World Championship Day One

REPORTS from the opening night of the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The £1 million event kicks off at Alexandra Palace in London with five matches, including reigning champion Phil Taylor beginning the defence of his title against Colin Monk.

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First Round (Preliminary Round games denoted by (P))
Friday December 18
Wayne Mardle 0-3 Jyhan Artut
Per Laursen 3-4 Christian Perez (P)
Dennis Priestley 2-3 Kevin McDine
Phil Taylor 3-0 Colin Monk
Robert Thornton 3-1 Christian Perez
Click here for a first round photo gallery
Click here for audio reaction from players

JYHAN ARTUT 3-0 WAYNE MARDLE
(3-2, 3-0, 3-1)
GERMANY'S Jyhan Artut kicked-off the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a shock victory over five-time semi-finalist Wayne Mardle.

Artut, making his televised debut, was never seriously troubled by Mardle, who never found top form and averaged only 72 in arguably his most disappointing televised display.

Mardle held a 2-1 lead in the opening set but Artut took the next two legs, pinching the set with a 67 finish - a set which proved a killer blow to Mardle's confidence.

Artut then won the opening leg of the second set after Mardle missed two darts on double 12, and the German then extended that lead by winning the second leg.

He then wrapped up the set with a good 60 finish in the third leg to leave Mardle two down in the contest.

Artut's winning run of legs continued as he took the opening two of the third to one leg away from the win.

But the nerves appeared to get the German in the third leg as he missed nine darts at doubles to win the match, and Mardle managed to land double nine with his last dart to hit back.

Any thoughts of a comeback from the Essex man were extinguished in the next, though, as Artut hit double top to round off a dream World Championship debut.

After the match a delighted Artut said: "This is clearly the biggest win of career to far. It's even more special to beat someone like Wayne, who is a big crowd favourite.

"I was nervous in the opening two legs of the match and again at the end, when I missed all those opportunities for the match. But I came through and I can relax now."

Mardle admitted: "I'm distraught. This is probably the worst defeat of my life and I'm so close to saying that competition darts for me is over.

"I don't want to be beaten any more, I'm sick and tired of it. I'm disgusted in myself - I've got such a great following and tonight I've let everyone down because I gave up."

Match Stats

Wayne Mardle	0-3	Jyhan Artut
11	100+	18
4	140+	12
3	180s	0
24.13	Ave 1	27.41
72.39	Ave 3	82.24
48	High Finish	67
3	Legs Against Throw	6

CHRISTIAN PEREZ 4-3 PER LAURSEN
CHRISTIAN PEREZ produced an impressive display to defeat Per Laursen in a deciding leg of their preliminary round clash and book a first round tie against Robert Thornton at Alexandra Palace.

Danish number one Laursen won the first leg with a 116 checkout, but Perez - the Philippines' qualifier - won the next two with consecutive 15-dart finshes, which included a break of throw in the third thanks to a 68 checkout.

But the Dane, making his third World Championship appearance, levelled for 2-2 and then won the fifth leg to lead the game for the second time.

Perez won the sixth leg to take the game to a deciding leg, and took the decider with an excellent 81 finish on double nine to wrap up the match.

Match Stats

Per Laursen	3-4	Christian Perez
10	100+	4
2	140+	8
0	180s	2
27.15	Ave 1	31.51
81.45	Ave 3	94.53
116	High Finish	81
1	Legs Against Throw	2

KEVIN McDINE 3-2 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
(1-3, 2-3, 3-0, 3-2, 3-1)
KEVIN McDINE produced a fabulous comeback to defeat former World Champion Dennis Priestley in the first round of 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The Yorkshireman appeared to be cruising into the second round after winning the opening two sets, but the 24-year-old showed great fight, defying a knee injury sustained during the match.

Both players held throw in the opening set before Priestley took a 2-1 lead by landing double two.

That was followed in the next leg by a fantastic 150 checkout from the 59-year-old to take the set and open up an early lead.

McDine hit the first maximum of the game at the start of the second set, but wasted three chances at doubles and Priestley stepped in with a 64 finish.

McDine managed to win the second leg but Priestley hit a 116 checkout to lead the set for the second time.

Priestley's clinical finishing continued in the fourth leg when he converted a 140 checkout to take the second set and move 2-0 up.

McDine - who twisted his knee on the stairs leading from the stage in the break after the second set, took the third set without reply, wrapping it up with a 15-dart finish to get himself back into the contest.

McDine took the opening leg of the fourth set, before Priestley landed double ten to win second, despite a maximum from his opponent.

The Irthlingborough-based thrower won the third leg with a 127 finish on the bullseye, but Priestley won the fourth leg to go within touching distance of victory.

However, McDine kept his composure and managed to hit double four to take the match into a deciding set.

The final set kicked-off with McDine landing another bullseye finish to convert a 92 checkout, before Priestley won the second with a fantastic 11-darter.

McDine took the third leg by landing double 16 and won the match in the next by hitting the bullseye for the fourth time in the game for a 119 finish.

Match Stats

Dennis Priestley	2-3	Kevin McDine
34	100+	37
15	140+	13
3	180s	4
31.30	Ave 1	33.02
93.90	Ave 3	99.06
150,140	High Finish	127,119
5	Legs Against Throw	6

PHIL TAYLOR 3-0 COLIN MONK
(3-0, 3-0, 3-0)
PHIL TAYLOR began his campaign for a 15th World Championship title with a comfortable 3-0 whitewash of Basingstoke qualifier Colin Monk.

Reigning champion Taylor was never troubled by Monk, who failed to win a leg during the contest to suffer a first round defeat in the event for a fourth successive time.

After winning the opening leg against the throw by hitting double top, Taylor won the next two legs by hitting a maximum in both to take an early advantage.

Double 16 gave Taylor the second set's opener, and after doubling the advantage he punished missed doubles from Monk to seal a 2-0 lead in the game.

Taylor hit a fabulous 170 checkout at the start of the third, and followed that by hitting consecutive double tops to close out victory.

"Everyone's dream is to win the first round nine legs to nil and I did that," said Taylor. "I feel sorry for Colin and it's not nice for a fellow pro but I had to be professional.

"I didn't feel quite right but I'll be better in the second round and I can relax and enjoy Christmas now.

"It's always difficult in the first round because you want to do well and just get through, which is all that matters. It's best of seven in the next round and the longer formats suit us."

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	3-0	Colin Monk
14	100+	5
6	140+	7
2	180s	0
34.16	Ave 1	25.89
102.48	Ave 3	77.66
170	High Finish	-
5	Legs Against Throw	-

ROBERT THORNTON 3-1 CHRISTIAN PEREZ
(1-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-1)
ROBERT THORNTON came from a set down to defeat Philippines qualifier Christian Perez in the first round of the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Perez, who defeated Per Laursen earlier in the evening to earn a first round place, started the match well and had opportunities to create an upset after taking the opening set, but Thornton came through despite a nervy display.

The Philippines qualifier produced some clinical finishing at the start of the game, taking the first two legs with 64 and 84 finishes - carrying on from his impressive 100 percent display of finishing in the preliminary round.

Thornton won the third leg, after his opponent missed three darts at doubles for the set, but Perez made no mistake in the fourth leg when he landed double top to take an early advantage.

Perez started the second set confidently too, taking the opening leg, but Thornton started to show some form and won three legs on the spin to level the game.

Thornton hit the first 180 of the game to take the opening leg of the third set in 15 darts.

Perez took the second, and then edged the third after both players missed opportunites to win it.

Thornton managed to take the fourth leg, and then won a crucial decider as nerves began to hit both players on the doubles.

The Scot drew confidence from winning the third set, and claimed the opening two legs of the fourth set in comfortable fashion.

Perez won the third, after Thornton missed a dart at double four for the match, to keep his hopes alive.

But Thornton closed out the game in next leg by converting a 62 finish by hitting double 16 to book his place in the second round.

Match Stats