equates to over 100, a fine performance as he aimed to secure
his eleventh World Grand Prix title.
“To be in the final is a dream come true,” said Taylor. “It
would be my 11th title if I can win this and I’m there in
the final.”
“I’m proud of what I’ve done this week but I’ll sleep on this and
probably wake up in the morning really gutted. It’s been a hard
week because every player I’ve played has been really good, but
tonight there was nothing there.”
“I feel good and it was a steady performance. I didn’t
think James came out of the blocks as well as he could
have. He showed patches of what he can do but he didn’t
click.”
“It wasn’t my night and nothing went for me. He didn’t give me
any chance and didn’t seem to miss - I’d leave a double and he
checks out, like the 164.”
In the other semi-final it was Dave Chisnall who secured
a first PDC major final berth, claiming a spot in the Grand
Slam of Darts to boot. The St Helen’s ace started slowly
however, and whether it was nerves, the pace of Justin Pipe
or a bit of both he found himself a set down early on and then
2-1 down at the second break.
“I’m over the moon to win that because it was a tough game,” said
Chisnall.”From the start I wasn’t getting off with my starting doubles
and I couldn’t get a rhythm.”
“When I found a rhythm, I started hitting the 180s and that kept me in
the game - my doubles were terrible and that’s what I’ll be practising
on tomorrow!”
“I probably gave him too much respect in the practice room, and I
wish I could play the game again. I’ll learn from it but Phil was just
too good, he played brilliantly.”
Photo: PDC/Lawrence Lustig
He soon found his feet however and went on to win the fourth and fifth
sets to lead for the first time at 3-2. Now in full flow Chisnall took his
180 count for the match to 10 as he secured the sixth and seventh sets
to complete a comeback victory.
“It’s a great night
for me but I feel for
Dave”
Phil was just too
good, he played
brilliantly”
Dave Chisnall
First Round
Phil Taylor
Ronnie Baxter 2-0 Colin Lloyd
Phil Taylor 2-1 Jamie Caven
Dave Chisnall 2-1 Ian White
Wes Newton 2-0 Peter Wright
Gary Anderson 2-0 Jelle Klaasen
Paul Nicholson 2-1 Robert
Thornton
Connie Finnan 2-0 Terry Jenkins
Andy Hamilton 2-0 Kim
Huybrechts
“I’ve beaten Phil before and I know what I have to do, but it’s a
different story in a double-start tournament. It’s a little bit harder,
and I’ll work on my game in the practice room on Sunday afternoon.”
S Whitlock 2-1 Michael Mansell
“It would be wonderful to win this title but I’ve got another game yet.”
James Wade 2-1 Steve Beaton
Wayne Jones 2-0 Mervyn King
Justin Pipe 2-0 Andy Smith
Kevin Painter 2-0 Richie Burnett
Final
“It’s a great night for me but I feel for Dave,” said Taylor. “It’s his first
major PDC final but it won’t be his last major final.”
“After I went 5-0 up my concentration started to go, and I felt a bit
sorry for Dave - which is not me.”
“He started coming back and the crowd were singing that he was going
to win 6-5 - and that started going through my mind a little bit, so the
164 was important, it was the best shot I hit all night.”
“In my mind tonight, it was going to be a close game and I was preparing
for it to go all the way. Sometimes in sport that doesn’t happen.”
A despondent Chisnall added: “It’s the best night and the worst night
Photo: PDC/Lawrence Lustig
Phil Taylor romped past Dave Chisnall in one of the most one-sided
finals in PDC history. The Stoke ace dropped only one leg in the entire
match and even that wasn’t until the sixth and final set. Indeed he
had left Chisnall with only one shot at double in the opening five sets,
which were all claimed without reply.
Photo: PDC/Lawrence Lustig
of my career. I wasn’t nervous, but the darts just weren’t going in
and I was trying too hard.”
Stuart Kellett 0-2 R van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen 2-0 John Part
Adrian Lewis 2-1 Brendan Dolan
Second Round
James Wade 3-2 Connie Finnan
Adrian Lewis 0-3 Justin Pipe
Wes Newton 2-3 Gary Anderson
Dave Chisnall 3-1 Wayne Jones
Phil Taylor 3-1 Paul Nicholson
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Raymond van Barneveld
Simon Whitlock 3-0 Ronnie Baxter
Andy Hamilton 3-1 Kevin Painter
Quarter Finals
Andy Hamilton 1-3 Justin Pipe
James Wade 3-2 Simon Whitlock
Phil Taylor 3-0 Gary Anderson
M van Gerwen 2-3 Dave Chisnall
Semi-Finals
Dave Chisnall 5-2 Justin Pipe
Phil Taylor 5-1 James Wade
Final
Phil Taylor 6-0 Dave Chisnall