KEVIN PAINTER 4-1 MARK DUDBRIDGE
(3-1, 1-3, 3-1, 3-0, 3-0)
KEVIN PAINTER set up a repeat of the 2004 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship final against Phil Taylor after producing a fine display to see off Mark Dudbridge 4-1.
The 38-year-old from Cambridgeshire lost out 7-6 to Taylor in one of the sport's greatest games two years ago, and also went out at the quarter-final stage to The Power 12 months ago.
He earned the chance to avenge that by blowing Dudbridge away in their third round contest with a run of nine straight legs to take victory.
Painter opened the match with a 146 checkout, but missed a number of doubles on his way to taking the set 3-1.
He won the opening leg of the second set, but again suffered with his finishing after hitting two maximum 180's.
Dudbridge responded with seven perfect darts in the next leg, and although he missed out on an elusive nine-darter he went on to take the next three legs and level matters.
The Bristolian also went ahead in the third set, but Painter hit finishes of 96 and 103 on his way to winning the set.
His clinical finishing helped him to add another six straight legs, push his three-dart average up to almost 96 and move into the last eight.
"Someone's got to play Phil, and it seems like every year it's me!" said Painter. "But I am going to have to raise the bar again.
"Everyone knows what Phil is going to do and it's up to me to raise the bar. He smashes you all over the place and you have to stay with him so that if he does miss a double - which happens occasionally - you're there to pounce."
Painter added: I don't think Mark was on top of his game and he'll be disappointed about that but I can't worry about other players.
"When you play people like Mark you have to be up for it, or you will get beaten. I knew he had played well in his previous round so I had to make sure I didn't mess around too long.
"I missed a few doubles early on, but I think I stepped it up after that and was averaging nearly 96 so I was pleased to cme out of that 4-1.
"I was scoring well and hitting my doubles, and once I went 3-1 up I was pretty confident of wrapping the match up."
Match Stats
|
Kevin Painter |
4-1 |
Mark Dudbridge |
|
25 |
100+ |
18 |
|
13 |
140+ |
13 |
|
4 |
180 |
6 |
|
31.91 |
Ave1 |
30.66 |
|
95.72 |
Ave3 |
91.98 |