World Grand Prix - Matchreports Semifinals
LEWIS KNOCKS OUT TAYLOR TO SET UP FINAL WITH WADE
Adrian Lewis stunned Phil Taylor with his first-ever televised win over the reigning Bodog.com World Grand Prix champion, booking his place in the final with a dramatic deciding-leg win at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.
Lewis emerged in 2004 as a practice partner of the Stoke legend, and produced his finest performance yet on the big stage to win through to face James Wade in Sunday's final. The 25-year-old trailed Taylor 4-2 before taking six legs out of seven to force a decider, which he won in a sudden-death leg after the reigning champion twice missed match darts. Taylor had edged out Gary Anderson 4-3 in the quarter-finals on Friday night, but narrowly missed out in his bid to claim a tenth World Grand Prix title following a superb contest.
Wade, meanwhile, remains on course for a second World Grand Prix triumph after defeating world number two Raymond van Barneveld 5-1.
The 2007 champion took a 3-0 lead against his Dutch rival, and after van Barneveld - inspired by a 170 on his way to the fourth set - staged a brief rally, the left-hander won the next two sets to complete the win.
James Wade 5:1 Raymond van Barneveld
James Wade challenge for a second Bodog.com World Grand Prix title continued with a superb 5-1 win over Raymond van Barneveld as he booked his place in Sunday's final at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.The left-hander's bid to follow up his 2007 win by claiming the £100,000 title on Sunday continued with his best performance so far in the tournament as he defeated the two-time finalist. Wade took the first three sets of the match without reply to take command, and held off van Barneveld's rally - which included a 170 finish - to move into the final.
Van Barneveld had made a sensational start to the game, hitting a 152 score with his opening three darts and finishing 92 for an 11-dart finish. While he missed one dart at double 19 to break in the second leg, the Dutchman took the third for a 2-1 lead before Wade hit a 101 finish to level and then opened the decider with a 160 and landed double top for the set.
Double 16 in the second set's opener saw van Barneveld break Wade for the first time, but Wade replied with a 121 bullseye checkout and double top to regain his lead. The Dutchman hit double 16 again to force another deciding leg, but Wade once more opened with a 160 and landed double ten for a 2-0 lead.
Wade streaked through set three without reply from the Dutchman, who was on 55 as the left-hander broke in leg one before missing two darts at double 14 in the next. Wade posted a 180 to leave 40 in wrapping up the set for a 3-0 advantage in the game, and then landed double ten in the fourth set's opening two legs. Van Barneveld replied with a 170 finish, a checkout that galvanised the five-time World Champion. He levelled the set on double top, and responded to a 174 score from Wade by checking out 100 in the decider for a 14-darter as he took the set.
Wade, though, punished him to take the fifth set's opening two legs, with a missed double six for a 126 finish allowing the 2007 champion in to hit the same bed after leaving 24 with a 180 in the first. Van Barneveld then missed 14 darts to open the second leg as Wade doubles his advantage, only to then lose his range as a 68 finish gave the Dutchman the third. Wade, though, was first to a double in the next and posted double eight to move a set away from victory.
Van Barneveld - aided by a change to using pear-shaped flights - took out 52 to break in the sixth set's opener, before Wade took the second with double one. Van Barneveld landed a 180 to leave 84 in the third, but missed four darts to take the leg as double top moved Wade to the brink of victory. He battled back with scores of 152 and 140 to open the next, and defied a 180 from Wade to hit double eight for the leg to square the set. But three misses to open the decider handed Wade the initiative, and he took out double five to complete the victory.
"I'm over the moon to be in the final," said Wade. "I've come here to win the tournament again but I know I've got to play better than that to win it. My performances are improving and I was very pleased with this win, but I know I've still got more in the tank."
Wade admitted to allowing the pro-Barneveld crowd to affect him, and said: "I found that hard to handle but I can't keep using the crowd as an excuse. I want to go up on stage and play great darts and hopefully with the crowd behind me I can do that."
Adrian Lewis 5:4 Phil Taylor
Adrian Lewis stunned Phil Taylor with his first-ever televised win over the reigning Bodog.com World Grand Prix champion,
booking his place in the final with a dramatic deciding-leg win at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.
Lewis emerged in 2004 as a practice partner of the Stoke legend, and produced his finest performance yet on the big stage to win through to face James Wade in Sunday's final. The 25-year-old trailed Taylor 4-2 before taking six legs out of seven to force a decider, which he won in a sudden-death leg after the reigning champion twice missed match darts.
Taylor had edged out Gary Anderson 4-3 in the quarter-finals on Friday night, but narrowly missed out in his bid to claim a tenth World Grand Prix title following a superb contest.
"I've known Phil a long time and he knows how I can play but I've finally done it on stage against him," said Lewis. "He's the best player who's lived but people don't realise how tough it is to play him. It's always going to be a battle and I was up for the battle tonight. I played well and deserved to win, and it's my time to shine. I'm 25 now and I've messed about for too long to not win a major title. I want to win title after title and if I win this event on Sunday night I think I can go on to win a lot more."
Lewis started well, coming from 2-1 down in the opening set to land double top in the fourth and double 16 to win the set.
Taylor responded to take the second without reply, hitting finishes of double five and double ten before trading 180s in the third and landing a two-dart 64 finish to level.
Lewis kicked off the third brilliantly, hitting a 180 and a 120 finish in the first leg and two 180s in a ten-dart finish for a 2-0 lead.
Taylor took out 92 on the bull for the third, and opened the fourth with a 160 before finishing 84 to send the set into a decider. Lewis landed a 180 but a miss at double nine allowed Taylor in, only for the reigning champion to miss the bull on this occasion and allow the youngster in for double four to edge another set. The fourth, like the second, went to Taylor without reply as he reeled off three successive legs after Lewis missed double top in the opener.
Taylor also led 2-0 in the fifth, hitting a pair of 180s in the process, before Lewis took out double 18 to end a run of five successive legs. However, Taylor finished 96 on double eight for the second to move in front for the first time in the game.
Taylor then took what appeared to be a pivotal leg in the sixth set's opener, as Lewis hit scores of 160 and 180 to set up a potential nine-darter, only to miss the treble 17 for a 161 finish. He left 24 after nine darts, but Taylor brilliantly took out 170 to hold throw. While Lewis levelled in the next, Taylor hit a 180 in taking leg three and matched a maximum from the youngster and landed double top for the set and a 4-2 advantage.
Lewis' heavy scoring continued in the seventh set, hitting a 180 and a 121 finish in the opening leg and two more maximums in winning the set 3-1.
He then hit two 180s in the eighth set's opener, which he took on double top after a missed double eight from Taylor, before taking the second in brilliant fashion after another maximum, taking out 80 with two double tops. Another double top finish gave him the set and ensured a deciding ninth set, but when he missed double 15 for a 110 finish Taylor looked set to swoop - taking out double ten to break and then winning leg two for a 2-0 lead. However, he missed double top for the match in the next, with Lewis recovering from four earlier misses to hit double two, before stepping in again after Taylor missed the bullseye on 92 to force a sudden-death leg.
Having won six successive legs to snatch a seven-set thriller against Anderson in the quarters, Taylor's timing for once deserted him as he missed four starting doubles in the decisive leg. Lewis pulled clear and left 106, which he finish on double top to take an amazing victory.
"People don't realise that I'd not won a set against Phil before on TV in a set format, so when I won the first set I said to myself this was my chance," added Lewis. "I had the crowd with me and I was feeling great. Before when I'd go 4-2 down against Phil I'd crumble but I was determined to show how much ability and bottle I've got and I dug in. The 170 was a big shot and it hurt me but I'm growing up now. Not many people can beat Phil over a long format on TV but I've done that and it feels great."