PDC World Championship - Match Reports Day 8, Evening
TAYLOR SEES OFF HENDRIKS AS THORNTON EDGES SUDDEN-DEATH THRILLER
PHIL TAYLOR came from a set down to defeat Dutch youngster Jerry Hendriks in the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship on Friday night, as Robert Thornton knocked out Paul Nicholson in a sudden-death leg at Alexandra Palace.Taylor, the 15-time World Champion, erased the memory of his defeat to Dave Chisnall at the same stage last year by seeing off debutant Hendriks, although it was not plain sailing for the world number one.
Taylor will now play Robert Thornton in the third round on Sunday night, after the UK Open champion defeated Paul Nicholson in a sudden-death leg to end a seven-set thriller which lasted for almost two hours.
In the first match of the evening a convincing Terry Jenkins had defeated three times World Champion John Part 4:1.
Terry Jenkins 4-1 John Part
(3-0, 3-1, 3-1, 0-3, 3-1)
TERRY JENKINS cruised through to the last 16 of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with an impressive 4-1 victory over Canadian legend John Part.
Jenkins won nine of the opening 11 legs of the contest in the process of moving three sets up with some brilliant darts. The three-time World Champion won the fourth set to raise his hopes of mounting a comeback, but Jenkins took the fifth set to progress to a third round clash with Andy Hamilton on Sunday evening.
"I felt very comfortable all the way through that match," said Jenkins, who averaged 98.18. "I'm very pleased with the way I played, and particularly with my finishing. "I knew that area of my game had to be good tonight because John usually takes the chances that are given to him. I'm feeling very confident at the moment and I feel my game is in good shape for another good run this year."
Jenkins, who defeated Steve Brown in straight sets in the first round, started the match in fine style as he won the first set without reply, kicking off the game with a 14-darter before breaking throw on double four and taking out 96 for the set.
The number nine seed then won a fourth successive leg at the start of the second set as he converted a 110 finish, which was bettered with a 116 checkout in leg two before Part hit double four to win his first leg of the game. However, that only stemmed the tide briefly as Jenkins hit a clinical two-dart 98 finish to establish a two-set advantage.
Jenkins hit a 180 in the process of taking the opening leg of set three, but a missed dart at double 12 in the next allowed a Part a shot at 52, which he took out in two darts to level. Jenkins won the third leg with a 14-dart finish and then won the set in style as he completed a showpiece 100 checkout with two double tops to leave Part with an uphill task.
Part won just his third leg of the match at the start of the fourth set, by hitting double ten, before taking out 107 to win the second leg after Jenkins was just off-target with a dart at double 18. Both players fired in maximums in the next leg, but the duo also missed two chances at doubles before Part landed double eight to win the set.
Jenkins took out a 99 finish to begin the fifth set before Part claimed the second leg with a 13-darter, which included his third 180 of the game. Part hit another 180 in the next, but six missed darts at doubles proved costly as Jenkins hit double ten to move a leg away from winning the contest. Jenkins surged ahead in the fourth leg as he hit his sixth 180 to leave 81, which he took out on double top to end Part's challenge.
Robert Thornton 4-3 Paul Nicholson
(1-3, 3-1, 1-3, 3-2, 3-2, 2-3, 6-5)
ROBERT THORNTON overcame Paul Nicholson in an epic second round encounter in the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship by winning a sudden death shoot-out at Alexandra Palace.
A thrilling contest saw Nicholson and Thornton, seeded 16th and 17th respectively, uphold their ranking in style as they could barely be separated in almost two hours on stage. Thornton missed four chances to claim a 4-2 victory in sets and another chance went begging in the decider, before the UK Open champion finally crossed the finishing line in a sudden-death leg.
"I'm completely shattered after that but I'm just delighted to have got the win after I very nearly threw it away," said Thornton. "I felt absolutely sick after missing all those chances to win 4-2 and it was a tough blow to overcome, but I managed to do it and to be still involved is a great feeling."
Both players hit 180s at the start of the match before Thornton won the opening leg on double two, after Nicholson missed a dart at the bullseye. The Scot, who overcame Magnus Caris in the opening match of the competition a week ago, kicked off the second leg with consecutive 140s, but three missed darts at doubles allowed Nicholson to level on tops. Nicholson won the third leg on double eight, despite a 180 from his opponent, and the world number 16 hit double two in the next leg to draw first blood.
Nicholson won a fourth leg in a row in at the start of the second set as he took out a 79 finish to complete a 15-darter, before Thornton hit back with a superb 11-darter and then hit his fourth 180 in the process of taking leg three. The fourth leg saw Thornton miss two chances to win the set, but Nicholson was unable to capitalise as he was off-target with three darts at doubles, and Thornton returned to hit double five and level the match.
Nicholson broke throw at the start of the third set by taking out a two-dart 65 finish, and the second leg also fell in favour of the former Players Championship Finals winner, who landed his fourth 180 in the process. The third leg saw Thornton hit double eight after Nicholson missed one dart at tops to win the set, but the 16th seed made no mistake in the next as he hit double eight to move ahead for a second time.
Nicholson began the fourth set in style as he took out a party-piece 100 finish, comprising of single 20 and two double tops. Thornton hit a fifth 180 as he won the second leg with a 14-dart finish but Nicholson took out an excellent 107 checkout to take the next, with his opponent waiting on 40. Thornton hit double two to win the fourth, and an eighth 180 from this year's UK Open winner, followed by a clinical 130 checkout, helped him win the set with a 12-darter.
Nicholson fired in a fifth maximum at the start of the fifth set, but a total of seven missed darts at doubles proved costly as Thornton landed double top. Thornton repeated the trick in the second leg after Nicholson was off-target with an attempt at double 16 before Nicholson took out a 91 finish to win the third. Nicholson won the fourth leg on double eight before Thornton kicked-off the fifth with a timely 180, and he went on to take the leg in 13 darts to lead the match for the first time.
Nicholson, who overcame the challenge of Dutchman Co Stompe in the first round, began the sixth set with a 13-dart finish before Thornton took the second leg by hitting double top at the first attempt. Thornton hit a 180 with his first three darts in the next leg and hit a fantastic 136 checkout to move a leg away from a place in the last 16. The Scot looked assured of victory in the next leg as he hit scores of 180, 140 and 125 to leave 56 after 12 darts, but he missed four match darts to allow Nicholson in to finish 62 to keep his hopes alive. Nicholson then took out a 78 finish, completed on double six, to send a dramatic match into the deciding set, which had seemed unlikely only moments earlier.
Thornton hit double 12 to win the first leg of the final set before Nicholson began the second with scores of 134 and 140 before hitting double 16 to level. The third leg saw Nicholson miss two opportunities on double top to break, and Thornton took out a pressure 82 in two darts to hold throw. Nicholson hit double top at the first time of asking to win the fourth before Thornton edged ahead by taking the fifth leg in style with a superb 124 checkout, finishing on the bullseye. For the second time, Thornton found himself a leg away from victory, but a dart at double 15 to end the contest was off-target and Nicholson showed his nerve to land double 16 at the first attempt. The seventh leg saw Thornton guilty of missing three darts at doubles and Nicholson hit double 16, for the second leg running, to break throw and lead 4-3. Throwing for the match, Nicholson then left 58 following 12 darts only to see Thornton show his class with a brilliant 130 finish, ending on the bullseye, to break back and deny his opponent a match dart. Thornton hit double 18 to win the ninth leg and lead 5-4 before Nicholson hit scores of 140, 180 and 140 in the tenth, winning the leg in 13 darts to force a sudden-death deciding leg - the first of this year's event. Thornton hit the bullseye to claim the right to throw first, and opened up with back-to-back 140s to pull away as Nicholson threw nine darts in mid-leg without hitting a treble, and double ten saw the Scot claim a remarkable victory.
Nicholson admitted: "It's obviously very disappointing to go out of this year's World Championship, but I feel privileged to be involved in a game like that. "I felt like I had got my chance in the eighth leg of the final set, when I had left myself 58, but the 130 that Robert took out showed his class, and I hope he has a good run now."
Phil Taylor 4-1 Jerry Hendriks
(1-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0)
PHIL TAYLOR came from a set down to end Jerry Hendriks' participation at the 2013 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with a 4-1 victory.
Hendriks stunned Taylor to win the first set 3-1, but the world number one proceeded to win the next 12 legs without reply to ease to a comfortable win.
Taylor will now face Robert Thornton in the third round on Sunday night, but he admitted: "I'm through but I'm not happy with my performance because I'm not consistent enough. "I can remember when it was my first World Championship, and the more he tried, the more he struggled - and the more it put me off, and it was hard work."
Taylor missed three chances for an early break of throw in the game's opening leg as Hendriks landed tops to hold throw before starting the second leg with a 180. Taylor, though, responded with back-to-back maximums and followed that by taking out 69 to complete a 12-dart finish and level. Hendriks hit double top to win the third leg, and the 24-year-old Dutchman then hit double ten in the next, after Taylor missed one dart at double 16, to establish an early advantage.
Taylor recovered from that setback as he won the second set without reply to level the match, winning the opening leg on double eight, breaking on double ten and landing double 16 to square the contest.
The Stoke great continued his charge by opening the third set with double 16 to break throw and landed double five to win leg two before a 14-darter gave him a sixth successive leg and a 2-1 cushion.
Double five gave Taylor the fourth set's opener before he landed a 177 in another 14-darter to break throw and lead 2-0. Hendriks landed his third maximum of the game in the next leg, but it was not enough as Taylor hit double top to move two sets clear.
Hendriks let two chances to hit back go begging at the beginning of the fifth set as Taylor broke again to extend his winning run to ten successive legs, before landing double ten to move a leg away from victory. He saved his best finish of the game for the next leg as he sealed victory in style with a 120 checkout, ensuring his progression to a round three clash with number 17 seed Robert Thornton.
Taylor has lost out to Thornton in the UK Open final and World Grand Prix second round this year, but said: "This is a different kettle of fish. "It's the last 16 of the World Championship and it's going to be a good battle."
Pictures with kind permission from Lawrence Lustig, PDC