HOME | Global | Tournaments | Sport | Who is Who | Miscellaneous |

RUTHLESS VAN GERWEN'S WINTER GARDENS WHITEWASH IN BETVICTOR WORLD MATCHPLAY OPENER

RAMPANT Michael van Gerwen began his defence of the BetVictor World Matchplay title with a ruthless 10-0 whitewash of Jamie Caven on Saturday, as Robert Thornton ended his Winter Gardens hoodoo by defeating youngster Josh Payne in Blackpool.

World number one van Gerwen returned to Blackpool as the pre-tournament favourite with sponsors BetVictor, but has been cut from 11/10 to an odds-on 4/5 after his stunning first round display. After Caven missed four darts at a double to level the game in leg two, the Derby qualifier was denied another dart at a double in the contest as van Gerwen pulled clear. The clinical Dutchman took out 108 with Caven waiting on tops in leg four, an 11-darter in leg five and also left his opponent stranded on a double in the seventh leg as he powered through to the second round in just over 16 minutes.

"It's a lovely start for me," said van Gerwen, who overcame James Wade in last year's final in Blackpool. "I didn't expect to play this well but it's amazing for me and I'm very happy with this performance. Jamie didn't play like he can do tonight and he didn't put me under pressure, but I hit the right shots at the right times and took my chances. I didn't do a lot wrong and I put him under pressure constantly. "I played a fantastic game but I can do better than this and I didn't feel 100 percent, and that means I've got great confidence. I hope I can show a lot more this week and play as well as possible."

Caven admitted: "A lot of people were saying that I could do the business but until we got on there I felt I could, but fair play to Michael, he was great and it was like I was part of the crowd for a lot of it! If I'd made it one-one it's a different game, it could have been closer, but he doesn't miss and when you get a shot you've got to take it. That's why he's number one, so you have to take it on the chin."

Van Gerwen will now face Australian Kyle Anderson, who knocked out another Dutch star, number 16 seed Vincent van der Voort, in the tournament's opening fixture with a 10-4 success.
An early run of three successive legs put Anderson ahead, and though van der Voort hit back from 5-2 down to trail 5-4, Anderson took the next five legs without reply to claim his first victory on the Blackpool stage.

"I came into the tournament in good form and I felt comfortable, and I'll take the win," said Anderson. "I wasn't nervous for the match, I was nervous for the opening game of the Matchplay, I've never played as that and I think I thought about it too much. I'm throwing well enough to get through the first round and I'm feeling good, but I'll take it one round at a time so bring on the next round. Michael's just another player in the end, I can play well enough to beat him, if I take my doubles out I can do anything. Today they went in and I pulled through."

Reigning World Grand Prix champion Thornton celebrated his first-ever win at the World Matchplay at the seventh attempt as he overcame debutant Josh Payne 10-7 in a tight contest.
A confident start for the number eight seed saw him lead 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 before the 22-year-old from Kent - who won his first senior title at a Players Championship - finished 99 and 84 to level before taking out 118 to move 5-4 up. Thornton, though, capitalised when Payne missed one dart to create a two-leg cushion by taking out 68 to level, before hitting four 180s in the next two legs as a brace of double ten checkouts turned the game around as he moved 7-5 up. Double nine saw Payne hit back, but he then spurned his chance to level with missed doubles in two visits as Thornton edged clear before a pair of double 18 checkouts sealed the Scot's maiden Blackpool triumph.

"I'm very, very relieved," admitted Thornton. "I've lost here six times so I was due a win - I was alright until it came to hitting that last double and it was the smallest double you'll ever see! It's Josh's first time up there and it's going to be a factor but he didn't play the way he's been doing on the floor. He missed a few doubles and let me in in one of the legs. In the past couple of years I've lost close games, so it was a big relief for me and my family to win this one."

Thornton will now meet Dave Chisnall in the second round, after the number nine seed defeated Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas in another tight battle.
Chisnall came from a leg down to open up a 4-1 lead with the aid of an 11-darter and a 115 finish, only for van de Pas to take out 115 himself as he cut the gap to 5-4 before finishing a brilliant 135 on the bull to level at seven-all. Chisnall took out 68 to edge back ahead as the tension rose, and capitalised on missed doubles in the next two legs to secure his spot in the last 16.

"Benito's done the business against me before on TV but it was my night tonight and I'm very relieved to win," said Chisnall. "I'm very confident at the moment and I felt good tonight. I played okay in patches, and if I start like I did today I can give anyone a game and it should be a cracker against Robert Thornton - he's always dangerous."

Statistics

Contact

© Global Darts. All Rights Reserved.

Impressum