VAN GERWEN & PART SET UP TASTY QUARTER-FINAL IN EUROPEAN DARTS TROPHY
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN and John Part will clash in a high-profile quarter-final at the European Darts Trophy on Monday night, as the final eight players bid to take the 20,000 pound title at the Glaspalast in Sindelfingen.
Dutch star van Gerwen continued his bid to win a fourth event of the year, and a first European Tour title, with a fine 6-1 win over Essex's Jamie Robinson on Monday afternoon.
Robinson had come back from three legs down to defeat both Richie Burnett and Brendan Dolan in reaching the third round, but despite a 141 finish was unable to match van Gerwen, who also took out 141 and hit a 121 checkout during the win.
"I know I'm playing well at the minute and although I missed some doubles I'm happy with that," said van Gerwen. "I want to keep it going tonight and give the fans plenty to cheer about."
Van Gerwen now plays last month's UK Masters winner John Part in the last eight, with the Canadian remaining on course for a second successive European Tour win by seeing off Ronnie Baxter 6-2 from 2-0 down.
"I'm playing consistently well at the moment and taking my chances," said Part. "I've got Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals and it should be a good game because I'm number one on the ProTour Order of Merit and he's won three events."
Justin Pipe, the only other player in the last eight who has previously won a European Tour event, at the Austrian Open last year, defeated Nick Fullwell 6-3, taking out finishes of 147 and 116 in the game's final two legs.
Pipe will face Wes Newton in the quarter-finals, with the McCoy's Premier League Darts star having seen off Peter Wright 6-4 in their third round contest.
Austrian ace Mensur Suljovic delighted the German crowd with a whitewash of Andy Smith to set up a quarter-final with Belgium's Kim Huybrechts, who averaged 102.58 in a 6-3 win over Terry Temple.
Welshman Mark Webster came from 4-2 down to defeat Ian White 6-5 and win through to his first European Tour quarter-final, where he now plays Paul Nicholson, who saw off Dean Winstanley 6-4.
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Match Information
Mensur Suljovic swept into the quarter-finals of the European Darts Trophy with a superb 6-0 whitewash of Andy Smith. The Austrian took the opening leg on double 16 and then finished 121 for a 12-darter as he doubled his lead. He also won the next two legs and then posted double nine to move 5-0 up, and when Smith missed two darts at double 11, the Austrian star took out 74 in two darts to seal the win with a handy 99 average.
Kim Huybrechts produced an impressive performance to defeat Terry Temple 6-3, averaging 102.58 and hitting a 180 and two 174 scores. Huybrechts also landed a 168 score as he left double eight to win the first leg, and though Temple replied to level, the Belgiun hit double 16 in the next two to move 3-1 up and then finished 92 in two darts for a 4-1 cushion. York's Temple took out 36 and 76 to win two of the next three, but Huybrechts sealed the win in style with a 13-darter.
"My performance was better than yesterday and I'm improving with each game I play in this event," said Huybrechts. "I'm feeling good and I'll be confident going into tonight's quarter-finals."
Wes Newton booked his European Darts Trophy quarter-final place with a 6-4 win over Peter Wright, averaging just over 100 and hitting four 180s. Wright took the first leg following two misses from Newton, who hit back on double ten before the pair traded 14-darters, but Newton made a key move by winning the next two to move 4-2 up. Wright hit a 180 and tops to hit back, but Newton landed double top to move a leg away from the win at 5-4. Wright saved the game by landing double ten, but Newton posted a 14-darter to seal his last eight spot.
"I'm really pleased," said Newton. "The standard's very high at the minute and there are so many great players, so you have to play well to win matches, and it will be the same this evening."
Justin Pipe set up a tasty European Darts Trophy quarter-final with Wes Newton by seeing off Nick Fullwell 6-3 in their third round contest. Pipe punished missed doubles from Fullwell to take the first two legs, and after the Midlands thrower hit a second 180 of the game in the third, Pipe took out 78 to move 3-0 up. Fullwell added another maximum as he got off the mark in leg four, and after Pipe won a fourth leg he took two of his own to pull back to 4-3. Pipe, though, produced a brilliant 147 finish to regain his cushion before sealing the win with a 116 finish.
"It was a struggle of a game but I'm happy to be through to the quarter-finals, and I can't wait for tonight," said Pipe. "Nick's an awesome player and although the German fans won't know too much about him, his scoring was great and he did well."
Michael van Gerwen impressed as he booked a quarter-final spot with a 6-1 win over Jamie Robinson, who had produced two great comebacks against Richie Burnett and Brendan Dolan. The pair traded 141 checkouts in an entertaining opening to the game, and van Gerwen then hit double five to move 2-0 up before following a 180 with a 121 finish to lead 3-1. Double ten edged him further clear before he added a 14-darter and then sealed the win on double eight.
John Part continued his bid to win a second successive European Tour event by overcoming Ronnie Baxter 6-2 with six straight legs. Baxter made a brilliant start, hitting a 180 and finishing 91 for a 12-darter in the opening leg before doubling his lead with a 104 checkout. Part, though, got off the mark on tops and finished 74 to level, before hitting a pair of double 16 finishes to move 4-2 up. Missed doubles from Baxter allowed Part in to finish double eight as he moved to the brink of victory, and when the Blackpool ace missed six darts at double 19, the Canadian stepped in to seal the win on double two.
Mark Webster reached his first European Tour quarter-final with a 6-5 comeback win against Ian White. Despite a 180 from White in the opening leg, Webster finished 72 to lead before the Stoke ace took the next three legs, hitting two 180s and an 11-darter in the process. Tops pulled Webster back to 3-2, but a 112 finish saw White regain his two-leg lead before the Welshman hit back with double top and double 12 to level and double ten to move 5-4 up. White finished another 11-darter to force a deciding leg, but Webster was first to a finish and posted double ten for a precious win.
"This win means a great deal to me because it's the first time I've reached the quarter-finals of a European Tour event and I want to kick on from here now," said Webster. "It was a great game and Ian threw some great darts, but he gave me a chance and I took it, so I'm really pleased."
Paul Nicholson completed the European Darts Trophy's quarter-final line-up with a fine 6-4 win over Dean Winstanley. Nicholson took the game's first two legs before Winstanley took out 136 to hit back, but the Yorkshireman missed the bull to level as Nicholson pinned double three for a 3-1 lead. Winstanley took two of the next three to cut the gap, but again missed the bull to level, along with two further darts at tops, as Nicholson took out a key 96 finish to move 5-3 up. Double 12 kept Winstanley in the hunt, before Nicholson finished 75 on tops to secure his last eight spot.
"It's good to get into another quarter-final, especially in a great country like Germany," said Nicholson. "I'll look forward to playing Mark now in the quarter-finals, and it should be a great game."