to win this."
PHIL TAYLOR set up a final against Gary Anderson at the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open with a 10-5 defeat of
gritty Denis Ovens at the Reebok Stadium.
Ovens, appearing in his first major semi-final after 25 years as a professional, gave as good as he got
against Taylor, taking an early 2-0 lead and trading maximums throughout the contest with the reigning
champion.
Taylor ended the game with an average of 113, and hit ten from 12 attempts at a double in a clinical display.
Ovens opened the final with a 180 and broke Taylor's throw with a 14-darter before taking out a bullseye
finish of 90 to move 2-0 up.
He was also sat on 81 after nine darts in the third leg, but Taylor followed up a 180 with a bull checkout of his own to get off the mark.
Ovens finished double five and 64 to take two of the next three, with an 11-darter from Taylor sandwiched
between them as the Hertfordshire man led 4-2.
Taylor, though, raised his game to superbly reel off five successive legs in taking command of the match -
putting together a run of 14, 12, 11, 13 and 14-dart finishes which included a 124 finish, two 180s and
a 177 score.
Ovens checked out 71 to win a fifth leg and kicked off the next with a maximum, only for Taylor to fire in
another 11-darter - his third of the game - to lead 8-5.
Further 180s from Ovens were not enough in the next two legs as Taylor produced legs of 14 and 12 darts
to move into the final.
"I haven't seen Denis play that well on TV and I'm pleased for him," said Taylor. "He countered everything
I did so I had to hit that big average to win that."
Taylor followed up Saturday's world record average for a televised game of
118.66 against Kevin Painter,
with victories over Adrian Lewis, Denis Ovens and Anderson to win the tournament
on Sunday to take the
£40,000 pricemoney.
The Stoke legend opened the final with a 161 finish and led 5-1 before the Scot -
appearing in his firstmajor final with the PDC - took two of the next three to pull
back to 6-3.
But Taylor put his foot on the accelerator to storm to victory, hitting a 167 finish
amongst winning five of the next seven legs to take the title with a 121 checkout.
I'm absolutely delighted," said Taylor. "It's a real challenge to win this event
and I was up against a
brilliant player in the final against Gary.I really enjoyed all the games, against
Adrian, against Denis and then Gary today and in the final he did well. You could
tell he was a bit tired and I hit him then, but he kept coming back at me.
To follow up winning the Premier League trophy back with this is special for me and
it's an event I love."
Taylor bounced onto stage for the final, defying any fatigue in his third game
of the day to open the final with a 161 checkout.
He hit a 180 in taking the next leg before Anderson took the third to get himself
on the scoreboard.
But the Scot crucially missed four darts at a double to level the game, and
Taylor stepped in on double ten before hitting the same bed for a 4-1 lead -
trading 180s with Anderson and punishing another missed double.
Double eight gave Taylor a 5-1 lead before Anderson regained his range on the
doubles to win two of the
next three in pulling back to 6-3.
Anderson, though, had little answer as Taylor pulled clear in the next three legs,
taking out double 16.
double eight and an 81 checkout to lead 9-3.
A 110 finish for Anderson gave him a fourth leg, but Taylor bettered that and
his own earlier 161 finish
by taking out 167 to move a leg away from the win.
Anderson delayed Taylor's crowning moment by taking the 15th leg on double ten,
but the World Champion ensured the UK Open trophy would remain in his possession
by taking out 121 on the bullseye for the title.
"It's obviously disappointing to lose the final but I have to pay tribute to
Phil because he was superb, "said Anderson. "He has set the standard for everyone
to follow and I know what I have to do to win major
titles against him."His finishing was great and even though we were both tired
he managed to find the energy he needed to win.
I'm pleased to get to the final, though, because I had some really hard games
along the way against Paul Nicholson, Mervyn King and Andy Hamilton. It's my first
big final with the PDC and hopefully the first of many."