Not one Brother left...
On the first two days the UK Open had started in the evening while on the third there was an afternoon session with the fourth round and an evening session with the fifth round - so many hours in the Reebook lay ahead of me. A full English breakfast was really necessary to survive the day. It looked it was not only me having this idea because Adrian Lewis already sat in the breakfast pub with a plate of toast in front of him waiting for sausages, bacon, eggs and baked beans. To it he drunk some pints of orange juice and ended his meal with a cigarette outside the pub marveled at by people walking by.
As I don't smoke I decided that instead with a cigarette I would treat myself with a walk through the fields and meadows nearby - really a pleasure due to the weather. Afterwards I payed the super market a short visit buying drinks and food.
On Saturday the Reebok was not as crowded as the two days before. There were only four boards left and
more seats added. I always managed to find a reasonable place at the boards dependent on who would
play there. On the main stage three one sided and one thrilling match were played. James Wade, Phil
Taylor and Michael van Gerwen overrun their opponents.
Gary Anderson v Kevin Painter first looked one-sided as well with Anderson as the winner but then developed unexpectedly and Kevin Painter got the win.
I meanwhile had secured myself a good standing place at the second board and followed how Terry Jenkins won to Kim Huybrechts. I think this second stage is especially uncomfortable for the players. Around the main stage and the other floorboards there is some breathing space but on the small stage the ceiling is very low and the temperatures are extremely high. As the small stage is usually more crowded then all others I could imagine it feels almost claustrophobic for the players up there. After the match Jenkins/Huybrechts a lot of people left - probably to follow the match between Wes Newton and Adrian Lewis and I suddenly stood at the front.
I hadn't been really keen to watch the match between John Part and Andy Hamilton but decided not to
give up my position. It looked very much the two players had the same shirt designer... John Part began very strong and soon was 3:0 in the lead but then somehow
strength or concentration or whatever left him and Andy Hamilton dominated the match. Might be the
Canadian felt the heat - he once mentioned that can be an issue with him. When it was clear how the
match would end I changed to board four to have a look at Steve West v Richie Burnett. West played rather convincingly while Burnett looked rather desperate and lost 6:9. One could feel that beside in the match between Newton and Lewis something special happened, but the board was too crowded to see anything from where I stood. It soon was known that Newton had achieved a nine-darter but lost the match.
After the session all spectators had to leave the venue, the press room took a lunch break as well. Speedy Hire had chicken on the menu. On TV a match between the Dutch team and the Russian team of the U21 football World Championship was shown. The music was turned down. Quite agreeable. Down in the venue some more boards were demounted - the tournament would now only be played on the main - and the small stage.
Around an hour later the first players reappeared in the players' lounge to warm up for the fifth
round. A little bit later the doors were opened again and the first spectators arrived. I once
again found a place at the small stage to have another look on Steve West - the only surviving
brother - who was drawn against Peter Wright. Wright had chosen bright orange for shirt and hair this day, quite a contrast to the more discreet Steve West. Steve West didn't look happy - nothing really worked for him. West had the habit to only nip at his water. There are some players who drink quite a lot of it on stage, others, like Terry Jenkins, seem to drink none of it at all.
From the small stage you can follow what happens on the main stage as well and while on the small stage Terry Temple had no chance at all against Andy Hamilton Phil Taylor fought on the big stage to survive against Brendan Dolan. Dolan seems to have found his rhythm and now is able to manage his slow throw even under pressure which enhances his performance and make him more consistent. But Taylor showed all his class once again and won 9:8.
As my feet started to feel very tired I decided to withdraw to my seat in the press room. There you can follow the matches either live looking down in the venue or on TV. TV is slightly delayed and you often can hear the caller shout "180" or get an idea how the match ended before you can see it on TV. Michael van Gerwen on the main stage never gave Terry Jenkins a chance. When Jenkins finally managed to get into the match it was far too late. The same happened to Kevin Painter against Adrian Lewis - he started a comeback but it was much too late. On the small stage James Wade had quite an easy game against John Henderson while Ronnie Baxter won against Jelle Klaasen but really had to fight.
After the last match the quarterfinals draw took place and generated one match a lot of people had hoped for to be the final - Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen. Beside three players had reached the quarterfinals I had not really expected there: Adrian Lewis, Ronnie Baxter and Peter Wright. All brothers and all Speedy Qualifiers were elevated from the tournament after the third day. For me it was clear that the die who would win the tournament would be cast in the Taylor/van Gerwen match. Would Taylor one more time be able to contain the youth?
As I don't smoke I decided that instead with a cigarette I would treat myself with a walk through the fields and meadows nearby - really a pleasure due to the weather. Afterwards I payed the super market a short visit buying drinks and food.
On Saturday the Reebok was not as crowded as the two days before. There were only four boards left and
more seats added. I always managed to find a reasonable place at the boards dependent on who would
play there. On the main stage three one sided and one thrilling match were played. James Wade, Phil
Taylor and Michael van Gerwen overrun their opponents.
Gary Anderson v Kevin Painter first looked one-sided as well with Anderson as the winner but then developed unexpectedly and Kevin Painter got the win.
I meanwhile had secured myself a good standing place at the second board and followed how Terry Jenkins won to Kim Huybrechts. I think this second stage is especially uncomfortable for the players. Around the main stage and the other floorboards there is some breathing space but on the small stage the ceiling is very low and the temperatures are extremely high. As the small stage is usually more crowded then all others I could imagine it feels almost claustrophobic for the players up there. After the match Jenkins/Huybrechts a lot of people left - probably to follow the match between Wes Newton and Adrian Lewis and I suddenly stood at the front.
I hadn't been really keen to watch the match between John Part and Andy Hamilton but decided not to
give up my position. It looked very much the two players had the same shirt designer... John Part began very strong and soon was 3:0 in the lead but then somehow
strength or concentration or whatever left him and Andy Hamilton dominated the match. Might be the
Canadian felt the heat - he once mentioned that can be an issue with him. When it was clear how the
match would end I changed to board four to have a look at Steve West v Richie Burnett. West played rather convincingly while Burnett looked rather desperate and lost 6:9. One could feel that beside in the match between Newton and Lewis something special happened, but the board was too crowded to see anything from where I stood. It soon was known that Newton had achieved a nine-darter but lost the match.
After the session all spectators had to leave the venue, the press room took a lunch break as well. Speedy Hire had chicken on the menu. On TV a match between the Dutch team and the Russian team of the U21 football World Championship was shown. The music was turned down. Quite agreeable. Down in the venue some more boards were demounted - the tournament would now only be played on the main - and the small stage.
Around an hour later the first players reappeared in the players' lounge to warm up for the fifth
round. A little bit later the doors were opened again and the first spectators arrived. I once
again found a place at the small stage to have another look on Steve West - the only surviving
brother - who was drawn against Peter Wright. Wright had chosen bright orange for shirt and hair this day, quite a contrast to the more discreet Steve West. Steve West didn't look happy - nothing really worked for him. West had the habit to only nip at his water. There are some players who drink quite a lot of it on stage, others, like Terry Jenkins, seem to drink none of it at all.
From the small stage you can follow what happens on the main stage as well and while on the small stage Terry Temple had no chance at all against Andy Hamilton Phil Taylor fought on the big stage to survive against Brendan Dolan. Dolan seems to have found his rhythm and now is able to manage his slow throw even under pressure which enhances his performance and make him more consistent. But Taylor showed all his class once again and won 9:8.
As my feet started to feel very tired I decided to withdraw to my seat in the press room. There you can follow the matches either live looking down in the venue or on TV. TV is slightly delayed and you often can hear the caller shout "180" or get an idea how the match ended before you can see it on TV. Michael van Gerwen on the main stage never gave Terry Jenkins a chance. When Jenkins finally managed to get into the match it was far too late. The same happened to Kevin Painter against Adrian Lewis - he started a comeback but it was much too late. On the small stage James Wade had quite an easy game against John Henderson while Ronnie Baxter won against Jelle Klaasen but really had to fight.
After the last match the quarterfinals draw took place and generated one match a lot of people had hoped for to be the final - Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen. Beside three players had reached the quarterfinals I had not really expected there: Adrian Lewis, Ronnie Baxter and Peter Wright. All brothers and all Speedy Qualifiers were elevated from the tournament after the third day. For me it was clear that the die who would win the tournament would be cast in the Taylor/van Gerwen match. Would Taylor one more time be able to contain the youth?