ANDY HAMILTON produced a superb performance to knock Phil Taylor out of the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters on Thursday, as Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld and James Wade also thrilled the 2,500 crowd at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.
The opening night of the inaugural $250,000 tournament, the first of the PDC's World Series events, saw Hamilton claim only his fourth career victory over the 16-time World Champion in a huge upset.
Taylor - who had lost to van Gerwen in the McCoy's Premier League Darts final a week earlier - looked set to bounce back to winning ways when he took a 4-1 lead early in their clash.
However, Hamilton won five successive legs to take the lead, and though Taylor hit back to lead 7-6, the former World Championship finalist took out legs of 12 and 13 darts in moving 8-7 up before sealing victory on tops with a 14-dart finish.
"It's superb for me and there's no better way to enjoy my first game in Dubai than beating the number one player in the world!" said Hamilton. "Beating Phil at any time is a feather in your cap but I was the underdog and I dug in deep.
"I probably didn't deserve to be 4-1 down there but to win five legs in a row was unbelievable for me, and it got me back in the game. It's always a struggle for me because I try so hard when I'm playing against Phil, probably too hard, but when I was 4-1 down I had nothing to lose.
"I'm playing great darts, I'm solid and who knows what can happen here. The atmosphere was superb and I really enjoyed the game.
"To come to Dubai and beat Phil Taylor is unbelievable but I can look forward to playing Michael van Gerwen now and I won't dwell on this now.
"I'm not worried about Michael. It will be a good game but I'm a fighter and whoever fights the strongest will win tomorrow.
"For me to go home as the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters champion tomorrow would be the pinnacle of my career, so hopefully that will happen."
Van Gerwen also had to hit back from behind early on as he defeated Wes Newton 10-7, despite the Fleetwood ace hitting seven 180s and leading 5-1 at one stage.
Van Gerwen hit back to level at five-all, and though Newton hung in with a 120 checkout, the Dutchman won four of the game's final five legs to progress to the last four.
"Wes played really well at the start of the game and when I was 5-1 down I wasn't too confident, but I had a couple of very good legs and that brought me into the game again," said van Gerwen.
"This was totally different to anything else I've played in, it was very hot but I'm so glad I won. I was very happy with my performance and this is a great event - it's the first time I've played outside but it was good."
Five-time World Champion van Barneveld, meanwhile, hit four ton-plus finishes in a classy 10-6 victory over Adrian Lewis.
Lewis hit back from 4-1 down - after the Dutchman hit finishes of 116 and 120 early on - to trail by one leg at one stage, but van Barneveld won four successive legs, including another 116 checkout, to pull clear at 8-3.
Two-time World Champion Lewis battled back by winning three of the next four legs, but van Barneveld sealed the win in style with a 121 checkout.
"It wasn't an easy game but I enjoyed it," said van Barneveld. "I had four good ton-plus finishes tonight and I'm pleased with that.
"Adrian fought really hard and came back well, but I hit some crucial doubles and they won the game.
"It's an interesting tournament and I can't wait for tomorrow night. It's a real privilege to be here in Dubai and it would be an honour to win this tournament."
Van Barneveld now plays James Wade in the semi-finals, after the world number three came from behind to defeat Simon Whitlock 10-8.
After the pair shared the opening four legs, Whitlock moved 5-2 before Wade hit back to level.
Whitlock edged 8-7 up, but Wade crucially took out 149 and 110 in the next two in a killer blow for the Australian's hopes, before landing double five to seal his place in the last four.
"I'm pleased with how I came back but when Simon got ahead 5-2 it could have been the other way around too," said Wade.
"I'm starting to play better and my game's coming out, and hopefully I can produce my best on Friday. The crowd were lively and really got into the game, and I want to give them more to cheer about."
A crowd of over 3,000 fans is expected at the Dubai Tennis Stadium for Friday night's Semi-Finals and Final, with the remaining tickets still available for sale through Time Out Tickets or at The Irish Village Box Office (from 12pm).
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Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters
Quarter-Finals
James Wade (3) 10-8 Simon Whitlock
Adrian Lewis (2) 6-10 Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen (4) 10-7 Wes Newton
Phil Taylor (1) 8-10 Andy Hamilton - Andy Hamilton Video
Semi-Final Draw Bracket
James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen v Andy Hamilton
Click here for Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters Photo Gallery
Match Information
James Wade v Simon Whitlock
0-0 - Simon Whitlock won the bull and will throw first.
1-0 - Wade secures an immediate break of throw, hitting two 140s and tops to finish 56.
1-1 - Wade is unable to finish 121, and Whitlock - who had earlier hit a 180 - lands double ten to break back.
1-2 - Wade wires double top for a 106 checkout, and Whitlock finds double four with his third dart to move ahead for the first time.
2-2 - Wade pins double top to square the game.
2-3 - Whitlock posts double four to edge himself back ahead at the break.
2-4 - The Australian opens with 180 and takes out 82 with a treble 14, double top combination.
2-5 - Whitlock posts tops to move three legs clear.
3-5 - Wade misses tops, but when Whitlock cannot hit the bullseye to complete an 88 combination, the left-hander posts double ten to hit back.
4-5 - Wade hits double top to pull back to just one leg behind.
5-5 - Whitlock misses double 16, and Wade pounces by again landing double top to level.
5-6 - Wade misses the bull to finish 161, and Whitlock hits tops for a 13-darter.
6-6 - Wade lands back-to-back 180s to be first to a finish, before completing a 14-darter on double ten.
6-7 - Whitlock wins the 13th leg to edge back ahead.
7-7 - Wade misses three darts at double 16, but is allowed back to hit the bed after Whitlock is unable to finish tops for a 114 finish.
7-8 - Whitlock finishes double top to regain the advantage.
8-8 - Wade brilliantly levels with a superb 149 checkout.
9-8 - Whitlock misses a dart at tops for a 101 finish, and Wade finishes 100 in two darts to break and move to the brink of victory.
10-8 - Whitlock hits a 180, but misses three darts to keep the game alive before Wade steps in to claim victory with double five.
Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
0-0 - Raymond van Barneveld won the bull and will throw first.
0-1 - van Barneveld takes out 116 to win the opening leg, finishing the combination on double 18.
1-1 - Lewis hits back-to-back 180s and posts double 19 with his third dart to win the leg.
1-2 - van Barneveld misses tops to take out 78, but when Lewis is unable to finish with three darts at double 18 the Dutchman returns to avoid a break of throw on double five.
1-3 - van Barneveld secures the game's first break of throw by finishing 120.
1-4 - van Barneveld lands his first 180 of the game, and when Lewis misses the bull for a 121 finish and two further darts at double eight, the Dutchman posts double eight to take a three-leg lead.
2-4 - Lewis misses two darts at double 12, but van Barneveld is unable to land double 18 for another 116 checkout, and Lewis pins double six to hit back.
3-4 - Lewis hits a 180, and when van Barneveld misses a host of darts at doubles around the board, the Stoke ace steals the leg on tops.
3-5 - van Barneveld posts a 180, and when Lewis misses double six for a 126 checkout, the Dutch ace lands his second 116 finish of the game.
3-6 - Lewis lands another maximum, but van Barneveld takes out 80 on tops to halt the comeback.
3-7 - van Barneveld moves four legs clear for the first time, initially wiring double 12 twice only for Lewis to miss a brace of darts at tops to allow him back to finish 24 at the second time of asking.
3-8 - van Barneveld posts a 180 and finishes double 16 to extend his cushion to five legs.
4-8 - van Barneveld misses his chance to move a leg away from the win, and Lewis hits back.
5-8 - Lewis takes out 72 on tops to win another leg.
5-9 - van Barneveld takes out double five to move a leg away from the win.
6-9 - van Barneveld misses a match dart at double eight, and Lewis hits double ten to stay in the game.
6-10 - van Barneveld seals victory with a 121 finish on double 14, his fourth ton-plus finish of the game.
Michael van Gerwen v Wes Newton
0-0 - Wes Newton wins the bull and will throw first.
0-1 - Newton makes a fine start, landing a 180 and finishing 61 on double 18 for a 14-darter.
0-2 - The Fleetwood ace breaks throw on tops to continue his superb start.
0-3 - Newton lands two 180s, and has enough breathing space to miss four doubles before eventually landing double eight.
1-3 - van Gerwen finishes 70 on double four to get off the mark.
1-4 - Newton misses tops to take out 76, but when van Gerwen misses the bull for a 93 finish, the Fleetwood thrower returns to finish tops and move three legs clear again.
1-5 - Newton initially misses tops for a 103 checkout, but van Gerwen misses double top and ten to allow the two-time major finalist back in on double top.
2-5 - van Gerwen posts his first 180, and when Newton misses tops to finish 116 the Dutch ace pins double 12 to hit back.
3-5 - The Dutch ace wins back-to-back legs as he reduces the gap to two legs.
4-5 - van Gerwen misses double 16 to finish 134, with Newton hitting a 180 to leave 20 only to see his opponent return to land double 16.
5-5 - van Gerwen initially misses two darts at tops, but returns to finish double six to level the match.
5-6 - Double 18 edges Newton back ahead.
6-6 - van Gerwen lands tops to hit back once more.
7-6 - Newton mises tops to finish 110, and van Gerwen takes out 54 - hitting double 14 then double 13 - to lead for the first time.
8-6 - van Gerwen finishes a partypiece 92, hitting single 20 and two double 18s to move two legs clear.
8-7 - Newton hits back, hitting his sixth 180 of the game before winning the leg with a fine 120 checkout.
9-7 - The pair trade maximums before van Gerwen takes out 74 on double 16 to move a leg away from the win.
10-7 - van Gerwen opens with 180 and 174, and although he is unable to complete a nine-darter, he finishes double 18 for a 13-darter to complete his comeback and seal a brilliant win.
Phil Taylor v Andy Hamilton
0-0 - Phil Taylor wins the bull and will throw first.
1-0 - Taylor hits double top to avert a possible break of throw in the opening leg.
1-1 - The pair trade 180s before Hamilton levels with double ten.
2-1 - Taylor lands tops to win his second leg of the game.
3-1 - Hamilton opens with a 180, but misses tops to take out 80 as Taylor breaks throw by hitting the same double.
4-1 - Hamilton hits a third maximum, but Taylor finishes 68 on double 16 to move three legs clear.
4-2 - Hamilton lands tops to win his first leg in four.
4-3 - Hamilton then lands a 180 and finishes double ten to break throw.
4-4 - Double four sees the former World Championship finalist level the game.
4-5 - Hamilton takes out 80 on double ten to move ahead for the first time.
4-6 - Hamilton's charge continues as he wins a fifth straight leg, brilliantly taking out 129 on the bull, with Taylor waiting on 66.
5-6 - Taylor lands tops to win his first leg in six.
6-6 - Hamilton misses the bull and two darts at double eight, and Taylor lands double ten to level the game.
7-6 - Taylor posts a 180 before finishing tops for a 13-darter to move back ahead.
7-7 - Taylor misses tops for a 120 finish, and Hamilton lands double five to level again.
7-8 - Hamilton regains the lead with a 12-darter to break throw, finishing 87 on double 18.
7-9 - Hamilton opens with a 180, and finishes double 19 for a 13-darter to move a leg away from a famous win.
8-9 - Taylor keeps his hopes alive with a 14-darter, as double 16 keeps the pressure on Hamilton.
8-10 - Hamilton hits tops for a 14-dart leg to complete a famous victory.
Click here for Andy Hamilton Video Interview