The Power makes a winning start to his title defence
Phil Taylor made a winning start to the defence of his PartyPoker.net European Championship darts title by beating Co Stompe last night.
There were also wins for Simon Whitlock, Mark Walsh, Jelle Klaasen and Terry Jenkins, while Paul Nicholson, Mervyn King and Gary Anderson suffered shock defeats.
Taylor, the 15-time champion of the world who lifted the World Matchplay title in Blackpool last Sunday, and overcame the challenge of Dutchman Stompe in a 6-2 win.
Taylor opened up a 3-1 lead, but Stompe pulled one leg back by hitting double four. However, Stompe missed three darts to level the scores at 3-3, enabling Taylor to open up a two-leg advantage again on double eight and clinch the next two legs without reply, sealing the win on double 16.
"It was a difficult game but a very good game too. I kept putting him under pressure and it worked for me. Co played well but I picked up on him missing doubles and under pressure he was doing that. The Dutch players are very competitive and Co epitomises that. He works hard at his game and it showed because he made me work very hard,” said Taylor.
In the tournament’s opening match, Andy Smith pulled off a shock win over Players Championship Finals winner Nicholson, winning 6-3, and will now play Taylor in the next round.
Nicholson led 2-1 after he hit double four and a bullseye finish, but Smith checked out 120 to level the match and hit double eight to move 4-2 in front, punishing missed doubles from Nicholson.
Nicholson hit two 180s, but missed more doubles, allowing Smith to go one leg away from victory, but he missed four match darts giving Nicholson hope. Once again, Nicholson failed to hit his doubles, and Smith was able to post double 16 to go through to the last 16.
“I scored really well but missed a lot of doubles. I've had a bad leg recently and that means I've not practised as much as I'd have wanted before this but I was determined to do well and I managed to get through to victory,” said Smith.
World No.4 King lost 6-3 to Barrie Bates, who produced his best darts to win. Bates led 5-0 after taking out 56 and 130. Bates then checked out 96 before hitting double four and double 12 to leave King in a crisis.
However, King took out a 124 finish on the bullseye to try and mount a comeback, and he began to give Bates a scare as he hit 180s and finishes of 70 and 84. Three missed doubles from King to go only one behind allowed Bates to take out 84 on the bull to win.
“I've probably never been 5-0 up before and I took my time getting over the finishing line. Mervyn is a quality player and he did well to come back, but I'm very pleased with my performance,” said Bates.
The UK Open finalist Gary Anderson lost to Jamie Caven 6-2, who won six legs on the spin to upset the odds. When Anderson took the first two legs, Caven replied with a double five finish and hit a 12-darter to level. Caven moved 3-2 in front with Anderson not being able to do anything as he missed five doubles. Caven wrapped up the win on double tops after the Scotsman had three misses.
World championship runner-up Whitlock beat Dennis Priestley 6-3. Whitlock reached the semi-finals in Blackpool last weekend, and took a 2-1 lead. Then, the Australian took the next three legs, knocking in consecutive 13-dart finishes and hitting double 16 to lead 5-1. Priestley, who celebrated his 60th birthday last week, took the next two legs, landing double eight and double 16, but Whitlock won the match by scoring a 180 and three ton-plus scores and hitting double five.
Walsh beat debutant Antonio Alcinas 6-3. Walsh was 3-2 down, with Alcinas showing no signs of nerves on his television debut. Walsh, the No.8 seed, landed double top to level at 3-3, and took the next two legs with two more double-top finishes to lead 5-3. He sealed the victory with a superb 127 finish.
World No.5 Jenkins defeated Germany’s Andree Welge 6-4 in a closely-fought match. Jenkins took out finishes of 121 and 78 after Welge took the lead. Welge levelled, but Jenkins hit double six and double eight to move 4-2 in front. The German levelled as Jenkins missed 12 darts in the next two legs at a double, but Jenkins eventually crossed the line with a bullseye and double-16 finish.
Dutchman Klaasen kept up his good form as he overcame Vincent van der Voort. Two of the quickest players in the world did battle, and Klaasen found himself 3-1 down. However, the man who reached the quarter-final at Blackpool took out 142 and 76 to level, and then posted double 10 to edge 4-3 ahead. Van der Voort squared the tie by hitting the awkward double three, but Klaasen hit double 10 and a 92 finish to set up a match with Walsh.
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