Barney through to quarter-finals but Simon Whitlock suffers defeat
Raymond van Barneveld advanced to the quarter-finals of the darts World Grand Prix by beating Mark Walsh, but Simon Whitlock suffered a shock defeat to Andy Hamilton.
Five-time champion of the world Van Barneveld came through three sets to one and gave a solid performance to beat the world No.10.
Walsh started the game well, winning the first two legs by hitting a 135 finish and double tops, but Barney came back to level after Walsh missed a 124 checkout to win the set. Barney pinched the set on double five, even though Walsh hit a 160.
The Dutchman won the second set without dropping a leg, hitting the bullseye in the first leg, a 106 checkout in the second and double 18 in the third.
Walsh replied in the third set by matching Barney’s feat of not losing a leg, and he made the score two sets to one. He led at the start of the fourth set, but Barney managed to take it with finishes of 75 and double top to lead 2-1. Walsh levelled with 86, but Barney sealed the match with another 75 checkout. “The first set was the key thing in the match and it was important for me,” said Van Barneveld.
“Mark started brilliantly with a 12-darter and in the second leg I gave my leg away and he was steaming away, but I kept my confidence and won the set.
"The second set I had the throw and won that, he won the third and the last set was a thriller, although if I'd lost the last leg I might have gone on to lose the match. I was very focused and knew I couldn't afford to miss much, but I have been practising a lot on doubles and that showed,” added the World Grand Prix finalist for the last two years.
World championship finalist Whitlock lost in the deciding set against Hamilton. The Australian didn’t lead in the match, with Hamilton taking the first and third set to cause problems for him. Hamilton took the first set 3-2 after Whitlock surprisingly missed four darts to win it.
Whitlock quickly clinched the second set after he hit double 10 three times, and went 2-1 up in the third set, but Hamilton took out a superb 154 to square the set and take it on double 17. Like he did in the second set, Whitlock won the fourth set without reply, taking the match to a decider after checking out a fantastic 160.
The Hammer was one leg away from the quarter-finals after racing to a 2-0 lead, hitting a 130 finish and double 16, but Whitlock broke back on double top. However his efforts were in vain as an 11-dart leg from Hamilton put him through. “I've been playing well this year and I feel great,” said Hamilton. “I'm relaxed and my darts are going well. The 154 was a massive shot and it spurred me on because I was throwing away legs I should have been winning before that,” said Hamilton.
A last eight clash against world No.3 James Wade awaits Hamilton, who beat Colin Osborne in four sets. Wade, the 2007 World Grand Prix champion, brushed aside the Wizard in the first set 3-0 and led 2-0 in the second, but Osborne produced a bit of magic to take the set, landing double eight and checking out 76.
Wade took out a 140 to lead in the third set and hit his favourite double top to go 2-0 up again, but Osborne halved the deficit after a 100 finish. Wade kept his composure on double top again to go two sets to one up, and booked his place in the quarter-finals by winning the fourth set 3-1. “I'm pleased to win but annoyed with myself because I started well in the first set and lost my way,” said Wade.
“Once Colin got going he was okay but I struggled with his pace. I should be able to handle that and it was silly darts from me because I should never have let that affect me.
“It was my game all over but it's only a matter of time before I get it back and a lot of players will be in a lot of trouble. I'm slowly and surely getting back to how I can play at my best and it's not a million miles away,” added Wade.
Barrie Bates went all the way to a sudden-death leg in his win against Wes Newton to set up a match against Van Barneveld in the quarter-finals. Welshman Bates took the opening set after hitting finishes of 92 and double top, but Newton came back in the second with a 92 finish to level the match.
Both players are the best of friends, but Bates was in no friendly mood, as he took the third set without reply to edge two sets to one in front. He was not able to punish Newton in the fourth set, and Newton took it on double eight to force a decider. Bates stepped up a notch in the decider, hitting four scores of 100-plus and not giving Newton a chance at a match dart. “That was the hardest game of my life because we're such close friends,” said Bates. “Wes has been playing brilliantly this year, the best I've seen from him for a long time, but I managed to get the better of him.”
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