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MIGHTY VAN GERWEN POWERS PAST ANDERSON FOR GERMAN DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN claimed victory in the German Darts Championship with a stunning 6-2 win over Gary Anderson in an incredible final at Halle 39 in Hildesheim on Sunday.

The Dutch superstar's stunning start to 2015 continued in style as he won his third successive tournament - following his victories in two Coral UK Open Qualifiers last weekend - and his fourth during February after also winning The Unibet Masters.
Van Gerwen's 25,000 pound first prize in Hildesheim also takes his prize money won in just over a fortnight to 110,000 pound, and also gave him a measure of revenge over Anderson following the Scot's victory in the William Hill World Championship semi-finals. The world number one had shown flashes of his brilliant best during wins over Jelle Klaasen, Stephen Bunting - who he whitewashed - Joe Murnan and Mensur Suljovic before producing an unstoppable display in the final.

After winning the opening leg on tops - in 17 darts with his fifth dart at a double - van Gerwen traded 180s with Anderson in the second before the World Champion levelled on double 12 with a 14-darter. The pair both landed maximums as van Gerwen produced a 12-darter in leg three to regain the lead, before Anderson fired in an 11-darter - featuring his fourth 180 in as many legs - to tie the game up at two-all. Van Gerwen, though, found another gear as he took out 151 for a 12-darter to move 3-2 up, broke with a sensational 167 checkout in leg six and then hit a ten-dart finish to lead 5-2, before another 12-darter sealed a magical win.
He ended the ten-minute contest with a 117.94 average and four 180s, with Anderson landing five maximums and averaging 103.78 but not getting a dart at a double following the fourth leg! The win is van Gerwen's fourth European Tour title in the four years since the events were introduced, making him the concept's most successful player.

"I'm really happy with how the tournament went, and to win this trophy is brilliant for me," said van Gerwen. "I played really well and I had to against Gary. He showed why he is World Champion and when he's on form you have to play like this if you're going to beat him."
He added: "It's lovely to be the first player to win four of these European Tour events because they are so hard to win. You have great crowds and you want to perform for the fans, so it's very nice when you play like this. I hope I can win many more."

Anderson had been bidding to retain the German Darts Championship title, having overcome Justin Pipe in last year's final, but had to settle for the 10,000 pound runner-up prize.

"To get to the final is an achievement in itself because the standard is so high nowadays," said Anderson. "Michael deserved to win, and from two-all in the final he upped a gear."

Anderson had defeated Ricky Williams and Steve Beaton to win through to the last eight, where he whitewashed Justin Pipe with a brilliant display of finishing - hitting six doubles from seven attempts - before overpowering Adrian Lewis 6-2 in the semis.

Lewis was joined in the last four by Austrian ace Suljovic, who had seen off Cristo Reyes, Kim Huybrechts, Michael Smith and Robert Thornton as he reached his third European Tour semi-final. Suljovic's success moves him closer to the world's top 32, as he took home 5,000 pound prize money.

The event also saw Bolton's Joe Murnan win through to his first ranking quarter-final, as he followed up wins over Michael Barnard and Ian White with a third round defeat of Brendan Dolan. Murnan hit back from 4-0 down against van Gerwen to trail just 4-3 before the eventual champion pulled away for victory.

Justin Pipe's run to the quarter-finals moves him back into the world's top 16, while Robert Thornton and Vincent van der Voort also reached the last eight - with the latter being a quarter-finalist for his sixth successive event.

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