Winmau World Masters - Day 4
On the last day of the Winmau World Masters the quarterfinals, semi-finals and the final of the men, the semi-finals and the final of the women and the Winmau World Disability Final took place.
The day began with the WDDA final in which last year's winner Belgian Vince D'Hondt played against Englishman Richard Green. As D'Hondt plays sitting in a wheelchair while Green plays standing once again the wildfire board was in action which on one side has a board in the usual throwing height while on the other side is a board in wheelchair throwing height. Both players looked slightly tense and nervous though D'Hondt from the start dominated the match and impressed beside with his clinical finishing. So in the end with a 3:0 win he defended his title.
After the final the quarterfinals of the men and the women's semi-finals were played. In the fist men's match reigning champion Durrant was first steamrolled by Dutchman Wesley Harms who fast was 2:0 and later 3:1 in front. But then Durrant finally gained momentum while Harms went off the boil. Durrant levelled 3:3 and dominated the last set even though Harms managed to win another leg. Durrant won 4:3. The quarterfinal between Irishmen John 'Shea and Jamie Hughes was not really a good match. Hughes showed the slightly better performance and won it after some missed matchdarts 4:2. In the third quarterfinal Mark McGeeney played surprisingly strong and Canadian Edmunds couldn't keep up despite a solid performance and a lot of bottle. McGeeney won 4:2 and for the first time stands in the semi-finals of the World Masters. In the last quarterfinal Darryl Fitton was first way below his best while Scott Mitchell played a convincing match. In a short rise Fitton won the third set with an 11- and a 12-darter but in the end lost 1:4.
In the first women's semi-final Deta Hedman effectively used all chances which Maria O'Brien offered her and progressed with a 4:1 Win into the final. The second women's semifinal was a rather weak match probably in parts because Vicky Pruim was way of her form of the quarterfinals and never got going. Trina Gulliver not really sparkled either but used her chances and progressed for the tenth time into a Winmau World Masters final.
The men's semifinals followed and first up were Glen Durrant v Jamie Hughes. Durrant now more or less had "warmed up" and for the first time in the tournament showed why he is the number 1 of the BDO. He played an average of almost 100 and threw six 1980s. For a much weaker playing Hughes he was just too strong and Durrant remained with a clear 5:0 win on track to defend his title. While Durrant finally was on fire Scott Mitchell in the second semi-final against Mark McGeeney seemed to be off the boil. When McGeeney was 3:0 ahead Mitchell started a strong comeback but didn't manage to level 3:3 and McGeeney without a lot of resistance won the last two sets of the match as well.
While the men had a short break the women's came on stage for the final. Both, Deta Hedman and Trina Gulliver, showed nerves and it was far from a high class final. With some luck Gulliver got a 3:0 lead. Hedman didn't want to go down uncontested and the match got a little bit more exciting. But Hedman still was not able to use her opportunities and to really reduce her deficit. Gulliver win 5:2 and got her sixth World Masters title.
Similar to Gulliver Durrant had an early advantage over Mark McGeeney who showed signs of weakness at the start of the men's final. But he managed to get into the match which didn't stay as one sided as it had begun. But McGeeney never managed to be a danger to Durrant who had far more problems to get over the winning line then he had problems with his opponent. McGeeney managed the 3:5 and won the first leg of the last set. Durrant answered with a 146 finish which fueled him to get the next leg as well for a 6:3 win. So Durrant is now beside Eric Bristow, Bob Anderson and others the fifth player who defended his World Masters title.
The day began with the WDDA final in which last year's winner Belgian Vince D'Hondt played against Englishman Richard Green. As D'Hondt plays sitting in a wheelchair while Green plays standing once again the wildfire board was in action which on one side has a board in the usual throwing height while on the other side is a board in wheelchair throwing height. Both players looked slightly tense and nervous though D'Hondt from the start dominated the match and impressed beside with his clinical finishing. So in the end with a 3:0 win he defended his title.
After the final the quarterfinals of the men and the women's semi-finals were played. In the fist men's match reigning champion Durrant was first steamrolled by Dutchman Wesley Harms who fast was 2:0 and later 3:1 in front. But then Durrant finally gained momentum while Harms went off the boil. Durrant levelled 3:3 and dominated the last set even though Harms managed to win another leg. Durrant won 4:3. The quarterfinal between Irishmen John 'Shea and Jamie Hughes was not really a good match. Hughes showed the slightly better performance and won it after some missed matchdarts 4:2. In the third quarterfinal Mark McGeeney played surprisingly strong and Canadian Edmunds couldn't keep up despite a solid performance and a lot of bottle. McGeeney won 4:2 and for the first time stands in the semi-finals of the World Masters. In the last quarterfinal Darryl Fitton was first way below his best while Scott Mitchell played a convincing match. In a short rise Fitton won the third set with an 11- and a 12-darter but in the end lost 1:4.
In the first women's semi-final Deta Hedman effectively used all chances which Maria O'Brien offered her and progressed with a 4:1 Win into the final. The second women's semifinal was a rather weak match probably in parts because Vicky Pruim was way of her form of the quarterfinals and never got going. Trina Gulliver not really sparkled either but used her chances and progressed for the tenth time into a Winmau World Masters final.
The men's semifinals followed and first up were Glen Durrant v Jamie Hughes. Durrant now more or less had "warmed up" and for the first time in the tournament showed why he is the number 1 of the BDO. He played an average of almost 100 and threw six 1980s. For a much weaker playing Hughes he was just too strong and Durrant remained with a clear 5:0 win on track to defend his title. While Durrant finally was on fire Scott Mitchell in the second semi-final against Mark McGeeney seemed to be off the boil. When McGeeney was 3:0 ahead Mitchell started a strong comeback but didn't manage to level 3:3 and McGeeney without a lot of resistance won the last two sets of the match as well.
While the men had a short break the women's came on stage for the final. Both, Deta Hedman and Trina Gulliver, showed nerves and it was far from a high class final. With some luck Gulliver got a 3:0 lead. Hedman didn't want to go down uncontested and the match got a little bit more exciting. But Hedman still was not able to use her opportunities and to really reduce her deficit. Gulliver win 5:2 and got her sixth World Masters title.
Similar to Gulliver Durrant had an early advantage over Mark McGeeney who showed signs of weakness at the start of the men's final. But he managed to get into the match which didn't stay as one sided as it had begun. But McGeeney never managed to be a danger to Durrant who had far more problems to get over the winning line then he had problems with his opponent. McGeeney managed the 3:5 and won the first leg of the last set. Durrant answered with a 146 finish which fueled him to get the next leg as well for a 6:3 win. So Durrant is now beside Eric Bristow, Bob Anderson and others the fifth player who defended his World Masters title.
