Gutsy Huybrechts' Sindelfingen Glory

KIM HUYBRECHTS won his second PDC European Tour title with a dramatic 6-5 defeat of Peter Wright in the European Darts Grand Prix final in Sindelfingen.

The Belgian ace had won the Dutch Darts Masters two years ago, and was left in  tears on stage as he celebrated an emotional win over Wright, coming from 5-2 down with checkouts of 140 and 157 before snatching victory in the deciding leg.

Wright played his part in a memorable final in front of 3,000 fans at the Glaspalast, winning four straight legs from 2-1 down to take command with checkouts of 116 and 161.

Huybrechts, though, refused to be defeated and survived one match dart from Wright - at double 16 in the ninth leg - before clinically taking out 64 on double eight in the decider.

Huybrechts had also defeated Steve Beaton and Michael Smith in a deciding leg on Sunday before edging out James Wade 6-4 in the semi-finals before scooping the £25,000 first prize.

"I didn't stop believing throughout the whole tournament, and now I can't believe that I won," said Huybrechts, who dedicated the win to his late father Ludo. "It's an amazing feeling.

"I've won a couple of titles now in the PDC and this feels like the best win ever. I was 5-2 down in the final and I was behind a couple of other times during the tournament.

"I was in the zone during the final and to be honest I can't remember the finishes, someone has told me I took out 140 and 157 and I know I hit double eight for the match, but that means I wasn't thinking about it.

"When you're 5-2 down against a player like Peter you just have to try and win one leg at a time and when it got to the final leg I thought that was my chance and I just had to have one good leg, which I did."

Huybrechts' win has also put him into next month's SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, with the tournament holding happy memories following his nine-darter during a run to the semi-finals a year ago.

"A couple of times this year I've lost in finals and every time I thought it was a chance to qualify that I'd lost, so I'm so happy to be back there," he added. "To be honest I was preparing to play in the qualifiers, so I'm delighted."

Wright's run to the final came with a new set of darts which he had only begun using on Thursday, but the world number four was delighted with his form after defeating Jermaine Wattimena, Stephen Bunting, Ian White and Mensur Suljovic.

The colourful Scot was taken all the way by White in a fine quarter-final - which left him emotionally saluting the Glaspalast crowd afterwards - before also being taken to a deciding leg by Suljovic in the semi-finals.

"I got the new darts on Thursday and they've still not performed how I'd like them to perform, so I'm very happy to have got to the final," said Wright.

"I was only one leg away and I had a dart to win it, so I can't be too disappointed. The crowd were fantastic all weekend and they make it so special out here in Germany.

"Since losing in the first round of the World Grand Prix I've worked so hard and I want to do well for the rest of the year now."

Austrian ace Suljovic was left to rue a missed bullseye on a 132 checkout in the deciding leg of his semi-final against Wright, but the run to the last four matched his achievement last week at the World Grand Prix.

July's World Matchplay runner-up James Wade lost out narrowly to Huybrechts in the semi-final, but enjoyed a 103.52 average during his quarter-final defeat of Jelle Klaasen.

Stoke ace white hit seven 180s during his quarter-final against Wright but crucially missed one match dart at tops in the decider, while Smith allowed a 5-3 lead to slip away against Huybrechts.

Joe Cullen had won through to the last eight with a stunning victory over Raymond van Barneveld in the third round and led Suljovic 4-3 before the Austrian took the next three legs to deny him a semi-final place.

The £115,000 tournament was the year's final PDC European Tour event, with all the action streamed live online through www.LIVEPDC.TV and a series of bookmakers' websites.

The PDC European Tour will continue to grow in 2016 with an additional event being added to the calendar to create ten tournaments across Europe.

EUROPEAN DARTS GRAND PRIX FINAL - KIM HUYBRECHTS v PETER WRIGHT



2015 European Darts Grand Prix
Sunday October 18
Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
James Wade 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Michael Smith
Peter Wright 6-5 Ian White
Joe Cullen 4-6 Mensur Suljovic

Semi-Finals
James Wade 4-6 Kim Huybrechts
Peter Wright 6-5 Mensur Suljovic

Final
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Peter Wright


MATCH INFORMATION
Quarter-Finals

James Wade soared into the European Darts Grand Prix semi-finals with a 6-4 win over Jelle Klaasen, averaging 103.52 in an impressive performance.

Wade opened with a 71 finish for a 14-darter to break and moved two legs up on double ten before hitting a 180 in the third leg, only to miss tops as Klaasen finished double nine to hit back.

Klaasen also landed a maximum in the fourth leg, but a 62 finish for a 14-darter restored Wade's lead before he took out 125 for 12-dart leg to open up a 4-1 advantage.

Klaasen finished 73 and tops to reduce the gap to one leg before Wade landed a maximum in a 14-darter to move 5-3 up, and though the Dutchman responded with a 14-dart finish of his own, Wade sealed the win in style with a 12-dart leg, defying two 180s from his opponent by landing a maximum and taking out 81 on the bull.

Kim Huybrechts came from 5-3 down to edge out Michael Smith 6-5 as he reached the semi-finals in dramatic fashion.

A high-quality opening saw both players land 180s as Huybrechts finished double eight to lead before Smith took out 72 on tops to level.

The next three legs were 13-dart finishes, as Huybrechts twice landed 180s and Smith fired in a 174 as the Belgian moved 3-2 up, only for Smith to reply to another maximum with a 177 in the sixth as he took out a 14-dart finish to level.

Smith then edhed the next two on double nine and double 13 to lead 5-3 - only for Huybrechts to take out double seven to stay in the hunt and 80 with a miracle bullseye in leg ten to force a decider.

As Smith struggled to find the treble, Huybrechts pulled clear before taking out 48 on double 16 to seal a semi-final place.

Emotional Peter Wright survived a missed match dart against Ian White as he won through to the semi-finals with a 6-5 victory - with a thrilling deciding leg bringing over 3,000 fans to their feet singing the world number four's name.

After White took the opeing leg, missed doubles in the next two allowed Wright to edge ahead 2-1 with a pair of double one checkouts - the latter after a 180 left two - before a 14-darter moved the Scot 3-1 up.

White defied 180s from his opponent to win the next two and level before hitting six perfect darts in an 11-dart leg to move 5-4 up.

The next two were shared to leave White on the very of victory before tops from Wright forced a deciding leg, and when the Stoke ace missed tops to take out 64, Wright finished the combination on double 16 to claim the win.

After the pair shared the opening two legs, Cullen broke on double 16 and then followed a 171 score with double five to move 3-1 up.

Three missed doubles allowed Suljovic to hit back in leg five, before double nine for the Austrian levelled, but Cullen took a 4-3 lead by following a 180 with a fine 108 checkout.

Suljovic, though, took the eighth before moving ahead by landing a 180 and a 76 finish in the ninth - recording back-to-back 14-dart legs - and he went on to seal his semi-final place with double ten in the next.

Match Stats

Semi-Finals

Kim Huybrechts' bid to win a second PDC European Tour title continued as he defeated James Wade 6-4 to reach the final in Sindelfingen.

After the Belgian won the opening leg with a 91 finish, Wade took out 132 on the bull with a superb finish to punish his opponent for not giving himself a dart at a double when on 84, before tops moved the left-hander 2-1 up.

A 13-darter from Huybrechts levelled before he took the next two on double nine and double four for a 4-2 lead.

Wade won two of the next three to stay in touch, but a first 180 of the game from Huybrechts left him 22 in leg ten before he nailed double 11 for a 13-darter to complete the win.

Peter Wright ended Mensur Suljovic's hopes with a dramatic 6-5 win as the pair fought out a thrilling contest in front of over 3,000 fans at the Glaspalast in Sindelfingen.

Wright took the opening two legs, landing a 180 in the first and finishing 81 on the bull in the second, with Suljovic landing a 177 in an 11-darter to respond only for the worl number four to hit another maximum and a 61 finish for a 3-1 cushion.

Suljovic hit back with a 76 checkout, but Wright finished double eight in the next two to move 5-2 up and to within touching distance of the final.

Tops saw Suljovic hit back before he hit a 180 in a 12-darter to break throw, and when Wright missed three match darts in the tenth leg he posted double 14 to force a decider.

Suljovic, though, missed a tricky bullseye for a 132 checkout to claim victory in the final leg, and Wright grasped his second chance by finishing double 16 for the win.

Match Stats

Final - Kim Huybrechts v Peter Wright
1-0 - Huybrechts takes out 103 to win the opening leg.
1-1 - Wright lands a 180 in a 14-darter as he levels.
2-1 - The Belgian opens with five perfect darts with 180 and 140 before finishing tops for a 13-darter.
2-2 - Huybrechts lands another 180 but wires the bull for a 161 finish and is then punished for twice bursting his score - hitting double 16 and double 11 when aiming at double eight - to allow Wright a let-off for misses at tops in two visits as he levels.
2-3 - Wright breaks throw by taking out 116 on tops for a 12-darter as he moves ahead.
2-4 - Double 16 sees Wright move into a two-leg lead.
2-5 - Huybrechts hits a 180, but Wright moves a leg away from the win with a sensational 161 checkout.
3-5 - Huybrechts saves the game with a sensational 140 checkout, hitting two treble 18s and double 16.
4-5 - Wright misses a match dart at double 16, and Huybrechts hits the same bed to continue his challenge.
5-5 - Huybrechts takes the game into a deciding leg with a sensational 157 checkout.
6-5 - Huybrechts is first to a finish in a tense decider, and he takes out 64 on double eight to claim the win and his second European Tour title.
Huybrechts also qualifies for the SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts with the victory!

Match Stats