First Round
Raymond van Barneveld got the tournament underway with a 10-4 victory of Austrian debutant Mensur Suljovic. The Dutchman fell 2-1 behind during the early stages, but a great run of power scoring saw him fight back to secure the victory with a 99.84 average. “I’m very pleased with the win and a 10-4 scoreline looks comfortable but it wasn’t,” said van Barneveld. Mensur’s a very good player and he’s played some really good darts in the last six months, so it’s good to beat him.” “My average was pretty good for the first round and I’m pleased with that, and my finishing was good. I’ve worked hard on my doubles for the last two weeks since the European Championship, and it showed.” “I hit some important finishes, especially the 121 finish on the bullseye, and they’re important because if you put the pressure on your opponent, it affects them.” “I hope I can go all the way this week, but I’ve reached the final here and a couple of semi-finals, and it’s a fantastic tournament. It would be a dream to win this week.” James Wade too made a great start, although he found things much tougher against John Part, eventually coming through as a 10-8 winner in a match that became a battle of attrition between two excellent matchplay dart throwers. The early legs were shared, but a vital break of throw saw Wade move 5-4 in front at a crucial stage of the match, and despite do ??Y ?\?\?[??H???H\?H?]?\??[?Z[?Y?Z[??8?'x?&[H\ H ?] ] 8?'H ?ZY?YK?8?'HY[??Y? ? ?[? ?Y? ?]] ?\?Z?H[? [???[?\?Y?\??^H] ??????YH HH ??X? HXYH]\?\???^\?[? [?H ??[]?K??'H8?'[?^H^Y\?]8?&\? H?\? ?\??[Y[?[? H ??[? H[??^?][?? ?\??[Y[? ?H [? ? ?[^H?][??X????[?x?&]?H??H?X] ?X??\?K??'H?[H?X\?[?Y?Y[?? ??Y]?]?H ?\?\??[??H ?[? ? H]?[? ?]\? ?\??[Y[?[??X???? ?\?[?YX??\ H?H[?[???H?[[??]???H]\? ?[X[?[?Y?]?HX^[][\??\? ?^H ?H L N ?X??K \?[?? ?X?H?]?\???H?[?Z[? ?8?'H ?Y? H ^YY ?X[ H ?[[???H??? ?\?[ \?K8?'H ?ZY?]???8?'H ?\??] [??H?] ?Z?H ??\? ? H[??]?[H ????] ???Y??[?\?\? \?H[? ^YY ?X[ H ?[ ??'H8?'x?&]?H ^YY ?X[ H ?[?? H\?[?? ??[?H?[Y]?H \?\?^H?[??H ? ?[? \? ?\??[Y[? ?\?x?&\???X\?H?[Y\??]x?&[H?Y[[???X][?H ?\? ]Z]H ?[^Y ?Y? ??'H?????Y[? ?[? H?Z][?\??H?[??[??]\?]?H?Y[??\??[?? Z\? X?? ?[? ^H ?]?XX??\?[? H?[?[?? ??[? ?H Z\? ?]?[ ??]\?[? ^HH??^X?][???]] ?\??[??[?? ??X[ ?] H ?\??\?H?\?\?H[Y\??Y ?]H L L? ?X??H?\?[??]???H?Z] ??Z]Y[??X?Y ?L? \?[?? HX\? H ?Y?\??]ZY? ? ?ZY? Y?????H?[??[??[?Y[?H?\? ]8?&HY[X[??&HY? ?XX?[?? ??[? ??8?']8?&\?\? ? ^HY?Z[?? [?\??\?X]H[?]8?&\?H ?[YH??[? K?]HY ??] \ \?H[? ?][?H ?\? ^Z[??^H ???[?[^K8?'H ?ZY?[??[??8?'x?&\??Y[? ^Z[?? ??YH??[X[?\? ? ?X?[? K ??x?&[H? Y??Y ?] H ?[???'H8?'HXYHH??? ?\?[?H??[??&]?[?^H ?[??K?] ?[?HY H N ??[YH??YK?] ?\?H??? ?X??[?? H?[YKH ^YY ?X[ H ? ??? H[? ] ] H ?\??\?H?[? K??'H8?'x?&[???YH[? ?[^H?]????Y??H H ?X?? ??[?? Y\?^K?H?H H?[?\??\?[?? \?x?&\?H?X]][??\?H[? \? ?\??[Y[?[?H [???