Brilliant van Gerwen's Dublin Treble!

BRILLIANT VAN GERWEN COMPLETES UNIBET WORLD GRAND PRIX TREBLE
 

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN claimed glory at the Unibet World Grand Prix for a third time with an incredible 5-2 triumph over Gary Anderson in Saturday's final at Dublin's Citywest Hotel.

The Dutchman followed up his 2012 and 2014 triumphs by erasing the memories of last year's loss in the final to another Scot, Robert Thornton, with one of the greatest performances in the double-start event's history.

The world number one was averaging 108 as he stormed into a three-set lead by winning nine of the opening 11 legs, and held off Anderson's brief rally to scoop the £100,000 first prize and his 21st tournament win of the year.

"It's an amazing win and I'm so happy I've won this tournament again," said the 27-year-old. "Everything has been great for me in this tournament and I also played fantastic darts.

"After three or four sets I was averaging about 108 and I think if you play like that you deserve to win this trophy. I put him under pressure from the beginning and that worked.

"He pushed me until the end and I had to fight really hard. Gary never gives up but I played fantastic tonight.

"A lot of people have played well against me this week but my confidence is sky high. I had a tournament average of 100 and not many people do that in this format."

Van Gerwen raced through the first set without reply, hitting a 180 in only his second visit to the board and using just 43 darts to take the lead, before coming from a leg down to win the next two sets and take his match average to 110 in-running.

Anderson hit back in set four as he took three successive legs to finally get off the mark in set four, and finished 108 as he shared the opening four legs of the fifth.

Van Gerwen, though, hit a crucial double ten to win the deciding leg to move into a 4-1 lead and deny the World Champion the chance to hit back.

Anderson claimed his second set by winning the sixth without reply and also led in the next, but van Gerwen landed six perfect darts as he levelled before hitting double 16 to move 2-1 up and marvellous 160 checkout to seal the title.

The 160 finish, his second ton-plus finish of the game, followed seven 180s and moved his average to 100.29, the highest in a World Grand Prix final to surpass Phil Taylor's 100.17 in the 2002 decider.

Anderson, who takes home £45,000 as runner-up from his first World Grand Prix final, hit eight 180s in reply but was unable to hit back from his rival's amazing start.

"I've done well here this week and I'm happy to have reached the final, but Michael's something else," said Anderson. "It's four years since he first won here and it's absolutely astonishing what he's done since.

"My starting wasn't good enough and I couldn't get off and if you give Michael a head start you've got no chance - he's hard enough to play in a straight start, never mind in double start.

"I've started to come good and I'm going to look forward to the next few months."

The night also saw Mick McGowan retain the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay title to qualify for December's William Hill World Championship, defeating Cork-based Radek Szaganski 6-5 in the final.

Michael van Gerwen Video Interview
 


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Unibet World Grand Prix
Saturday October 8
Final
Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Gary Anderson
Best of nine sets, best of five legs per set, all legs must begin and end with a double

Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson
First Set
1-0 - 51 on double 16 gives van Gerwen an opening leg hold.
2-0 - Van Gerwen breaks the Anderson throw as he takes out 56 on tops.
3-0 - 14 dart leg on double 16 gives van Gerwen the opening set.
Second Set
0-1 - Van Gerwen misses the bull for a 167 before Anderson hits double five for his first leg of the final.
1-1 - 101 on tops as van Gerwen holds throw.
2-1 - A break for van Gerwen as he hits double 18
3-1 - Double six gives van Gerwen the set and a 2-0 lead.
Third Set
0-1 - A break of throw for Anderson as he takes out 61 on double nine.
1-1 - 96 on double 18 for van Gerwen to break back.
2-1 - 98 on double 19 as van Gerwne holds.
3-1 - 70 on double 16 and van Gerwen moves three sets clear.
Fourth Set
0-1 - Tops for Anderson to hold throw.
0-2 - A break for Anderson as he hits double four.
0-3 - Anderson has a set on the board as he hits tops.
Fifth Set
1-0 - 36 on double 18 as van Gerwen holds throw.
1-1 - 108 checkout to level the set.
2-1 - 65 on tops for van Gerwen.
2-2 - Van Gerwen misses chances to take the set allowing Anderson to hit double ten.
3-2 - It's a 4-1 lead for van Gerwen as he hits double ten.
Sixth Set
0-1 - A hold of throw for Anderson as he hits double two.
0-2 - Anderson breaks as he takes out 107.
0-3 - Double ten seals the set for Anderson.
Seventh Set
0-1 - A break for Anderson as he hits tops.
1-1 - Six perfect darts followed by double 16 as van Gerwen breaks back.
2-1 - Van Gerwen one away from the match as he punishes Anderson for not taking an opportunity to break.
3-1 - WOW! 160 out for van Gerwen to seal the title!

Match Stats
Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Gary Anderson
45 100+ 33
16 140+ 19
0 170+ 0
7 180 8
100.29 Average 92.73
160 High Finish 108
6 Breaks of Throw 4
26/45 - 58% Starting Doubles 26/68 - 38%
15/36 - 42% Finishing Doubles 11/26 - 42%