Wednesday 8 October 2014 08:15, UK
World No 1 Michael van Gerwen cruised into the second round of the World Grand Prix in Dublin on Tuesday with a 2-0 triumph over close friend and Dutch compatriot Vincent van der Voort.
The reigning PDC World Champion scaled the heights from the off, hitting his only 180 of the night in the opening leg before closing out a 3-1 first-set win with a 100 check-out.
A second century finish put ‘MVG’ on the verge of victory and he closed out the match with a double nine, although his celebrations were subdued.
“It’s not really a nice thing to do,” Van Gerwen reflected after knocking out Van der Voort, who was best man at his wedding earlier in the summer.
“He’s a very good friend of me and it’s a big thing for both of us. It’s always very difficult to play my best mate.”
Van Gerwen, the 2012 World Grand Prix champion, ended with a 94.5 average and admits he is ready to reclaim the crown from Phil Taylor.
“I certainly think I have it in me, I think I can improve my game more from here but I am definitely up for it,” he added.
Next on the agenda for Van Gerwen is a clash with Dean Winstanley, who reached the second round by dispatching former world youth champion Michael Smith, but it was not all plain sailing for the Rotherham right-hander.
Similarly, Winstanley eased through the opening set without dropping a leg, only for ‘Bully Boy’ Smith to fight his way back into the clash with a victory in the second, but it was the 33-year-old with nerves of steel in the decider.
“I handled it alright I think, it’s a hard thing up there, you’ve no wife or mother to hold your hand, it’s really hard,” Winstanley claimed. “Michael is one of the best young players out there and that was one of the best battles I’ve ever been in.”
In the evening’s box office clash, Raymond van Barneveld produced a rousing comeback to send last year’s runner-up Dave Chisnall crashing out of the competition in three sets of high drama.
Chisnall, who lost the final to Taylor in just 45 minutes last time around, returned in emphatic fashion as he won the opening leg against the throw en route to a first-set whitewash, but there were plenty of twists and turns left to unfold.
With the Dutchman visibly rattled Chisnall could, and probably should, have closed out the match, but instead the door was left ajar for a Van Barneveld riposte.
Van Barneveld clinched the second set and suddenly Chisnall started to flounder, leaving the five-time world champion with a 25 check-out for the match.
European Darts Open champion Peter Wright was cruising into the second round after he roared through the first set against Jamie Caven without losing a leg, though, ‘Jabba’ refused to lie down.
Caven hit back with a 3-0 set win of his own to force a decider, but ‘Snakebite’ Wright overcame his wobble and had enough sting to prevail 3-1 in the final set.
Mervyn King was also lured into a tussle by Wes Newton and the former World Grand Prix runner-up edged his way into the second round, despite ‘The Warrior’ boasting a better match average, checkout percentage and high finish.
Terry Jenkins averaged 95.12 and hit four 180s en route to a 2-0 victory over Kim Huybrechts, despite the Belgian recording a stunning 170 checkout.
After claiming the BDO World Championship at Lakeside at the turn of the year, Stephen Bunting’s remarkable year continued with a 2-0 triumph over Ronnie Baxter.
Richie Burnett was another winner in a sudden-death leg as he edged out Simon Whitlock. After dropping the opening set without reply, Whitlock hit back to claim the second 3-1 and shared the first four legs of the third set - but could only watch on as Burnett took the deciding leg.
