World Grand Prix First Round Monday
Brendan Dolan 2:0 Wayne Jones
(3-1, 3-2)Brendan Dolan enjoyed his first victory in the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix since 2004 with a straight sets defeat of Wayne Jones in this year's opening match.
The Northern Ireland number one has been a first round loser at the Citywest Hotel for the past three years, but ended that run in style.
He hit 60 percent of his opening doubles on tops, and half of his chances at winning doubles in a solid opening to the event.
Jones had taken the game's opening leg on double 16, but Dolan hit a 180 and double four to level and tops to break. The Wolverhampton ace landed a maximum to set up a finish in the next, but was unable to take his chance as Dolan hit double four for the set.
Dolan hit tops to win the second set's opener, and landed a 180 and double ten to extend his lead to 2-0 before Jones hit back. Jones landed 180s in the next two legs as he pulled back to level courtesy of double 18 and double top, but Dolan left 121 after nine darts in the deciding leg of the set before hitting double eight for the win.
"It's great to have a win here because it's been a long time since I won here in 2004," said Dolan. "It wasn't the greatest game ever but I'm just delighted to have won it. "My starting was good and a couple of times Wayne didn't get away with his first three darts, and I took full advantage. "I know that I need a lot more out of myself to progress in this tournament, but at least I'm in the hunt. John Part's coming back into form and it's going to be really difficult, and I'll have to step up my game."
John Henderson 2:0 Justin Pipe
(3-2, 3-2)Scotland's John Henderson made a winning debut in the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix, defeating Justin Pipe in straight sets to move into the second round.
Henderson's impressive debut year on the PDC circuit continued with the victory, as he brought Pipe crashing back down to earth a day after he defeated Phil Taylor in winning his first Players Championship on Sunday.
Henderson hit a 180 in winning the opening leg, before Pipe replied in kind before finishing 110 to level. Henderson kicked off the third with a 160, with Pipe landing his second maximum in reply only to miss the bull as the Scot landed double ten for a 2-1 lead. Pipe levelled in a scrappy fourth leg, with both players missing a host of doubles before the Taunton ace posted double one, but Henderson was first to a finish in the decider and hit tops for the set.
The Scot then took command in the second set, winning the first two legs on double nine and double ten to move a leg away from victory. He missed a tricky bullseye chance in the third as Pipe scrambled in double 16 to stay in the game before defying a 180 frmo Henderson to hit double four and level the set after his opponent missed four further match darts. Henderson, though, again prevailed in the deciding leg, taking out 100 on double top for a 15-darter to secure progression to the last 16.
"I'm delighted to have won that," said Henderson. "Justin came into the game in great form and I'd never beaten him before. "He's hard to play against so it's a huge relief to have got the win, and I'll look forward to Wednesday now. The format's longer and I'll be able to relax and enjoy it."
Vincent van der Voort 2:0 Kevin Painter
(3-0, 3-2)Vincent van der Voort enjoyed his first-ever PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix victory, defeating Kevin Painter 2-0 at the New Citywest Convention Centre on Monday night.
The Dutchman has been a first round loser in each of his four previous Dublin appearances, but dropped only two legs as he ended that run in style.
Van der Voort opened in style with a 12-darter to win the first leg, landing a maximum before checking out 105, and then doubled his lead on tops after Painter missed two darts to level. Painter kicked off leg three with a 152 score, but missed seven darts to get off the mark as van der Voort capitalised on double ten to secure the set.
The Dutchman also won the second set's opening leg, hitting another 180 and double 16, before opening the second with a 160 an finishing double four to move a leg away from the win, as Painter waited on 35 after hitting a maximum in reply. Painter took the third on double ten to finally get his first leg of the game, as van der Voort missed ten darts at an opening double before hitting a 180 to belatedly apply pressure to the Englishman. Painter then levelled the set, but was unable to take the match into a decider when he missed tops, and van der Voort posted double eight for the win.
"I felt confident going onto stage but I was very relieved in the end with the win," said van der Voort. "I made it hard for myself in the second set, and Kevin came back well. "My starting was good, which was important in this format because it's a short game." Van der Voort has suffered with a back problem during 2011, but added: "I'm feeling totally different to how I have been for a year or so. "I always thought it was a problem at the top of my back but I went to see a specialist, who told me it was coming from my hips and he took care of it in one session. It's not a problem at the moment and I feel good."
Wes Newton 2:1 Colin Lloyd
(2-3, 3-0, 3-0) Wes Newton produced a brilliant fightback to come from a set down against Colin Lloyd to win six successive legs and win through to the second round of PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix.The in-form Fleetwood ace knocked 2004 champion Lloyd out of the event for the second straight year in an entertaining contest, averaging an impressive 95 in the double-start format.
Lloyd had taken the opening leg on double eight, but Newton took out double ten to level and 76 to break in the third. He could have wrapped up the set in the next, but missed three darts at doubles and Lloyd levelled before defying a 180 from Newton to step in and hit double ten for the lead after his opponent missed double 16.
Newton made an electric start to the second set, finishing 84 on double 11 to win the opening and breaking on double top following a maximum, although Lloyd had missed double 14 for a 148 chekout. Newton then finished a brilliant 12-darter on double eight to secure the set and level the contest.
After Lloyd replied to a Newton 180 with a 177 of his own, the Fleetwood ace landed a second successive 12-darter with a fine 110 checkout to lead in set three. Double five gave him the second leg, and he finished 71 for a 15-darter in securing safe passage to the last 16.
"I went off after the first set feeling mad with myself because I missed three darts to win the set 3-1 and then lost it," said Newton. "I felt I was playing well and I jumped on Colin in the last two sets, so I'm really happy. We've played a couple of times recently and I knew Colin was in form and that I'd have to dig deep. "There's no room for error in the first round, especially if you lose the first set, but I'm pleased with how I fought back."
John Part 2:1 Adrian Lewis
(0-3, 3-2, 3-1)John Part produced one of the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix's greatest comebacks as he hit back from the brink of defeat to knock World Champion Adrian Lewis out of the tournament on Monday night.
Lewis looked set to coast to victory when he won the game's opening five legs to win the first set and move to the brink of a place in the last 16.
But missed doubles gave Part his chance, and the Canadian took the next three legs to level the game, before winning the decider 3-1.
Lewis made a confident opening, winning the first leg on double ten and opening the second with a 160 before doubling his lead on tops. Part missed six darts to kick off the third leg, and Lewis took full advantage with a 13-darter to wrap up the set.
Lewis then took out double four and double two to lead 2-0 in the second set, but failed to close out the victory in the next despite hitting scores of 180 and 140, with Part winning his first leg of the match. The Canadian landed a 180 in the next, and after three more misses from Lewis he hit double four to level the set.
Lewis gave himself another chance to secure victory in the set's fifth leg, but missed tops and Part capitalised by hitting double 16 to square the game.
A fired-up Lewis opened the deciding set superbly with a 160 start to the opening leg, which he won with a party-piece 100 finish of two double
tops.
Part, though, replied to level on double four, and when Lewis failed to finish the third he hit double eight to move 2-1 up and move a step closer
to a remarkable triumph.
He dominated the next only to miss tops for a 78 finish and victory, but Lewis was unable to check out 100 and Part returned to hit double ten to
complete a stunning fightback.
"It's a great win," said Part. "The sets format meant that the comeback was more achievable than if we were playing a legs format "Under pressure at the end, when my arm and hand was shaking because of the pressure, I hit a lot of doubles in and out. But maybe Adrian's level came down because I wasn't showing him much but I scored pretty well when I got away and maybe I did a bit of a rope-a-dope on him!"
James Wade 2:0 Steve Brown
(3-1, 3-0)James Wade began the defence of his PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix title with a strong 2-0 defeat of Steve Brown at the New Citywest Convention Centre.
The reigning champion dropped only one leg in taking the win, as he set up a second round date with Holland's Vincent van der Voort on Wednesday.
Bristol's Brown began the match well, capitalising on a slow start from Wade to win the opening leg with a 74 finish.
Wade, though, burst back into life by taking out 142 on double 11 to level, and moved 2-1 up in the set by edging a key third leg when Brown missed
darts to double top and ten to hold throw.
A second successive double ten finish saw Wade secure the set, and he took out a confident 100 checkout in two darts to lead in the second. Double ten moved him two legs clear, and he landed a 180 before finishing the same double to complete the win.
Raymond van Barneveld 2:0 Mervyn King
(3-2, 3-1)Raymond van Barneveld saw off Mervyn King in straight sets to progress to the second round of the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix on Monday night.
The Dutch ace, twice the runner-up in the double-start format, looked in confident mood as he followed up Sunday's nine-darter in a Players Championship in Dublin with a solid display.
He won the game's opening leg, but King recovered from missing his chance to take the lead by levelling on the bull with a 92 checkout in the second. Van Barneveld's double five in the third was cancelled out by King's double eight in leg four, and it was the Englishman who took command in the decider by hitting a 177 to leave 132. However, he missed the bull to check out the combination, and van Barneveld finished a key 100 on double ten to edge the set.
King replied strongly with a 116 finish to kick off the second, but van Barneveld levelled with a tricky double eight in leg two, before hitting double ten and hitting a 180 and double four to sweep to victory.
"That 100 finish in the first set was really important," said van Barneveld. "Mervyn was throwing really well in the first set but that double ten won me the game. "I felt comfortable on stage, the crowd was behind me and I'm playing quite well. I like playing the sets format, I always do well in the World Championship and World Grand Prix and hopefully I will do well again this week."
Andy Smith 2:0 William O'Connor
(3-1, 3-1)Two Time PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix quarter-finalist Andy Smith ended the hopes of Ireland's William O'Connor with a straight sets victory.
Limerick's O'Connor was looking to delight the home crowd by progressing to the last 16, but was punished for missed doubles as Smith set up a second round contest with Raymond van Barneveld.
O'Connor took the game's opening leg on double six to settle any early nerves, but failed to kill off the second as Smith stepped in to level before the Englishman powered in a 13-darter to lead 2-1. Smith missed three darts to open in the fourth leg, but four successive ton-plus scores helped him set up double four to win the set, after O'Connor wasted three darts to level.
Smith hit a 180 in a 15-darter to kick off the second set, and doubled his lead in the next leg before O'Connor landed tops to save the match in the third leg. However, Smith made him pay for two further misses in the next by hitting double four to seal the set 3-1 and safe passage into the second round.
"I know Willie's a good player and the crowd would be on his side, but winning the first set gave me the edge and I put the pressure on him," said Smith. "He could have won the first set but I sneaked it and got the job done. I'm happy with that and I like this event and the format. "Where I was brought up in Studley we played 301 leagues with a double-start, so I'm pretty confident getting away. "When I play Barney I tend to play really well and beat him or really rubbish and get bashed, and hopefully I can give him a game this time. To win a tournament like this, you have to beat class players like Barney and it would be a big feather in my cap"