REPORTS from Sunday's opening matches at the stanjames.com World Matchplay.
The tournament gets under-way at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool with three matches, live on Sky Sports.
stanjames.com World Matchplay
First Round
Sunday July 19
Adrian Lewis 10-7 Co Stompe
Colin Lloyd 10-7 Wayne Jones
Mervyn King 10-7 Mark Dudbridge
Watch highlights in PDCtv from 7pm on Monday
ADRIAN LEWIS 10-7 CO STOMPE
ADRIAN LEWIS made a strong start to his stanjames.com World Matchplay challenge with a 10-7 defeat of battling Dutchman Co Stompe.
The 2007 semi-finalist produced some clinical finishing to roar into an 8-4 lead against the Blackpool debutant, before holding off Stompe's fightback to seal victory.
Stompe took out 95 to take the game's first leg, but Lewis was the first to settle into his rhythm in the tournament's opening match to pull clear.
He levelled on double five, broke Stompe's throw in the third and landed his first maximum of the game in taking a 3-1 cushion.
Double top moved Lewis three legs clear before Stompe hit back with a 180 of his own and a 97 checkout to win leg six.
Lewis produced a superb leg to break back immediately, hitting a 180 to leave 100, which he took out in two darts.
A double top finish in the next punished four misses from the Dutchman and moved Lewis 6-2 up, only for Stompe to hit a maximum and double 14 in taking the next.
Lewis won two of the next three, including a bullseye finish, to open up an 8-4 cushion and sit two legs away from victory - posting an 80 percent finishing ratio.
Stompe, though, found an extra gear to put together a fine run of three successive legs to raise his hopes of a comeback - landing the bullseye for a 125 finish and two double six checkouts.
But Lewis landed a timely 180 in the next leg before checking out double top, and then stepped in after three more misses from Stompe to seal the win on double eight.
"I'm happy to get the win but not pleased with my performance," said Lewis. "Usually my scoring is fantastic and my finishing isn't so good, but to check out 71% is a great start to the week.
"If my scoring is there I'll win matches, and I'm feeling relaxed and chilled out coming into this event.
"I thought I was in trouble when Co hit those three legs on the trot, which were superb, but luckily I managed to get the ninth and took the win from there."
Match Stats
COLIN LLOYD 10-7 WAYNE JONES
COLIN LLOYD banished his Winter Gardens demons with a 10-7 victory over Wayne Jones in the first round of the stanjames.com World Matchplay.
Lloyd has failed to win a game in Blackpool since winning the tournament in 2005, but ended his run of three successive first round defeats with a battling win over Jones.
Jones matched Lloyd for much of a tight contest, but eventually paid for missed doubles as the former world number one progressed to a second round date with Adrian Lewis on Wednesday.
Jones had his chances in the opening two legs, with a pair of 180s pushing him clear only for a total of five missed doubles to allow Lloyd to twice land double top to lead.
Jones took the third against the throw on double eight, only for three more misses to give Lloyd a chance on double four for a 3-1 cushion.
Jones broke back on double 18 and then levelled on double 12 after posting his third maximum of the game.
The next two legs were shared, but Lloyd punished a missed bullseye from Jones to take the next and then produced a superb 11-darter to lead 6-4.
Jones then levelled once more with a brace of 13-darters, but double eight edged Lloyd 7-6 up before five missed doubles from the Wolverhampton man were punished in the next.
Jones reduced the gap to 8-7 with a 121 bullseye finish, only for a timely 180 from Lloyd to push him clear in the next.
Double eight put him 9-7 up, and he sealed the win in the next on double top to gleefully grab his first Winter Gardens win in four years.
"It's been a few years since I've won in this event but it's getting tougher every year and Wayne shows that.
"He is a fantastic player and has done a lot of damage on the circuit, but luckily I was able to get past him.
"I'd like to think I can still do the business and I don't care about reputations. I've won this event before and I'd love to do it again."
Lloyd had spent five days in isolation suffering from the symptoms of swine flu after the recent Las Vegas Desert Classic, but recovered to take his place at Blackpool.
"It's a horrible disease and I'm lucky to have avoided the worst of it, but I won't use it as an excuse," said Lloyd.
"I'm here to play darts and will focus on playing Adrian Lewis on Wednesday. I've got to be on my game or I'll be punished."
Match Stats
MERVYN KING 10-7 MARK DUDBRIDGE
MERVYN KING defied the pain of an abscess in his tooth to overcome Mark Dudbridge 10-7 in the stanjames.com World Matchplay.
The world number five has been taking antibiotics and painkillers in the run-up to the World Matchplay, and never settled against the 2004 finalist.
However, he came from 5-3 down to lead 7-5 in the contest before eventually pulling away for victory.
The opening four legs set the tone for a topsy-turvy contest, with each going against the throw as King twice landed double 16 and Dudbridge proved equally accurate on double top.
Dudbridge landed a 180 and then double 18 to lead 3-2, and a third break of throw gave him a two-leg cushion.
King took out 92 for a 12-darter in breaking back, but double five saw Dudbridge take a 5-3 lead.
But a missed double top from the Bristolian proved costly in leg nine, with King setting up a double eight finish with a 174 scoreline as he capitalised.
Double 16 saw King hold his throw for the first time in the match in levelling, before he took out double 12 and double four to extend his run to four successive legs.
He also missed the bullseye for a 164 finish in the next, with double top giving Dudbridge a sixth leg before a fine 109 checkout saw him draw level once more.
Dudbridge then edged in front in a crucial 15th leg, only to miss four darts at double five to allow King to edge back ahead, hitting double eight with his third dart.
A sensational 147 checkout put King 9-7 up, and he defied a maximum from his opponent to seal the win on double 16.
"It's probably one of the hardest matches I've had to play," admitted King. "I didn't feel like playing beforehand and I'm in a fair bit of pain and feel dreadful.
"Sometimes you have to win ugly and I certainly did that tonight. Mark didn't play particularly well either and it wasn't a pretty game.
"I had one very good shot out, the 147, when I had to hit it and I'm thankful that went in and I got through the game."
King enjoys a three-day break before playing his second round game against either Colin Osborne or Steve Beaton, and added: "I've got a few days now and hopefully I'll feel a lot better on Thursday.
"I've finished the course of antibiotics now and hopefully it won't come back and I'll produce the kind of performance I know I can."
Match Stats
The tournament gets under-way at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool with three matches, live on Sky Sports.
stanjames.com World Matchplay
First Round
Sunday July 19
Adrian Lewis 10-7 Co Stompe
Colin Lloyd 10-7 Wayne Jones
Mervyn King 10-7 Mark Dudbridge
Watch highlights in PDCtv from 7pm on Monday
ADRIAN LEWIS 10-7 CO STOMPE
ADRIAN LEWIS made a strong start to his stanjames.com World Matchplay challenge with a 10-7 defeat of battling Dutchman Co Stompe.
The 2007 semi-finalist produced some clinical finishing to roar into an 8-4 lead against the Blackpool debutant, before holding off Stompe's fightback to seal victory.
Stompe took out 95 to take the game's first leg, but Lewis was the first to settle into his rhythm in the tournament's opening match to pull clear.
He levelled on double five, broke Stompe's throw in the third and landed his first maximum of the game in taking a 3-1 cushion.
Double top moved Lewis three legs clear before Stompe hit back with a 180 of his own and a 97 checkout to win leg six.
Lewis produced a superb leg to break back immediately, hitting a 180 to leave 100, which he took out in two darts.
A double top finish in the next punished four misses from the Dutchman and moved Lewis 6-2 up, only for Stompe to hit a maximum and double 14 in taking the next.
Lewis won two of the next three, including a bullseye finish, to open up an 8-4 cushion and sit two legs away from victory - posting an 80 percent finishing ratio.
Stompe, though, found an extra gear to put together a fine run of three successive legs to raise his hopes of a comeback - landing the bullseye for a 125 finish and two double six checkouts.
But Lewis landed a timely 180 in the next leg before checking out double top, and then stepped in after three more misses from Stompe to seal the win on double eight.
"I'm happy to get the win but not pleased with my performance," said Lewis. "Usually my scoring is fantastic and my finishing isn't so good, but to check out 71% is a great start to the week.
"If my scoring is there I'll win matches, and I'm feeling relaxed and chilled out coming into this event.
"I thought I was in trouble when Co hit those three legs on the trot, which were superb, but luckily I managed to get the ninth and took the win from there."
Match Stats
|
Adrian Lewis |
10-7 |
Co Stompe |
|
25 |
100+ |
26 |
|
7 |
140+ |
9 |
|
3 |
180 |
4 |
|
31.14 |
Ave1 |
31.95 |
|
93.41 |
Ave3 |
95.84 |
|
100 |
High Finish |
127 |
|
4 |
Legs Against Throw |
2 |
COLIN LLOYD 10-7 WAYNE JONES
COLIN LLOYD banished his Winter Gardens demons with a 10-7 victory over Wayne Jones in the first round of the stanjames.com World Matchplay.
Lloyd has failed to win a game in Blackpool since winning the tournament in 2005, but ended his run of three successive first round defeats with a battling win over Jones.
Jones matched Lloyd for much of a tight contest, but eventually paid for missed doubles as the former world number one progressed to a second round date with Adrian Lewis on Wednesday.
Jones had his chances in the opening two legs, with a pair of 180s pushing him clear only for a total of five missed doubles to allow Lloyd to twice land double top to lead.
Jones took the third against the throw on double eight, only for three more misses to give Lloyd a chance on double four for a 3-1 cushion.
Jones broke back on double 18 and then levelled on double 12 after posting his third maximum of the game.
The next two legs were shared, but Lloyd punished a missed bullseye from Jones to take the next and then produced a superb 11-darter to lead 6-4.
Jones then levelled once more with a brace of 13-darters, but double eight edged Lloyd 7-6 up before five missed doubles from the Wolverhampton man were punished in the next.
Jones reduced the gap to 8-7 with a 121 bullseye finish, only for a timely 180 from Lloyd to push him clear in the next.
Double eight put him 9-7 up, and he sealed the win in the next on double top to gleefully grab his first Winter Gardens win in four years.
"It's been a few years since I've won in this event but it's getting tougher every year and Wayne shows that.
"He is a fantastic player and has done a lot of damage on the circuit, but luckily I was able to get past him.
"I'd like to think I can still do the business and I don't care about reputations. I've won this event before and I'd love to do it again."
Lloyd had spent five days in isolation suffering from the symptoms of swine flu after the recent Las Vegas Desert Classic, but recovered to take his place at Blackpool.
"It's a horrible disease and I'm lucky to have avoided the worst of it, but I won't use it as an excuse," said Lloyd.
"I'm here to play darts and will focus on playing Adrian Lewis on Wednesday. I've got to be on my game or I'll be punished."
Match Stats
|
Colin Lloyd |
10-7 |
Wayne Jones |
|
24 |
100+ |
26 |
|
9 |
140+ |
12 |
|
2 |
180 |
4 |
|
29.19 |
Ave1 |
30.02 |
|
87.56 |
Ave3 |
90.06 |
|
62 |
High Finish |
121 |
|
5 |
Legs Against Throw |
4 |
MERVYN KING 10-7 MARK DUDBRIDGE
MERVYN KING defied the pain of an abscess in his tooth to overcome Mark Dudbridge 10-7 in the stanjames.com World Matchplay.
The world number five has been taking antibiotics and painkillers in the run-up to the World Matchplay, and never settled against the 2004 finalist.
However, he came from 5-3 down to lead 7-5 in the contest before eventually pulling away for victory.
The opening four legs set the tone for a topsy-turvy contest, with each going against the throw as King twice landed double 16 and Dudbridge proved equally accurate on double top.
Dudbridge landed a 180 and then double 18 to lead 3-2, and a third break of throw gave him a two-leg cushion.
King took out 92 for a 12-darter in breaking back, but double five saw Dudbridge take a 5-3 lead.
But a missed double top from the Bristolian proved costly in leg nine, with King setting up a double eight finish with a 174 scoreline as he capitalised.
Double 16 saw King hold his throw for the first time in the match in levelling, before he took out double 12 and double four to extend his run to four successive legs.
He also missed the bullseye for a 164 finish in the next, with double top giving Dudbridge a sixth leg before a fine 109 checkout saw him draw level once more.
Dudbridge then edged in front in a crucial 15th leg, only to miss four darts at double five to allow King to edge back ahead, hitting double eight with his third dart.
A sensational 147 checkout put King 9-7 up, and he defied a maximum from his opponent to seal the win on double 16.
"It's probably one of the hardest matches I've had to play," admitted King. "I didn't feel like playing beforehand and I'm in a fair bit of pain and feel dreadful.
"Sometimes you have to win ugly and I certainly did that tonight. Mark didn't play particularly well either and it wasn't a pretty game.
"I had one very good shot out, the 147, when I had to hit it and I'm thankful that went in and I got through the game."
King enjoys a three-day break before playing his second round game against either Colin Osborne or Steve Beaton, and added: "I've got a few days now and hopefully I'll feel a lot better on Thursday.
"I've finished the course of antibiotics now and hopefully it won't come back and I'll produce the kind of performance I know I can."
Match Stats
|
Mervyn King |
10-7 |
Mark Dudbridge |
|
22 |
100+ |
17 |
|
15 |
140+ |
10 |
|
2 |
180 |
3 |
|
30.61 |
Ave1 |
29.43 |
|
91.84 |
Ave3 |
88.28 |
|
147 |
High Finish |
109 |
|
7 |
Legs Against Throw |
5 |