World Grand Prix
Photo: PDC/Lawrence Lustig
Photo: PDC/Lawrence Lustig
deciding set before Wade was able to hold his nerve and move safely
through to the second round.
“I’m very happy with my game and I had to be well-prepared because
Steve’s a great player,” said Wade. “This tournament’s got a lot of
great memories for me, and I’m looking forward to my next game now.”
Michael Mansell almost made it two Irish qualifiers through to the second
round when he forced Australian star Simon Whitlock to a deciding leg,
and indeed missed three darts to win the match, but the experience of
Whitlock prevailed as he returned to land the winning double.
I’m very relieved!” admitted Whitlock. “When someone has three darts
in their hand to win the match, you don’t expect another shot but I got
lucky and hit the double.”
“Mickey’s a quality player and he had a chance to win there, but I’m
going to move on from this and hopefully keep winning.”
“I’ve got to improve for the second round and have a think about what
my starting double should be. All I do in practice is doubles, so I don’t
have a favourite and I’m still confused. I don’t know what to do, but
I’ve got two days to decide!”
The PDC circus moved to Dublin for a week of unbelievable
double-start action between 7th and 13th October, with the
World’s Top 16 joined by sixteen more players who qualified
through the Pro Tour Order of Merit, including the top two
Irishmen Connie Finnan and Michael Mansell.
First Round
“I can’t believe it - to win in front of the home crowd was absolutely
unbelievable and I can go back to Limerick now with my head held
high,” said Finnan.
“The support of the crowd was fantastic and I was over the moon with
how I played. To be just in the same practice room as these players is
unreal for me and it’s a dream come true to beat Terry.”
James Wade was almost on the receiving end of another upset, with
Steve Beaton missing a dart for the match in the deciding leg of the
Taylor Takes
Record
Breaking
Eleventh Title
“I’m really pleased with that,” said Anderson. “The last time I played
Jelle, he absolutely hammered me so I know what he can do and I
didn’t give him any chance.”
“When my doubles go in, this is what my game’s like but it’s also nice
to see my scoring back. It all came together and if my darts go alright,
then I don’t care who I’m playing.”
“I was getting to a stage where I was starting to dig a hole for myself
by thinking what I was doing wrong, was it my darts or the way I
was standing, but I’m going to just go up on stage and throw,
and if they go in then so be it.”
Photo: PDC/Lawrence Lustig
The action got underway on Monday night, and it was Irish qualifier
Connie Finnan who gave the tournament it’s first shock result as he
overcame Terry Jenkins by two sets to nil. The Limerick-based thrower
lost the first leg, but went on to win the set 3-1 and when he then
secured a 3-2 victory in the second set he was through to the second
round, much to the delight of the Irish crowd.
In a format that many fans would have thought did not suite Gary
Anderson, the Scotsman managed to produced the performance of the
night, he averaged over 104 in a 2-0 demolition of Jelle Klaasen, in
which the Dutchman never threw a dart at double to win a leg.
Phil Taylor also booked his place in the second round,
although his match with Jamie Caven was not without it’s
dramas. Taylor took the first set and looked on course for
victory, but a crucial double in the deciding leg of the
second set saw Caven force a decider from the sixteentime World Champion.
In the end it was Taylor who prevailed in the deciding set,
getting off to a good start as he looked to win an eleventh
World Grand Prix title.
“I thought Jamie played superbly there,” said Taylor. “He
Photo: PDC/Lawrence Lustig
“It was a
very focused
performance and
a lot of thought
went into the
game”
Paul Nicholson