2015 Unibet Masters Quarter-Finals

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN edged out Dave Chisnall in a Unibet Masters classic to reach the semi-finals of the £200,000 event in Milton Keynes on Sunday afternoon, as Adrian Lewis, Raymond van Barneveld and Gary Anderson also progressed to the last four with brilliant displays.

Chisnall followed up Saturday's 106 average in his win over Robert Thornton by hitting a Masters record 13 180s and a 108 average against van Gerwen, only to lose 10-9 in a thrilling quarter-final.

Chisnall landed nine of those maximums in the game's opening eight legs, which were shared, before he edged ahead for the first time at 5-4.

However, van Gerwen broke back with a 121 checkout and finished double ten to lead 6-5, with Chisnall firing in three further 180s to counter a ten-darter from the Dutchman as the pair traded legs to leave the scores finely poised at eight-all.

Van Gerwen's 14-darter moved him 9-8 up before Chisnall traded 180s with his opponent as a 13-dart leg forced a decider, which the world number one took with a 126 checkout.

Van Gerwen ended the game with a 110.28 average, and admitted: "Dave's a fantastic player and I had to play that well to win the game.

"It was a fantastic match and we pushed each other. We've had a lot of great matches but this was maybe the best and I'm so glad that I'm the winner."

Van Gerwen will now take on Lewis in the semi-finals on Sunday evening as he bids to win the tournament for the first time, and he added: "It's going to be hard tonight but I've got a great chance now."

Lewis landed nine maximums - which at the time equalled the tournament record before Chisnall's later achievement - in his superb 10-8 win over world number five Peter Wright.

Wright led 4-2 and 7-6 only to see the reigning UK Open champion find a second wind to claim four of the final five legs to book his spot in the semis.

"I finished pretty well and the 180s were great but the game was never in my hands until I hit the winning double," said Lewis. "In patches I'm playing brilliant darts but I want to be more consistent.

"The semi-finals should be amazing and it's a fantastic tournament, and it would be a great honour to win it tonight."

The evening's second semi-final will see reigning Premier League champion van Barneveld take on new World Champion Anderson in another tasty clash.

Dutch star van Barneveld enjoyed a 10-3 win over Terry Jenkins, who had knocked out Phil Taylor in Saturday's first round but never recovered from falling 5-0 down.

Van Barneveld landed his first four attempts at a double - including checkouts of 70, 90 and 121 - and was averaging almost 109 after five legs.

Jenkins hit back by winning three of the next four legs, but was punished for missing two doubles in leg ten as van Barneveld moved 7-3 up, and the Dutch ace took out another 121 finish and an 11-darter as he sealed his last four spot.

"I'm feeling confident and the break I've had since the World Championship has done me a lot of good," said van Barneveld. "I'm fresh and really enjoying this tournament, and I'm happy with my game.

"My scoring was good against Terry and I finished well but the standard overall is fantastic and it's an amazing tournament - I can't wait to play again tonight."

Anderson ended James Wade's hopes of retaining the title with a 10-5 victory over the reigning champion, which saw the Scot match van Barneveld by taking the game's opening five legs - averaging over 121 in a sensational start.

Wade hit back to win five of the next six legs, but crucially missed two darts to level in the 12th leg - with Anderson edging away before hitting an 11-darter and a 130 checkout to secure the win.

"The first five legs were great but against James you know he can come back at you and he did that," said Anderson. "If you get a shot against him you've got to take it, so I'm happy that I got there in the end.

"Things are going great for me at the moment but it will be tough tonight if I'm going to win this tournament now."

Anderson's win extended his winning run to 20 matches since last suffering a defeat - to Gerwyn Price on November 22 in a Players Championship in Coventry - as he bids to claim a third successive major TV title and a fourth tournament win in a row.

The £200,000 tournament will conclude in Sunday's evening session at ArenaMK in Milton Keynes, with the semi-finals to be followed by the final as a new champion is crowned to succeed previous winners Phil Taylor and James Wade.

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2015 Unibet Masters
Sunday February 1
Afternoon Session
Quarter-Finals
Peter Wright 8-10 Adrian Lewis
Michael van Gerwen 10-9 Dave Chisnall
Terry Jenkins 3-10 Raymond van Barneveld
James Wade 5-10 Gary Anderson

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen v Adrian Lewis
Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Anderson

Final
Van Gerwen/Lewis v van Barneveld/Anderson

Format
Quarter-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 21 legs
Final - Best of 21 legs

MATCH INFORMATION
QUARTER-FINALS
Peter Wright v Adrian Lewis
1-0 - Wright finishes 80 with two double tops to make a confident start.
1-1 - Lewis opens with 140 and 180 before finishing tops to level.
2-1 - Lewis opens with a 180, but Wright finishes tops as he moves back ahead.
3-1 - Lewis lands his third maximum, but misses double 12, six and three as Wright capitalises on tops to break throw.
3-2 - Lewis breaks back immediately by taking out 99 on double 16.
4-2 - Wright lands double 12 to move two legs clear.
4-3 - Lewis finishes tops to break throw.
4-4 - Lewis levels the game by finishing 58 on tops.
4-5 - Lewis lands his fifth maximum of the match before taking out 71 to move ahead for the first time.
5-5 - Lewis misses double top to allow Wright in for a 64 finish as double eight breaks back and levels the contest once more.
6-5 - Tops moves Wright back into the lead.
6-6 - Wright this time misses tops, allowing Lewis to hit the same bed as he squares the contest.
7-6 - Lewis fires in his sixth 180 of the game, but is left waiting on 32 as Wright this time hits double top.
7-7 - Lewis takes out 60 on tops to level matters.
7-8 - Lewis opens with 140 and 180 before securing a potentially key break of throw on double ten with a 14-darter.
7-9 - Lewis posts his eighth maximum of the game before finishing 80 on tops to move a leg away from victory.
8-9 - Wright tees up a possible nine-darter by opening with 174 and 180 - his first of the game - and though he misses out on an eighth perfect dart, wiring treble 17 on the 147 finish, he returns to take out double 16 for an 11-dart finish.
8-10 - Lewis fires in his ninth maximum of the game before taking out 78 for a 14-darter to secure his semi-final spot.

Match Stats

Michael van Gerwen v Dave Chisnall
1-0 - Chisnall lands a 180, but van Gerwen holds throw to win the opener.
1-1 - Chisnall posts two 180s in a superb 11-darter to level.
2-1 - The St Helens ace fires in his fourth maximum, but van Gerwen finishes 96 on double nine to move back ahead.
3-1 - The pair trade 180s, but Chisnall pays for missing a single 20 to leave the bull when van Gerwen takes out 105 on double 16 to break.
3-2 - Chisnall's amazing scoring continues as he fires in a sixth maximum in five legs, and when van Gerwen misses four darts to win the leg he steps to break back with a 112 finish.
3-3 - Chisnall scores 123, 180 and 174, with van Gerwen replying with a maximum only to see the Grand Slam of Darts finalist finish an 11-darter to level.
4-3 - Chisnall again hits a 180, but van Gerwen finishes tops to move back ahead.
4-4 - The pair trade 180s again before Chisnall finishes 81 on double 18 to square the game.
4-5 - van Gerwen lands a 180 - with Chisnall not hitting a maximum for the first leg of the game but taking out 82 on double 16 to move ahead for the first time.
5-5 - van Gerwen finishes 121 on double eight to break back and level.
6-5 - Double ten moves van Gerwen back ahead.
6-6 - Chisnall lands his tenth 180 of the game - creating a new Masters record - before levelling on double ten.
7-6 - Double ten is landed for a third successive leg as the Dutchman regains the edge.
7-7 - Chisnall fires in an 11th maximum before finishing 98 on double 19.
8-7 - van Gerwen moves back ahead with a sensational ten-darter, scoring 140, 180 and 145 before pinning double 18.
8-8 - For the third time in the game both players land 180s before Chisnall takes out a brilliant 140 finish to level.
9-8 - van Gerwen pins double ten for a 14-darter as he moves a leg away from the win.
9-9 - The pair once again swap 180s - Chisnall's 13th of a brilliant game - before the St Helens man finishes double 16 for a 13-darter to send the game into a deciding leg.
10-9 - van Gerwen, with the advantage of throw, is first to a finish and takes out 126 on double 18 to win a remarkable contest with a 12-darter.
Final Averages: Michael van Gerwen 110.28, Dave Chisnall 108.09, with a tournament record 13 180s for Chisnall

Match Stats

Terry Jenkins v Raymond van Barneveld
0-1 - Jenkins lands a 180, but van Barneveld avoids a possible break by taking out 70.
0-2 - van Barneveld doubles his lead with the first break of throw, hitting a maximum and then finishing 90 on the bull.
0-3 - Jenkins fires in another 180 but is denied a dart at a double when van Barneveld lands tops.
0-4 - van Barneveld's flawless finishing continues as he takes out 121 on the bull to move four legs up.
0-5 - The pair trade 180s, but Jenkins is again unable to secure a dart at a double as van Barneveld lands double eight for a five-leg lead, averaging 108.91 to Jenkins' 103.57.
1-5 - Jenkins finally gets off the mark, landing double 16 to hit back.
1-6 - van Barneveld confidently takes out 76 on double eight to regain his lead.
2-6 - Jenkins lands tops to claim his second leg of the match.
3-6 - van Barneveld misses five darts at doubles to allow Jenkins in on double ten for his first break of throw.
3-7 - van Barneveld lands a 180 to leave 40, and when Jenkins misses darts at double top and ten, the Dutchman breaks back by landing tops.
3-8 - The pair trade 180s before van Barneveld takes out 121 on double 14 to move five legs clear.
3-9 - Jenkins misses the bull for a 130 finish, and van Barneveld finishes double eight to move a leg away from the semi-finals.
3-10 - Jenkins is unable to finish 76, and van Barneveld lands double ten for a 14-darter to seal an impressive win with a 102.89 average.

Match Stats

James Wade v Gary Anderson
0-1 - Tops gives World Champion Anderson the opening leg.
0-2 - Anderson breaks throw with a superb 12-darter, scoring 140, 180 and 100 before taking out 81 on double six.
0-3 - Both players land maximums to leave 81 after nine darts, with Anderson claiming his third successive leg by taking out the finish on double 12 for an 11-darter.
0-4 - Anderson breaks throw by landing double top.
0-5 - Anderson takes his fifth successive leg as his brilliant opening continues - the Scot is averaging 121.21 after five legs!
1-5 - Anderson misses tops to win a sixth leg, with Wade hitting the same bed - with his third dart - to get off the mark.
2-5 - Wade breaks throw on double nine to continue his revival.
3-5 - Wade wins a third successive leg, taking out 80 on double five.
3-6 - Anderson fires in a fourth maximum as he finishes another 12-darter on double six.
4-6 - Wade hits back with two 180s in a 12-dart leg of his own, as tops cuts the gap to two legs once more.
5-6 - Anderson misses double 11 to take out 84, and Wade breaks throw by pinning tops.
5-7 - Anderson is given a reprieve for three missed doubles when Wade misses two darts at tops to level the game, allowing the Scot back in to finish double one to restore his cushion.
5-8 - Double ten sees Anderson move two legs away from victory.
5-9 - Anderson, for the second time in the game, lands an 11-dart leg as he fires in two 180s to move to the brink of victory.
5-10 - Anderson powers home a 180 to leave 130, with Wade replying with a 174 score only to see the World Champion take out the 130 finish on tops to seal his semi-final place.

Match Stats