World Matchplay - Match Reports 1st Day
PERFECT TEN FOR LEWIS AS JENKINS BATTLES BACK IN BETFAIR WORLD MATCHPLAY OPENER
Adrian Lewis made a flawless start to the Betfair World Matchplay with a whitewash of Robert Thornton, but Terry Jenkins stole the limelight at the Winter Gardens with a thrilling comeback to defeat Kim Huybrechts on the opening night of the £400,000 tournament.World Champion Lewis, who has reached the semi-finals in Blackpool twice previously, showed his class with a whitewash of recent Speedy Services UK Open champion Thornton to make a brilliant start to his challenge. Lewis averaged 100 and followed up four 180s with a brilliant 126 checkout during the win, which was Thornton's second successive 10-0 loss at the Winter Gardens, mirroring his exit to Gary Anderson two years ago.
Lewis, who could take over from Phil Taylor as the world number one following the tournament, now plays Andy Smith in Wednesday's second round, and admitted that he was determined to make a statement in his clash with Thornton.
"I'm over the moon with that because in the last couple of months on the big stage I haven't really done anything, but I'm putting the hard work in and my form's coming good," said Lewis. "Andy Smith's a great player and you can't take him lightly, so I'll go up there with the same focus on Wednesday. It's going to be a tough game, but he's got to beat me."
Smith tasted victory for the first time in seven attempts in the World Matchplay when he defeated Paul Nicholson 10-6 in their clash, which opened the tournament in front of a capacity crowd at the Winter Gardens. The Studley thrower hit back from 2-1 down to take command at 4-2, and although Nicholson levelled it was Smith who produced the more clinical finishing in the latter stages to progress.
Two-time World Matchplay runner-up Terry Jenkins, meanwhile, with a sensational comeback from 9-5 down to defeat Belgian ace Kim Huybrechts 9-5. Huybrechts had made a superb debut on the Winter Gardens stage by landing a 167 checkout in the opening leg and he followed that with a 152 finish in taking an early 5-2 lead. He went on to move to the brink of victory at 9-5, only to see Jenkins finish 120 to keep the game alive and the punish missed match darts from Huybrecht in successive legs as he levelled, before taking the next two to edge an 11-9 triumph.
Jenkins now plays five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld, who continued the form which saw him win the recent European Darts Open as he defeated another World Matchplay debutant, 21-year-old Michael Smith, 10-4.
Andy Smith 10:6 Paul Nicholson
Andy Smith tasted victory for the first time in seven attempts in the Betfair World Matchplay with a 10-6 defeat of Paul Nicholson in the tournament's opening fixture.Smith has been a first round loser for the past six years in Blackpool, but finally ended that run as he knocked out the former Players Championship Finals winner.
Nicholson had pulled himself level after trailing 4-2, but saw Smith punish missed doubles in the second half of the contest to book a second round date on Wednesday with either Adrian Lewis or Robert Thornton.
The pair traded breaks of throw in the opening two legs before Nicholson hit tops to edge in front in the third. However, it would be the only time he would lead the game, as Smith took out double 18 to level, 76 on double eight to break and 86 on the bull to move 4-2 up. Nicholson fired in a 180 to leave double ten as he hit back, and a break of throw in leg eight courtesy of a 100 checkout saw him level the game at four-all. However, he was unable to finish double 16 in the next after a 180 left him 70, and Smith hit tops to break again before finishing the same bed to lead 6-4.
Nicholson won two of the next three to cut the gap to 7-6, only for Smith to take out 74 on tops to edge away and double two to punish four misses from his opponent in moving a leg away from the win, which he sealed by landing a 180 and double eight for a 14-darter.
"It feels good to win," said Smith. "I feel a little bit for Paul because he wasn't at his best and we both missed a few doubles and I'm happy to get the win. "I did my best and I got the result. I've got plenty of confidence in my game and I'm really pleased to be coming back on Wednesday."
Terry Jenkins 11:9 Kim Huybrechts
Terry Jenkins produced arguably the best comeback of his career as he hit back from 9-5 down to defeat impressive debutant Kim Huybrechts 11-9 in a thrilling Betfair World Matchplay first round clash.
Belgian ace Huybrechts hit finishes of 167 and 152 in the opening five legs of his first-ever appearance on the Winter Gardens stage, and looked set to dump the two-time finalist from the tournament on the opening night.
However, he was unable to land the winning double as Jenkins clawed back from the brink of defeat at 9-5 down to win six straight legs and edge to a remarkable victory.
The game kicked off at a breathless pace, with Jenkins starting the game with a 180 but only able to watch as Huybrechts finished 167 to win the opening leg. Jenkins added another 180 to open the second before powering in a 140 checkout to level, and he followed a third maximum of the match with double ten to edge ahead 2-1. Huybrechts, however, took command by winning the next four legs - aided by a superb 152 checkout - to take a 5-2 cushion before Jenkins stopped the run with two 180s in a 12-darter to take the ninth.
The Belgian won two of the next three to move 7-4 up, and after Jenkins took the 12th on double eight, Huybrechts finished 85 and then followed a 180 with double three to move to the brink of an impressive debut victory in Blackpool. However, Jenkins finished 120 with Huybrechts waiting on a double to pull back to 9-6, and then posted double ten to kick-start his comeback. Huybrechts then missed three darts for victory across two visits to the oche as Jenkins hit tops to pull back to 9-8, and three further misses from the Belgian allowed him to level on double two as the tension rose. Huybrechts missed the bull to regain the lead in the next as Jenkins finished tops with his first dart to lead for the first time since leg three, and although the Belgian hit a 180 as he fought to keep the game alive, the two-time finalist completed an amazing comeback on double ten.
"I'm feeling exhausted after that!" said Jenkins. "It was a good game and maybe Kim should have beaten me, but he didn't miss anything until the end there and I suppose he had to miss at some point. "At 9-5 I told myself to dig in, and I knew that if I could win a leg against the darts that I was probably going to win my legs with the darts the way I was throwing, so I was waiting for Kim to make a little mistake. "I could see that he was probably thinking about winning, and I took my chances when I had
Adrian Lewis 10:0 Robert Thornton
World Champion Adrian Lewis made a sensational start to his challenge in the Betfair World Matchplay with a superb whitewash of Robert Thornton at the Winter Gardens on Saturday night.
Lewis had drawn, on paper, one of the toughest first round opponents in the recent Speedy Services UK Open champion, but left the Scot reeling with a ruthless display.
Although Thornton opened the game with a 180, Lewis broke on double 12 in the first leg and then hit two 180s in a 12-darter to take leg two before finishing 81 for a 3-0 lead. After opening the fourth with another maximum, Lewis moved clear at 4-0 by hitting double ten and maintained his perfect record by taking out 80 with two double tops in the fifth. Thornton missed five darts at doubles to hit back in the sixth as Lewis returned on double two before he took out double 18 and double eight to lead 8-0. The Scot fought back to leave 32 in the ninth, but Lewis powered home a 126 checkout with two treble 19s and double six, before sealing a ruthless win on double five.
"I knew it was going to be tough because Robert was full of confidence, but I wanted to hit him hard at the start and he never recovered," said Lewis, who now plays Andy Smith in the second round on Wednesday. "As soon as I got to seven legs I knew I could win it 10-0, and I'm happy with it. I think i can improve on that and I'll try to do that against Andy Smith on Wednesday night."
Raymond van Barneveld 10:4 Michael Smith
Dutch ace Raymond van Barneveld made a confident start to the Betfair World Matchplay with a 10-4 defeat of Michael Smith at the Winter Gardens.The five-time World Champion continued where he left off in winning the European Darts Open a fortnight ago as he swept into a second round clash with Terry Jenkins on Wednesday. Van Barneveld took charge of the game from the opening, winning five of the first six legs to move 5-1 up, breaking in the opening leg and also in leg five by replying to a 180 from Smith with two of his own. He also hit a maximum in leg six, which he won with a 96 finish, before Smith took out a classy 126 checkout on double six to hit back.
The pair again traded 180s in the next, which van Barneveld won with a 64 checkout, and finishes of double 12 and double eight from the Dutchman moved him into a commanding 8-2 lead. Smith won two of the next three to keep his hopes alive, but van Barneveld was too strong and sealed the win on double eight.
"The first few legs looked easy but it wasn't my A-Game and I'll have to be better in the second round," admitted van Barneveld. "Maybe I practised too much ahead of the game tonight and tired myself out a little bit. "This is one of the best tournaments in the world and I'd love to win here. I've got the belief there, and that's an important thing - I believe I can win this. "I'll take one game at a time because Terry has a good record, we have great battles and I'm going to look forward to the game on Wednesday."