MVG & WHITLOCK PROGRESS DESPITE DOUBLE TROUBLES IN EUROPEAN DARTS TROPHY
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN and Simon Whitlock overcame some dodgy doubling to win their places in the European Darts Trophy third round with victories over Ross Smith and Steve West on Saturday, as Dave Chisnall was knocked out by rookie Roxy-James Rodriguez.
World Champion van Gerwen began his bid for a second PDC European Tour win of the year with a 6-3 second round victory over qualifier Smith, who had knocked out Stephen Bunting on Friday.
Smith also held a 3-2 lead midway through his clash with van Gerwen, who had missed five darts to break throw during the early stages.
The Dutchman, though, levelled in the sixth leg on double four and then secured the game's first break of throw by finishing 78 for a 14-darter to lead 4-3, and then finished double eight and double 18 to reel off four successive legs in claiming victory.
Van Gerwen will now play Wes Newton in the last 16, after the Fleetwood ace picked up a 6-3 win over Kevin Painter in an entertaining opener to Saturday's double session in Leipzig.
World number four Simon Whitlock, like van Gerwen, had some nervous moments before he edged out Steve West 6-5, missing 17 darts at doubles during the game but keeping his composure to take out 80 on double ten in the deciding leg.
Whitlock's third round opponent will be Dutch ace Jelle Klaasen, who ended Mervyn King's hopes of winning back-to-back European Tour titles with a 6-3 win from their contest.
Peter Wright, who won July's European Tour event in Dusseldorf, saw off Germany's Michael Hurtz 6-1 as he set up a third round date with Terry Jenkins, who took out 156 on his way to a 6-2 win over Canadian youngster Shaun Narain.
Austrian newcomer Roxy-James Rodriguez - who overcame Tomas Seyler on his European Tour debut on Friday as he follows younger brother Rowby-John Rodriguez into the spotlight - caused an upset with a 6-4 win over Premier League star Dave Chisnall.
The youngster will now play former World Youth Champion Michael Smith in the third round, with the St Helens ace - the runner-up to King in the European Darts Grand Prix a fortnight ago - impressing with a 104.50 average in his 6-2 win over Germany's Jyhan Artut.
Former European Tour winners Kim Huybrechts and Justin Pipe will meet in the last 16, although both were taken all the way to a deciding leg in their second round games.
Belgian ace Huybrechts came from 3-0 down to defeat Andrew Gilding - who missed three match darts in the last two legs - while Pipe punished Ireland's William O'Connor for his missed match darts in their 11-leg battle.
Emerging Welshman Gerwyn Price followed up his first round victory over Germany's Bernd Roith with an impressive 6-3 defeat of Steve Beaton, which included a 167 checkout, and he now plays Vincent van der Voort, who was a runaway 6-1 winner in his all-Dutch clash with Ryan De Vreede.
Andy Hamilton produced some fine finishing, hitting six doubles from nine attempts in his 6-4 win over Belgium's Ronny Huybrechts as he moves through to face Brendan Dolan, who won by the same scoreline against Andy Smith.
Ian White held off the challenge of Raymond van Barneveld in an entertaining clash between two players vying for places in the world's top 16, as he came from 2-0 down to take a 6-4 win and progress to face Dean Winstanley, who overcame Jamie Caven 6-3.
The £100,000 PDC European Tour event concludes on Sunday, with the afternoon session's third round followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in the evening session.
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European Darts Trophy
Saturday September 20
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Wes Newton 6-3 Kevin Painter
Terry Jenkins 6-2 Shaun Narain
Vincent van der Voort 6-1 Ryan De Vreede
Michael Smith 6-2 Jyhan Artut
Justin Pipe 6-5 William O'Connor
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Ronny Huybrechts
Jamie Caven 3-6 Dean Winstanley
Mervyn King 3-6 Jelle Klaasen
Evening Session
Steve Beaton 3-6 Gerwyn Price
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Dave Chisnall 4-6 Roxy-James Rodriguez
Peter Wright 6-1 Michael Hurtz
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Steve West
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Ross Smith
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Andy Smith
Ian White 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Third Round Draw Bracket
Roxy-James Rodriguez v Michael Smith
Kim Huybrechts v Justin Pipe
Gerwyn Price v Vincent van der Voort
Brendan Dolan v Andy Hamilton
Peter Wright v Terry Jenkins
Ian White v Dean Winstanley
Simon Whitlock v Jelle Klaasen
Michael van Gerwen v Wes Newton
LIVE BLOG