Grand Slam of Darts - Report Day 3
LEWIS ELIMINATED IN WOLVERHAMPTON AS KIST WINS ALL-DUTCH AFFAIR WITH BARNEY
Adrian Lewis crashed out of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts with a defeat to John Part on Monday night, as Gary Anderson became the first player to book his place in the second round in Wolverhampton.
Lewis, the PDC World Champion, followed up Sunday's 5-4 defeat to Tony O'Shea with a disappointing performance as he missed 17 darts at doubles in a 5-2 reverse to Canadian ace John Part 24 hours later.
That result, coupled with Gary Anderson's later Group E victory over O'Shea, means that Lewis cannot now qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament later this week.
Anderson became the first player to secure his place in the last 16 courtesy of his second successive 5-4 win, and will meet Lewis in their final group game on Wednesday night.
"This is my favourite tournament so it's great to be through to the last 16," said Anderson. " I'm shown a lot of nerve to come through my two games with 5-4 victories. It's great to know that I've guaranteed my place in the last 16 with a game to spare. I feel like I'm playing well but I'm scraping through games and showing a bit of bottle to win the matches in the last leg.
"Adrian can't get through now so he's got nothing to lose and you'll probably see his best darts on Wednesday.
Three-time World Champion Part will take on O'Shea on Wednesday night in their decisive clash, with the winner progressing to the second round.
" It wasn't pretty at all but I fought extremely hard and got the two points. I think we both feeling lots of pressure but I feel like I handed my emotions better than Adrian did. I knew coming into the tournament that all of us in our group would be nervous playing each other and there's a lot of tension," he said. "I've never played Tony in a tournament before but he hits a lot of 180s and I'm looking forward to it."
Lakeside Champion Christian Kist, meanwhile, overcame five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld 5-4 in a dramatic first-ever contest between the Dutch stars in Group H.
Van Barneveld missed three darts at double top to edge the deciding leg of the game, and Kist stepped in to his double 16 at the first time of asking to remain unbeaten on his Grand Slam debut.
"It's the first time we've played and it's unbelievable - it's a dream for me," said Kist. "It's nice to get a second win but I hope I can win my third game and I'll do my best. .Raymond had chances in the last leg so I was a little fortunate but I took my chance when it came."
Van Barneveld now faces a must-win clash with Wayne Jones on Wednesday, with the Wolverhampton ace clinging onto his hopes after losing out 5-4 to Mark Walsh in their second game of the group stage.
"There was lot of pressure on both of us tonight and I think it showed in the way the game panned out. I knew it was going to be a hard game against Wayne and luckily I won the game and I've still got half a chance of getting through," admitted Walsh. "It was edgy stuff - I managed to get the two points though and I've given myself half a chance of qualification. Reaching the semi-finals last year was great and I would love another good run this year."
Andy Hamilton, the PDC World Championship finalist in January, secured his second successive win in the group stage by defeating Brendan Dolan 5-1 in their Group F contest.
"I'm happy with the result and it's two more points on the board," said Hamilton. " It's another two points on the board and things are looking good for qualification. It wasn't a great game tonight and I expected Brendan to push me harder. I took out the doubles when I needed too and that was the important thing." I'm looking forward to the next game and there will be more pressure on Paul than on me."
Hamilton will meet Paul Nicholson in Wednesday's final game, with the Australian World Cup finalist having seen off Welshman Barrie Bates 5-0 in their contest.
" I felt like I needed to win emphatically tonight and I managed to do that. I'm not usually the best of starters so the 11-darter to win the first leg was a real confidence booster for me. I'm thrilled because I've still got a chance," said Nicholson. "I know what I've got to do, which is to beat Andy on Wednesday, and it's like a knockout competition for me now. Leg difference can be massive - in 2008 I lost out by a couple of legs - and a 5-0 win is good for that, and now I know what I've got do on Wednesday - to win!"
Wes Newton, meanwhile, remains unbeaten in Group G following his 5-2 win over Dutchman Wesley Harms, with the result seeing the Fleetwood ace put one foot into the last 16.
"I didn't play great tonight but to get the two points was what mattered, and I did that," said Newton. "I'm happy with two wins from two and I've put myself in a very good position."
Newton's final group game will see him take on Terry Jenkins, who bounced back from Sunday's loss to Harms by defeating Martin Phillips 5-2.
"I was very disappointed to lose on Sunday, even though Wesley played well. I put myself on the back foot. It was still on my mind coming into tonight's game but I managed to get the two points and it puts me back in it," said Jenkins. "I'm practising well and feeling really confident, and I'm hoping to do well on Wednesday."