German Darts Masters - Report Final

VAN GERWEN RETAINS GERMAN DARTS MASTERS TITLE
MARVELLOUS Michael van Gerwen made it a perfect ten of European Tour titles as he came from behind to end Peter Wright's German Darts Masters dreams and retain his crown in front of a sell-out crowd at the Ballhausforum in Munich.

The Dutchman's incredible start to 2016 continued with a seventh tournament victory of the year and a second successive European Tour win, after he also retained the Dutch Darts Masters title in February.
Easter Monday's German Darts Masters final saw van Gerwen face Wright in a repeat of their meeting earlier this month in the Coral UK Open decider, but it was again the world number one who prevailed as he claimed the 25,000 pound first prize. After van Gerwen took the final's opening leg, Wright levelled before taking the lead with a showpiece double-double 18 finish, before taking out 158 for a 3-1 cushion. Van Gerwen hit back to with an 85 finish in leg eight with a superb 11-darter and hit double 16 to move 5-4 up, and when Wright missed the same double to force a deciding leg the Dutchman stepped in to take out 70 for the title.
It was a difficult route to the final for the van Gerwen, but he showed his class throughout on day three in Munich.
After defeating German qualifier Rene Eidams in the afternoon's third round, he produced a final leg worthy of a world number one in the quarter-finals and averaged 108 as he avoided a potential upset against Chris Dobey. Emerging star Dobey produced the performance of his life, rattling in finishes of 86, 130, 143 and 87 to put van Gerwen on the back foot at 5-4 as he needed to win both the last two legs.
But the Dutchman lived up to his billing and after levelling the match with a 111 checkout he pulled out an 11-darter with two maximums and a showbiz double 12, double ten finish to edge through. In the semi-finals, he came through a scrappy clash with the in-form Joe Cullen to secure a 6-1 victory and reach the final.
Cullen was unable reproduce the display that had seen him demolish World Champion Gary Anderson 6-0 in the previous round and was easily brushed aside, despite a 180 in the opening leg which was the tournament's 200th. A 130 checkout helped van Gerwen to a 2-0 lead and even though Cullen avoided being blanked by taking the fifth leg, the result was never in doubt.

Wright was also impressive throughout and coasted in to the semi-finals with a 6-2 win in the last eight despite a brave display from James Richardson Richardson averaged 110 over the first half of the match but fell away as Wright remained consistent throughout and wrapped up the win with a 101.78 average. After opening up a 3-1 lead, Wright's advantage was cut in half as Richardson took out 100 in the fifth leg but the world number five then assumed control to book his place in the last four.
The Scot then made it through to a fourth European Tour final with a 6-4 victory over number two seed Michael Smith - who had seen off Ian White to reach the final four. In an encounter when neither player found top gear, Wright recorded the game's only break of throw in the third leg with the highest finish either player could muster - 86 - and it proved decisive. Smith was unable to regain parity and Wright kept his composure to reach the last two.

Cullen's run to the last four continued his brilliant March, which has also seen him reach the UK Open quarter-finals and both the last eight and last four in Players Championships, moving himself up to 39th on the PDC Order of Merit.







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