2016 Unibet Masters Quarter-Finals

VAN GERWEN & TAYLOR TO CLASH IN UNIBET MASTERS SEMIS
 

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN and Phil Taylor will clash in the semi-finals of the Unibet Masters after enjoying contrasting victories on Sunday afternoon, as James Wade and Dave Chisnall also reached the last four at ArenaMK.

Reigning Masters champion van Gerwen followed up his 10-1 first round demolition of Stephen Bunting by sweeping past Michael Smith 10-3 with an average of almost 106.

The Dutchman's finishing proved the difference as he hit ten doubles from 13 attempts in a brilliant performance, landing two 124 checkouts as he moved into an 8-0 lead before sealing victory by taking out 142.

"I had a fantastic first five legs and I put him under pressure from the start," said van Gerwen. "My performance was really good, especially my finishing.

"I also need to produce it tonight because you can't write Phil Taylor off and he's full of confidence at the moment."

2013 Masters champion Taylor, meanwhile, won a thrilling clash with Peter Wright 10-9, with the number five seed hitting nine 180s and three ton-plus checkouts but paying the price for missing one match dart in the game's penultimate leg.

The deciding leg saw Taylor land two 180s and Wright fire in a maximum and a 174 score before the 16-time World Champion showed his class to prevail with an 11-darter.

"Peter hit some great shots and I didn't think he'd miss the double 19 to win, but he gave me that one shot and the last leg was brilliant - the best leg of the game," said Taylor. "I'm over the moon because I thought I'd blown it.

"It's great for me because I've got new darts, a new set-up and new regime and I'm pushing forward. I'm loving it and I'll be there and thereabouts."

Wright said: "To play Phil on any stage is an honour, and I wasn't good enough on the day. I wish Phil all the best but I'll get back on the practice board."

The other previous Masters champion, 2014 winner James Wade, defeated Kim Huybrechts 10-5 as he progressed to the last four with a dominant display.

"Kim didn't make the most of his opportunities and I did enough to win," said Wade. "When I had to turn it up I did, so I'm happy."

Wade now plays Dave Chisnall, who followed up his magical comeback win in the first round by defeating Vincent van der Voort 10-4 with an impressive 104 average.

"A 104 average is good and as soon as I got the big lead at 7-3 I was never going to let it go," said Chisnall. "I'm hard to beat when I get my nose in front so I'm very happy.

"I had a bit of luck in the game yesterday but today I was very confident of winning. It should be a good game between me and James and I'll keep trying."

The £200,000 tournament concludes on Sunday evening, with the semi-finals followed by the final at ArenaMK.

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2016 Unibet Masters
Sunday January 31
Afternoon Session (12.45pm)
Quarter-Finals
Kim Huybrechts 5-10 James Wade
Vincent van der Voort 4-10 Dave Chisnall
Phil Taylor 10-9 Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen 10-3 Michael Smith
Best of 19 legs

Evening Session (7pm)
Semi-Finals
Dave Chisnall v James Wade
Michael van Gerwen v Phil Taylor
Best of 21 legs

Final
Best of 21 legs

MATCH UPDATES
Kim Huybrechts v James Wade
James Wade's bid to win back the Unibet Masters title continued with a 10-5 defeat of Kim Huybrechts, who was unable to repeat the form which he had produced in seeing off number three seed Adrian Lewis in the first round.

Wade opened with a 104 checkout and took the next two legs to assume command before Huybrechts took out 89 in winning two of the next three to pull back to 4-2.

Wade, though, proved more clinical with a trio of tops finishes as won four of the next five to continue his charge into an 8-3 lead, and though Huybrechts landed his only 180 in a brief rally to win two of three, a fourth maximum helped the left-hander set up 70 to complete the win.

 

So far, so good for @jameswade180 in this weekends @unibet Masters.

Can he get two more wins and take the title?https://t.co/jeH0AQAfkR

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 31, 2016

Vincent van der Voort v Dave Chisnall
Dave Chisnall impressed with a 104.40 average as he overcame Vincent van der Voort 10-4 to reach the Unibet Masters semi-finals for the first time.

Chisnall had come from 8-0 down to win his first round tie with Robert Thornton 10-9, but was in top form as he overcame van der Voort as the Dutchman was unable to follow up his defeat of World Champion Gary Anderson with another big scalp.

Van der Voort held throw to lead 3-2 early on, matching Chisnall's three 180s and taking out a fine 99 finish in leg five.

Chisnall, though, turned the match with a five-leg burst as he twice broke throw, landed three more 180s and key finishes of 72 and 64 - as well as twice punishing missed doubles from his opponent - as he surged into a 7-3 advantage.

The pair traded 180s as van der Voort hit back in led 11, but Chisnall won the next two before sealing victory with the aid of his eighth 180 and an 84 bullseye finish.

 

If I'd gone 8-0 down, I'd have still come back to win 10-9!

Confident interview from semi-finalist, @chizzychisnallhttps://t.co/fYTM70Wqv0

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 31, 2016

Phil Taylor v Peter Wright
Phil Taylor prevailed in a Unibet Masters classic with a superb 10-9 triumph over Peter Wright, defying one missed match dart from the Scot to edge a thrilling deciding leg.

In a game where the lead changed hands three times, Wright led 2-0 before Taylor took the next two to level despite 180s from his rival, before landing a maximum in the fifth to move ahead.

Wright finished 65 to level, but Taylor finished 84, broke throw and then finished 71 for a 6-3 lead - only to see the world number five take out 161 and 115 in successive legs before firing in double 18 to level.

The pair shared the next four legs to remain locked at eight-all, before Wright took out a brilliant 124 to break and moved 9-8 up.

Taylor, though, hit a 180 to lead 28 in the next and capitalised on Wright's miss at double 19 for the match - on a 118 finish - to pin double 14 and force a decider.

The pair traded maximums before Taylor added a second 180, with Wright firing in a 174 to leave 16 after nine darts only to watch on as his rival finished 41 for an 11-darter to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

 

All smiles in the @philtaylor camp as he reaches the semi-finals of the 2016 @unibet Masters#Unibet180https://t.co/9tdIiXQHCH

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 31, 2016

Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith
Michael van Gerwen blitzed Michael Smith 10-3 to storm into the Unibet Masters semi-finals with a 105.86 average.

The Dutch star continued where he left off in Saturday's 10-1 rout of Stephen Bunting by powering into an eight-leg advantage against Smith with some unstoppable darts.

Smith actually missed doubles to win two of the first three legs, and shared four 180s in the other as an 11-darter helped van Gerwen into a 3-0 advantage.

He then produced back-to-back 124 checkouts to move five legs clear, took out double eight and then punished seven misses from Smith to lead 7-0.

The eighth also went to van Gerwen before Smith rallied, hitting double five to get off the mark and two of the next three to pull back to 9-3, but a stunning 142 checkout - as van Gerwen hit two treble 17s and tops - sealed the reigning champion's semi-final spot.

 

A statement sent by the defending champ as he books a spot in the @unibet Masters semi-finals!#Unibet180https://t.co/ORrJzugUBN

— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 31, 2016