Winmau World Masters 4
Finals Day
On the Finals day of the World Masters against the sun was shining. Nevertheless I would have preferred to be able to sleep longer as of course it again been very late till I had updated everything. When you are tired it even takes longer. After the usual English breakfast - without the sausages - I walked to the not too far away City Hall.First the final of the WDDA Championship between the Belgian Vince D'Hond and Englishman Rick Chilton who had won the event last year. This year it was a one-sided affair -the Belgian just scored higher and won it 3:0. After it the semi-finalist were called on stage too - they were from Belgium and England as well.
Another reward waited for D'Hond - an exhibition match on stage against World Championship Scott Mitchell. Of course D'Hond won it - though the officials, the referee and Mitchell had to help a little bit, but it was a lot of fun for all involved and the crowd.
After a short break the draw for the men's preliminary round and the Ladies and man's first round of the BDO World Championship was done on stage as after the Lakeside play-offs all participants were known.
The stage again was altered and the quarterfinals of the men were played. They started with another surprise - Switzerland's Thomas
Junghans defeatet last year's runner-up Jamie Hughes as well and progressed into the semi-finals. There he's play against the again
convincing Glen Durrant who defeated last year's champion Martin Phillips. Pip Bklackwell didn't manage to prevail against the cheerful
Martin Adams but lost 1:3 and Adams is in the semi-finals as well. In the last quarterfinal American Larry Butler was not to be hold back
by the again strong playing Scott Waites and will now meet Butler in the semi-finals.
After a longer break in which I finally found the time to talk to Patrick Chaplin and John Gwynne - who again commentated for Eurosport - the day went on with the ladies semi-finals. The first one between Deta Hedman and Aileen de Graaf was quite an even match which was in the end won by the a little bit stronger de Graaf. The second final was dominated by World Champion Lisa Ashton and she defeated Fallon Sherrock 4:1. So the ladies final will be Aileen de Graaf v Lisa Ashton.
There was not much of a break before the first men's semi-finals began which Glen Durrant clearly dominated. Thomas Junghans had to this
point really kept up with all players but the number 1 seed Durrant was too much for him. Durrant played a terrific last set and
progressed with a 5:1 win into his first Major final. The second semi-final on the other side was a very hard fought affair and just
a terrific darts match. Larry Butler had been two sets behind against Martin Adams but managed to draw and won in the end in the
deciding let with his last dart 5:4. So he will now play against Glen Durrant in the final.
The ladies final between Lisa Ashton and Aileen de Graaf was a really great ladies final including two 180 and two Finishes on the
Bullseye. In the end Aileen de Graaf won 5:4 - deservedly as she had shown the best performances of all ladies throughout the complete
event.
In the men's final which ended the tournament it soon was clear that Larry Butler would not be able to stop Glen Durrant.
To be sure
the hard semi-finale was one of the reasons and the break between the semi-final and the final had been much shorter for Butler than
for Durrant. And of course the series of events had begun for the American already on Tuesday with the Grand Slam qualifier while Durrant
only started to play on Friday. But Glen Durrant is a deserved winner because of his achievements in the tournament. He is much improved
compared to last year. After his win he had not only problems with his emotions it looked he had some problems with the weight of the
trophy as well...
The final day was another long day and I was rather exhausted walking back to the hotel. I again had enjoyed the tournament very much. Due to the problems with the lack of place it had been chaotic at first and the tournament is the most exhausting I know anyway, it is similar to the first day of the UK Open only that it is not only one day but four. But the many international players make the tournament special. The atmosphere is more relaxed than in the PDC events, the mood is cheerful and there is always a lot to laugh about - I am looking forward to return.
