StanJames.com World Matchplay Quarter-Finals

PHIL TAYLOR cruised into the semi-finals of the StanJames.com World Matchplay with a 16-4 defeat of Kevin Painter on Friday night, while Raymond van Barneveld ended his quarter-final hoodoo at the Winter Gardens.

Taylor, the reigning and ten-time World Matchplay champion, rarely broke sweat in a clinical demolition of Painter, who was restricted to only four legs and few more chances at a double.

Taylor won seven successive legs to move from 2-1 to 9-1 up, before going on to seal victory in setting up a tasty semi-final with World Championship finalist Simon Whitlock.

Whitlock had earlier overcome Jelle Klaasen 16-8 to reach the last four on his debut World Matchplay appearance, while James Wade's win over Wayne Jones means that the 2007 champion takes on van Barneveld in Saturday's semis.

Van Barneveld erased the memory of quarter-final defeats in the last three years with a 16-12 win over Co Stompe in an all-Dutch affair to remain in the hunt for the £100,000 title.

Saturday's semi-finals will be the first darts matches ever to be broadcast in 3D, as around 1,000 pubs in the UK watch the action live on Sky Sports.

The semi-finals will also be followed by another first, the final of the PDC Unicorn Women's World Championship between America's Stacy Bromberg and England's Tricia Wright.

The event sees a £10,000 first prize on offer, the highest ever paid in the women's game, alongside the inaugural title, while the runner-up will take home £5,000.

Highlights from the quarter-finals will also be available for PDCtv Subscribers on a 24-hour delay - click here to visit PDCtv.

StanJames.com World Matchplay
Quarter-Finals
Afternoon Session
James Wade 16-12 Wayne Jones
Jelle Klaasen 8-16 Simon Whitlock

Evening Session (7pm)
Co Stompe 12-16 Raymond van Barneveld
Kevin Painter 4-16 Phil Taylor

JAMES WADE 16-12 WAYNE JONES
JAMES WADE remains on course for a second StanJames.com World Matchplay title following a 16-12 win over Wolverhampton battler Wayne Jones in Blackpool.

The 2007 Winter Gardens champion continued his improvement as the tournament progresses to see off Jones, who had won through to his first quarter-final in Blackpool and matched the number three seed blow for blow.

Wade will now meet Raymond van Barneveld or Co Stompe in Saturday's semi-finals, as he bids to reach the final for the fourth time in five years.

Wade landed a 180 in taking the game's opener, only for Jones to reply with a 13-darter and take out double 18 to break for a 2-0 lead.

Wade bettered that with a 121 finish for a 12-darter, and then won the next three legs to move into a 5-2 advantage, only for Jones to hit back with legs of 13, 14 and 14 darts to square the match.

The duo traded double top finishes in the next two before Wade again found an extra gear, defying a quartet of 180s from Jones to win four successive legs, twice punishing misses from the Wolverhampton man.

A double 16 finish from Jones ended that run, and was followed by finishes of 83 and 128 as he pulled back to 11-9, only to see Wade edge clear again, taking the next two legs to lead 13-9.

Jones replied with another double salvo, punishing missed doubles from Wade on double 18 and double eight, although double six moved Wade two legs away from the win at 14-11.

The former champion then produced his best leg of the game, an 11-darter, for a 15th leg, and after Jones posted double top to keep the match alive Wade hit the same bed to complete his victory.

"It was an exceptionally hard game for me because Wayne has a good record against me and it was psychologically hard," said Wade. "But there was a bit of the old James Wade there and it's getting better.

"I made a break early on but didn't kill him off as quickly as I could, but I know I've got three more gears to find yet.

"It would be amazing to win this tournament again and it's about time I won another big title because it's over a year, so we'll see what happens this weekend."

Jones said: "I enjoyed the game, and James played well under pressure and deserved to win.

"I had two or three legs where I should have broken his throw and that cost me, and those two or three legs where I should have pressured him more were disappointing.

"I'm pleased I played well and I wasn't out of it at any stage - even when I was two or three legs I was still in it but couldn't quite get the breaks of throw.

"I said I'd need a 94 or 95 average to beat him and he had a 98 average so I've no complaints there.

"This week my performances have been more like they have been in the floor tournaments and that's good. I did quite enjoy this game and all the matches this week and this was a decent game of darts."

Match Stats

James Wade	16-12	Wayne Jones
45	100+	44
21	140+	17
6	180	8
32.64	Ave1	31.84
97.93	Ave3	95.52
121	High Finish	128
7	Legs Against Throw	5

SIMON WHITLOCK 16-8 JELLE KLAASEN
SIMON WHITLOCK stormed into the StanJames.com World Matchplay semi-finals with a 16-8 defeat of Jelle Klaasen.

Klaasen held his own with some superb finishing in the early stages, but a run of nine successive legs from the Australian saw him streak away to victory at the Winter Gardens.

He will now meet either Phil Taylor or Kevin Painter as he bids to take the £100,000 title on his World Matchplay debut.

The World Championship runner-up could only watch as Klaasen took the first leg with a 115 finish, but responded well to win the next three, twice punishing missed doubles from the Dutch ace.

Klaasen regained his range with finishes of 132, on the bullseye, and 148 to level the march, only for Whitlock to hit 180s in the next two as a brace of double 18 finishes moved Whitlock 5-3 up.

A fourth ton-plus checkout from Klaasen, this time on 116, gave him the ninth leg, but he missed the bull for a 167 finish in the next as Whitlock hit double four for a 6-4 lead.

Whitlock landed a maximum in the next, only for Klaasen to reply with two of his own in a sparkling 11-darter as he cut the deficit to 6-5.

However, he lost his range on the doubles as Whitlock hit top gear to pull clear, taking nine successive legs to move out to a leg away from the win at 15-5 - including a 114 checkout, a 13-darter and a 14-dart finish.

Klaasen took out double four to end that run before then punishing missed match darts from Whitlock to win the next two and pull back to 15-8.

However, three ton-plus scores from Whitlock pushed him clear in the next and he posted double 16 to wrap up victory.

"Jelle started well but I tried to get a big break on him and it worked out for me," said Whitlock. "His finishing was great early on but he didn't keep that up and it was the difference.

"My finishing was very good when I needed it to be and it was the important thing.

"I'm still feeling poorly with the 'flu but I enjoyed the game a lot more than in the second round and feel a little bit better, and hopefully after an early night and some rest I'll be nearly recovered by the time I go on stage for the semis."

Klaasen admitted: "It was close early on but after that every time I missed a double he hit his, and his checking out was superb.

"If he'd not finished as well as he did it could have been a different story because I had a lot of chances but didn't take them. He fully deserved to win and was the better player.

"I tried something different in this game, I tried to slow down and it felt good. I'm always trying to improve my game and I've tried something new on stage now, and I played well."

Match Stats

Jelle Klaasen	8-16	Simon Whitlock
32	100+	34
10	140+	17
5	180	4
30.84	Ave1	31.09
92.51	Ave3	93.27
148,132,116,115	High Finish	114
2	Legs Against Throw	6

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 16-12 CO STOMPE
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD broke his StanJames.com World Matchplay hoodoo with a 16-12 victory over Co Stompe to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time.

The Dutchman has been a quarter-final victim at the Winter Gardens for the past three years, but won the all-Dutch clash to set up a semi-final on Saturday with world number three James Wade.

Stompe had hit three ton-plus finishes on the way to a 10-9 lead, but van Barneveld took three successive legs to seize command of the game before sealing the win.

"There was a lot of pressure on me because for three years I lost in the quarter-finals so I'm really pleased to be in the semi-finals for the first time," said van Barneveld.

"James is a world-class player but this is a great opportunity and I hope I win because I'm here to win this title."

Van Barneveld made an ideal start by breaking throw in the opening leg and then landing double four to double the lead, only for Stompe to reply with a 110 finish.

Stompe punished three misses from his compatriot to level the game before being left waiting on a finish - after a 180 left 56 - as van Barneveld posted double eight for a 3-2 lead.

He won the next on double four, but after the pair traded double top finishes Stompe landed checkouts of 117 and 96 to tie the game at five-all.

He then finished 118 to lead for the first time at 6-5, although the duo traded 180s in the next as van Barneveld squared the match, and the nip and tuck continued as van Barneveld hit back to lead 8-7 and Stompe finished 80 in the 16th leg.

Double ten put the five-time World Champion 9-8 up, but Stompe won the next two for a 10-9 advantage - only to then see van Barneveld level on double 16 and punish two misses to edge 11-10 up.

A 78 finish gave van Barneveld breaking space at 12-10, and though Stompe landed double top in the next a missed bullseye, for a 135 checkout to level, cost him dear as the number two seed took a 13-11 cushion.

Two further misses from Stompe allowed van Barneveld to move three legs clear, and double 16 moved him to the brink of victory.

Stompe landed a maximum and double 16 to stay in the game, but van Barneveld nudged clear to hit the same bed in completing the win.

"Sometimes you win easily and sometimes it's a battle and this was a very hard battle," said van Barneveld. "I've known Co for 20 years and we've travelled the world together, and it's not easy to play your friends.

"He really performed well but I never felt comfortable on stage and didn't score as well as I wanted to.

"Co hurt me with his big finishes and made me work hard, and he played a really good match."

Stompe, appearing in his first World Matchplay quarter-final, said: "It's not how I wanted the week to end but I didn't take my chances tonight.

"Every time he went ahead I levelled it up but when it went ten-all but I had a poor leg and you can't afford to do it against a player as great as Raymond, and he punished me."

Match Stats

Co Stompe	12-16	Raymond van Barneveld
36	100+	43
10	140+	15
5	180	2
30.09	Ave1	31.96
90.26	Ave3	95.89
118,117,110	High Finish	82
4	Legs Against Throw	6

KEVIN PAINTER 4-16 PHIL TAYLOR
PHIL TAYLOR'S charge towards an 11th StanJames.com World Matchplay title continued apace with a superb 16-4 quarter-final win over Kevin Painter at the Winter Gardens on Friday night.

Taylor rarely broke sweat in an emphatic defeat of his long-term rival as he stormed into the semis, where he will face Simon Whitlock on Saturday night.

The world number one proved too clinical for Painter, who battled gamely but was unable to match the scoring power and finishing accuracy of the reigning champion, who hit three ton-plus finishes.

"It's another good win and I'm really looking forward to the semi-finals now," said Taylor. "Simon's been great for the past year and I'll have to be on top of my game.

"My finishing was good against Kevin and I know I can step it up another level. Simon will have to be great and I think it will be a cracker."

Taylor landed a 180 in an immediate break of throw to win the first leg, and scored a 171 en route to the second leg, after Painter missed a dart at double top for a 116 finish.

Painter, who had only defeated Taylor once in 24 previous meetings, got off the mark by checking out 90 on the bull in the third leg, but the world number one reeled off seven straight legs to push 9-1 up.

That run was begun with a 13-dart finish, and featured checkouts of 106, 96, 94, 89 and two 68 finishes, with Painter given almost no opportunity in a barrage of sub-15 dart finishes.

Painter halted the charge with a superb 11-darter, which was begun with a 180 and ended with a 96 finish, but Taylor landed double four for the next leg and punished misses from his opponent for an 11-2 cushion.

He then posted a 13-dart finish, double eight and a 101 checkout in moving 14-2 up before a 119 checkout - sandwiched between quality legs of 13 and 14 darts from Painter - moved him to the brink of victory.

Painter hit a fourth maximum of the game in the next, but missed the bullseye for a 121 finish to keep the match alive, and Taylor pounced on double 16.

"Phil never seems to miss anything against me and that was the case again and you can't compete against that," he said. "If he doesn't miss any doubles, with his scoring power, you've got no chance but I maybe should have won another four legs.

"I'm obviously happy to make the last eight and if I'd drawn anyone other than Phil then you never know what might have happened. Winning breeds confidence and I got a couple of wins and will go back into the top 16."

Match Stats