GARY ANDERSON came from two sets down to claim a dramatic sudden-death victory against Germany's Jyhan Artut in the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship on Tuesday night.
Last year's finalist looked set to crash out in the first round of this year's £1 million tournament when Artut - who knocked out Wayne Mardle in 2009 - took six of the first eight legs to win the opening two sets.
Anderson, aided by a 120 finish, regained his range on the troublesome double top to take the next two sets and level the game before the pair shared the first eight legs as the final set went into a tie-break.
Artut then won the ninth to lead 5-4, but missed four match darts as Anderson forced a deciding leg and finished 76 for a 14-darter to snatch a remarkable win.
In contrast, number ten seed Terry Jenkins enjoyed comfortable passage into the last 32 with a straight sets win over Bradford youngster Joe Cullen.
Cullen had come from two sets down to force a decider when the pair met in last year's first round, but was unable to repeat the performance as Jenkins dropped just three legs in taking victory.
Former world number one Colin Lloyd fought back well from a set down against American number one Darin Young, winning nine of the final 12 legs in taking a 3-1 victory over the left-hander.
Dutch youngster Michael van Gerwen was the night's other winner, seeing off former UK Open finalist Colin Osborne 3-1.
Van Gerwen hit finishes of 108 and 135 in taking the first two sets before Osborne won the third without reply, but the 22-year-old won three successive legs of his own to set up a tasty second round contest with Mervyn King.
The first round concludes on Wednesday evening, with 2010 finalist Simon Whitlock making his return from a broken ankle when he plays Dennis Smith.
Three-time World Champion John Part takes on Scottish debutant John Henderson, Andy Smith plays newcomer Scott Rand and Bristol's Steve Brown meets either South Africa's Devon Petersen or Portugal's Jose de Sousa.
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Ladbrokes World Darts Championship
Preliminary (P) and First Round
Tuesday December 20
Colin Lloyd 3-1 Darin Young
Joe Cullen 4-2 Oliver Ferenc (P)
Colin Osborne 1-3 Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson 3-2 Jyhan Artut
Terry Jenkins 3-0 Joe Cullen
COLIN LLOYD 3-1 DARIN YOUNG
(1-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1)
COLIN LLOYD came from a set down to defeat Darin Young 3-1 in the first round of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.
The Essex man will now face either Andy Smith or Scott Rand for a place in the third round of the competition following a gutsy display as he hit back strongly.
American number one Young edged the opening set, but Lloyd - who lost in the second round a year ago - took nine of the next 12 legs to secure his last 32 place.
"I felt I played very well in the first set, but Darin took out some excellent finishes," said a victorious Lloyd. "I didn't let me head drop after falling behind, I kept at it and got the job done, which I'm very pleased about."
Lloyd hit a 180 with his first three darts, but missed three chances to win the opening leg and Young made his opponent pay by landing double 12 at the first attempt.
Young won the second in 15 darts before Lloyd took the third leg, hitting a maximum and double five, to get off the mark.
Lloyd hit a brace of 140s to take command of the fourth, but a missed dart at double 15 allowed Young to hit a two-dart 62 and claim the opening set.
Both players hit double top to hold their throws in the opening two legs of the second set before Lloyd broke Young's throw for the first time with a 13-darter, completed on double 12.
The Colchester ace, who lost to Mark Hylton at Alexandra Palace 12 months ago, then hit double eight in the next to complete a 15-dart finish and square the game by winning the set.
Lloyd won the first leg of set three by hitting double nine before the American hit back to take the second with an excellent 118 checkout.
Lloyd hit double 19 to take the third leg and the world number 13 then posted double five with his third dart to take the set and lead 2-1.
Young hit double top to make a winning start to the fourth set before Lloyd took the next by hitting the same bed.
The 2005 World Matchplay champion then secured a break of throw to win the third leg on double 18, and a successful attempt at double ten closed out the match.
"I'm nice and relaxed and I feel good, and that's nice for me but dangerous for whoever I play next," added Lloyd. "I've been practising with Bobby George and his son Richie, who's a fantastic young player, and it's been great for me.
"Bobby told me not to worry too much, and that getting beaten isn't a problem as long as you know you've put in the preparation. He believes in me and it was a matter of me believing in myself again."
|
Colin Lloyd |
3-1 |
Darin Young |
|
30 |
100+ |
23 |
|
8 |
140+ |
5 |
|
4 |
180s |
3 |
|
31.57 |
Ave 1 |
28.44 |
|
94.72 |
Ave 3 |
85.31 |
|
52 |
High Finish |
118 |
|
3 |
Legs Against Throw |
1 |
|
10/28 - 36% |
Finishing - % |
6/12 - 50% |
JOE CULLEN 4-2 OLIVER FERENC
JOE CULLEN secured a 4-2 victory against Serbia's Oliver Ferenc in the preliminary round of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship to set up a first round clash with Terry Jenkins.
Cullen hit double four to win the opening leg after Ferenc was off-target with a dart at double 16, but the Serbian hit back to take the second.
Cullen regained the lead by landing double top to take the third leg with a 13-darter, but missed two darts for a break of throw in the fourth as Ferenc hit double eight with his third dart to level the match.
The Bradford ace hit a maximum in the process of taking the fifth leg and then won the game in impressive style in the next, completing a 76 finish in two darts to set up a repeat of his clash with Jenkins on the Alexandra Palace stage a year ago.
|
Joe Cullen |
4-2 |
Oliver Ferenc |
|
3 |
100+ |
6 |
|
5 |
140+ |
6 |
|
2 |
180s |
0 |
|
31.54 |
Ave 1 |
29.29 |
|
94.63 |
Ave 3 |
87.88 |
|
76 |
High Finish |
32 |
|
1 |
Legs Against Throw |
0 |
|
4/11 - 36% |
Finishing - % |
2/9 - 22% |
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN 3-1 COLIN OSBORNE
(3-2, 3-2, 0-3, 3-0)
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN condemned Colin Osborne to his second first round exit at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship in the space of three years, with an impressive 3-1 triumph in their Alexandra Palace contest.
The 22-year-old has shown signs of the form which shot him to prominence five years ago during an impressive 12 months, and will now play Mervyn King for a spot in the last 16 of the competition on December 28.
Van Gerwen made a confident start to the match by breaking Osborne's throw to take the first leg and then doubled his lead with a clinical 108 finish.
Osborne won the third by hitting double top with his third dart and then took the fourth on double eight after the Dutch youngster was guilty of missing four darts at double 13 for the set.
Osborne held the advantage of throw in the deciding leg, but van Gerwen produced the more consistent scoring and took out 71 in two-darts to claim the first set.
Derby's Osborne secured a break of throw at the start of the second with a 64 finish, but van Gerwen hit back immediately by taking the second with a 12-darter which featured his second 180 of the game.
Osborne, who reached the final of the UK Open in 2009, hit double eight to win the third leg only to see the Dutchman level in style by finishing a fabulous 135 checkout.
The deciding leg saw van Gerwen miss two darts at double top, but Osborne was unable to set up a double in allowing the Dutch ace to step up and hit the bed at the fourth time of asking to extend his advantage.
Osborne made a good start to the third set by breaking throw with an 84 finish on the bullseye and then took the second against the throw with a 13-dart finish.
Osborne continued his good form of the previous two legs to leave 36 after 12 darts thrown in the third, and the Derby-based thrower landed double 18 to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
Van Gerwen was handed a let-off for seven missed doubles at the start of the fourth set, with Osborne unable to step in on tops to allow the Dutchman back to post double eight for the opening leg.
Van Gerwen broke Osborne's by landing double 10 in the second and the victory was completed in the third as he hit double top to end an impressive performance.
"I'm very pleased to win tonight as Colin is an experienced player and very tough to play against," said van Gerwen, the winner of the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour Order of Merit in 2011.
"I felt I played well at the Grand Slam in Wolverhampton last month and I would really love to build on that in the World Championship."
Osborne said: "I'm disappointed but the defeat will make me stronger, and I'll be back next year and ready to go again.
"I felt good going on stage and have been playing well, but up there I was pulling my darts and it's frustrating. Michael hit the scores when he needed to and full credit to him.
"I've slipped out of the top 16 and the first goal is to get back in there next year. I believe I'm a top-ten player and I'm more than capable, and hopefully in the next 12 months I can establish myself again."
|
Colin Osborne |
1-3 |
Michael van Gerwen |
|
20 |
100+ |
20 |
|
11 |
140+ |
8 |
|
1 |
180s |
2 |
|
29.94 |
Ave 1 |
31.28 |
|
89.81 |
Ave 3 |
93.84 |
|
84 |
High Finish |
135, 108 |
|
4 |
Legs Against Throw |
5 |
|
7/14 - 50% |
Finishing - % |
9/30 - 30% |
GARY ANDERSON 3-2 JYHAN ARTUT
(1-3, 1-3, 3-1, 3-1, 6-5)
GARY ANDERSON came back from the brink of defeat to win another amazing first round contest at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with 3-2 triumph over Jyhan Artut.
Anderson, last year's runner-up at Alexandra Palance, found himself two sets down and looked likely to become the third player from the world's top eight to be knocked out of the competition.
But the Scot won six of the next eight legs to force a deciding set, which saw both players miss four match darts before Anderson won a sudden-death leg in 14 darts to triumph from an enthralling contest.
"I couldn't hit a double in the first two sets and Jyhan played well to win them," admitted a relieved Anderson. "I'm very lucky to have won the match and keep my hopes alive of winning this title."
Artut, making his third consecutive appearance at Alexandra Palace, started the game by taking the opening two legs, which included a 116 checkout to win the second.
Anderson hit double top to take the third leg but the German took out 76 in the fourth to win the set and leave Anderson under early pressure.
The Scotsman missed two darts to break throw at the start of the second set, and Artut hit double top to lead.
Anderson won the second on double top but missed five chances at doubles to secure a break of throw and allowed the German to hit double four.
The fourth leg saw Artut miss four darts to win the set, but Anderson wasted four chances of his own, and the German landed double one with a pressure final dart to increase his lead.
Anderson made a bright start to the third set by taking out a 120 finish, but missed more darts at doubles to take the second, allowing Artut to level on double three.
The Premier League champion hit double top to win the third leg and then claimed the set with a two-dart 64 finish to get back into the match.
Anderson landed double five to win the first leg of the fourth set in 14 darts after Artut missed three darts at doubles, but the German hit an 82 finish to take the second against the throw.
Anderson hit his seventh 180 of the match in the process of winning the third, and a 68 finish in the next from the Scotsman confirmed that the match would go to a fifth set.
Anderson won his third leg in a row by hitting double ten before Artut landed double top to claim the second leg of the final set.
Anderson hit double five to move one leg away from the match and a brace of 140 scores at the start of the fourth put the world number four in command.
But three missed darts at doubles to win the match proved expensive as the German landed double top to stay alive.
Anderson hit double top to claim the fifth leg but was made to pay for a missed dart at the bullseye as Artut landed an excellent 102 checkout to level at three-all.
The seventh leg saw Artut leave 40 after 12 darts thrown, but the Scotsman showed his class with an 84 finish, completed on the bullseye, for a 15-dart leg to edge back in front as the tension mounted.
The German hit an excellent 13-dart leg to win the eighth, and landed double top in the next to move one leg away from victory at 5-4.
An eighth 180 put Artut in command of leg ten, but four missed darts for the match allowed Anderson in, and he hit double top with a pressure dart to force a sudden-death shoot-out.
The Scotsman claimed the advantage to throw first and a timely maximum put him to a finish ahead of Artut, and a two-dart 76 finish secured an amazing win with a 14-darter.
"I've never missed as many darts at double top and ten in a match in my life but I've got away with it," admitted Anderson.
"I gave him lots of chances and he took them in the first two sets, but I pulled it back and hit a double that I'd spent all day missing - tops - to get a sudden-death leg.
"Adrian Lewis did similar to this earlier in the tournament and he's probably lucky to still be in the tournament and it's the same for me - I've played my 'get out of jail free' card there.
"It's a wake-up call for me though and I'll be going away to practice hard over the next week because I'll have to be better in the next round. It's not been a great preparation but I'll be banging the practice board for a week now."
|
Gary Anderson |
3-2 |
Jyhan Artut |
|
34 |
100+ |
23 |
|
21 |
140+ |
18 |
|
8 |
180s |
8 |
|
31.98 |
Ave 1 |
28.98 |
|
95.93 |
Ave 3 |
86.94 |
|
120 |
High Finish |
116, 102 |
|
3 |
Legs Against Throw |
4 |
|
14/48 - 29% |
Finishing - % |
13/35 - 37% |
TERRY JENKINS 3-0 JOE CULLEN
(3-2, 3-0, 3-1)
TERRY JENKINS secured a place in the last 32 of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with a straightforward 3-0 victory against Joe Cullen.
Jenkins, won a dramatic five-set battle against the promising youngster, but dropped just three legs on this occasion as he swept into the second round.
The 2011 semi-finalist recorded an 89 finish to win the first leg before Cullen levelled on double eight, and Jenkins won the third in 14 darts before defying a 180 from the Yorkshireman in the next to hit double eight and win the first set.
Jenkins hit a 13-dart finish to break throw at the start of the second set before doubling his lead with a 14-darter.
The tenth seed then hit a 106 checkout to win his fourth successive leg and leave the Bradford youngster two sets down.
Jenkins continued his impressive form with a 14-darter to make a positive start to the third set but missed four chances to take the second, allowing Cullen to win just his third leg of the match on double ten.
The third leg saw Jenkins miss five darts at doubles, but Cullen was off-target with his attempt at double 16 and the seven-time major finalist accepted the reprieve by landing double ten.
That put Jenkins one leg away from victory, which was duly completed as Jenkins powered in a 116 checkout to cap off a fine performance.
"I expected Joe to play a bit better and he struggled a bit, but I kept the pressure on him and hit the finishes at the right times," said Jenkins. "He's a very good player and it's a relief to get that one out of the way.
"I'm throwing well, I'm putting the right sort of practice in, my head's right and you never know what might happen. If I can bring my practice game onto the stage I can beat anybody, and there's a chance for me this year I think."
|
Terry Jenkins |
3-0 |
Joe Cullen |
|
21 |
100+ |
11 |
|
9 |
140+ |
5 |
|
2 |
180s |
2 |
|
31.80 |
Ave 1 |
27.81 |
|
95.39 |
Ave 3 |
83.44 |
|
116, 106 |
High Finish |
83 |
|
3 |
Legs Against Throw |
0 |
|
9/25 - 36% |
Finishing - % |
3/10 - 30% |
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