Sydney Darts Masters Quarter-Finals

TAYLOR TO FACE TOP AUSSIE WHITLOCK IN SYDNEY DARTS MASTERS SEMI-FINALS
 

PHIL TAYLOR and Simon Whitlock will clash in the Sydney Darts Masters semi-finals following brilliant victories at Luna Park on Friday night, and they were joined in the last four by Michael van Gerwen and Adrian Lewis.

Australian superstar Whitlock roared into the last four on home soil in Sydney with a thrilling 8-1 victory over Andy Hamilton in their last eight clash.

Whitlock opened the game with a 180, bringing the capacity Luna Park crowd to its feet, and was relentless as he powered into the semis, with Hamilton's only leg coming as he hit a 180 and finished 84 on the bull for a 12-darter.

With Paul Nicholson and Clinton Bridge losing out in the last eight on Friday night, Whitlock will now carry the hopes of the host nation on his shoulders going into Saturday's decisive semi-finals and final - which will kick off with his clash against Taylor.

"It's fantastic to be in the semi-finals and I can't wait for Saturday night," said Whitlock. "It would be awesome to beat Phil Taylor here in Australia and I'll be confident going into the game.

"I played pretty well again, I'm scoring well and my finishing's been good, and I played some great darts at times. I hit Andy hard early on and that was the big thing tonight."

World Champion Taylor, meanwhile, produced the highest average of the tournament so far in a clinical 8-2 win over Paul Nicholson, who took the first leg but would only win one more in the next nine.

Taylor took three in a row to move into the ascendancy, and though Nicholson hit back to 3-2, the Stoke legend found another gear to win the next five without reply in sealing his semi-final place with a 108.31 average.

"My finishing was the secret in this game," said Taylor, who took out 50 percent of his chances at a double. "In a short format it's important to take out your doubles, and I did that well tonight.

"After Paul got back to 3-2 I kicked on and I needed to because you could see him closing in. He's on his way back and the next few months can be big for him."

Taylor and Whitlock were joined in the semi-finals by the other two members of the world's current top four, van Gerwen and Lewis.

Van Gerwen followed up Thursday's ten-minute whitewash of Gordon Mathers by knocking out Australian left-hander Bridge 8-1.

Bridge caused a major upset on his televised debut 24 hours earlier with a thrilling 6-5 win over Raymond van Barneveld, but was unable to complete a Dutch double as van Gerwen proved too strong.

The world number two opened the match with a 14-darter and took the first five legs without reply before Bridge - despite a 180 from his opponent - landed a 13-dart finish to get off the mark in leg six.

Van Gerwen, though, regained his advantage and then finished 154 on double 17 to move 7-1 up, before hitting a 180 and double 16 to complete a comprehensive victory.

"I'm very happy to have won," said van Gerwen. "Clinton showed some great darts at times and he beat a five-time World Champion yesterday, so I knew he would be good and it shows that the future in Australia is bright.

"I want to play well and go on to win this tournament now, and I know I can improve on this performance, but winning was the most important thing tonight.

"It will be a great semi-final against Adrian because it's two fast players and it will be good to watch."

Lewis won through to the semis with an 8-5 triumph against Wes Newton, who shared the game's first eight legs before the European Champion pulled clear.

Lewis took out finishes of 138 and 78 early on as he edged 3-2 up, and also landed a key 11-darter to lead 4-3 before Newton hit back to level.

Lewis took the ninth and then traded 180s with Newton as he moved 6-4 up, putting daylight between the pair for the first time.

Newton finished 104 to pull back to 6-5, but Lewis hit a second 11-dart leg of the game to move to the brink of victory, which he sealed on double eight.

"Wes got off to a good start, but when push came to shove I produced two 11-dart legs against the throw and that was massive in winning me the match," said Lewis, who also hit seven 180s.

"It was a tough game and I thought I'd let him in at one point, so it's a relief to be through and I'm very happy with how I'm playing. I knocked in a 103 average last night and nearly 100 again tonight."

The tournament will conclude with both the semi-finals and final on Saturday evening at the Big Top in Luna Park, Sydney.

Coverage is live on FOX SPORTS in Australia from 8pm local time (11am BST), and is also live worldwide through Sky New Zealand, Fox Asia, OSN across the Middle East, on the Eurosport network and online through www.LIVEPDC.TV.

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Sydney Darts Masters
Quarter-Finals
Adrian Lewis 8-5 Wes Newton
Michael van Gerwen 8-1 Clinton Bridge
Phil Taylor 8-2 Paul Nicholson
Simon Whitlock 8-1 Andy Hamilton
Best of 15 legs - first to eight

Match Information
Adrian Lewis v Wes Newton
0-0 - Adrian Lewis wins the bull and throws first
0-1 - Newton breaks in the opening leg, initially missing double 12 for a 104 finish before returning to take out double three after Lewis missed a trio of darts at double two.
1-1 - Lewis fires in the game's first maximum before landing double top to break.
1-2 - Newton breaks again, finishing 58 on tops at the first time of asking.
2-2 - With Newton waiting on 32, Lewis takes out a brilliant 138 on double nine.
3-2 - Lewis finishes 78 on tops to hold throw for the first time in the game.
3-3 - Double ten sees Newton level.
4-3 - Lewis kicks off with a 180 and adds a 140, and though Newton fires in a maximum in reply, the two-time World Champion finishes 92 for an 11-darter.
4-4 - Lewis is punished for missed darts at double top and ten as Newton is given a reprieve to land double five.
5-4 - Lewis regains his range to edge back ahead.
6-4 - Lewis secures a potentially key break, hitting a 180 to leave 41, and when Newton is unable to finish 130, he returns to hit double 16 at the first time of asking, moving two legs clear for the first time.
6-5 - Newton hits back with a fine 104 checkout to break back.
7-5 - Lewis takes his average to above 100 with another 11-darter, scoring 140, 180 and 134 before finishing double 16 to break.
8-5 - Lewis misses the bullseye, but Newton cannot finish 123 and he returns to take out double eight to seal a fine win.

Match Stats

Michael van Gerwen v Clinton Bridge
0-0 - Michael van Gerwen wins the bull and throws first.
1-0 - van Gerwen lands two 140s in the opening leg, and although he misses the bull for a 161 checkout, he returns to finish double eight for a 14-darter.
2-0 - van Gerwen breaks throw on tops to double his advantage by taking out 60 in two darts.
3-0 - The Dutch ace misses the bull for a 170 finish, but Bridge - who opened the leg with two 140s - is also off-target with three darts at doubles across two visits to allow van Gerwen back in on double four.
4-0 - The pair trade 180s, but Bridge is punished for two further misses as van Gerwen returns on double ten to move four legs up.
5-0 - van Gerwen finishes 62 on double eight to extend his advantage.
5-1 - van Gerwen kicks off with a 180, but Bridge finishes tops for a fine 13-darter to win his first leg of the contest.
6-1 - Double four sees the Dutchman regain his cushion.
7-1 - van Gerwen takes out a superb 154 checkout, finishing the combination with two treble 20s and double 17.
8-1 - The Dutch ace completes a fine performance b landing double 16.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor v Paul Nicholson
0-0 - Paul NIcholson wins the bull and throws first.
0-1 - Nicholson holds throw in the opening leg on double eight.
1-1 - Taylor levels by landing double 16 at the second time of asking.
2-1 - Taylor lands a 180 and finishes 80 in two darts on double ten to break throw and move ahead.
3-1 - The World Champion consolidates his advantage with a superb 14-darter.
3-2 - The pair trade 180s before Taylor misses darts at double 12 and six to break again, and Nicholson steps in to land double ten with his third dart to hit back.
4-2 - Taylor lands double 16 to regain his two-leg cushion.
5-2 - Taylor initially misses his chance to open up a two-leg lead, but Nicholson fails to set up a double when needing 71 - hitting 13 but missing the single 18 to leave tops - to allow the world number one back in double nine.
6-2 - Taylor takes out 84 on double 11 to move two legs away from the win.
7-2 - Nicholson opens with a 180, with Taylor powering in a 177 in reply before missing double seven to take out 93, but a pair of misses at tops from Nicholson allow him back in on double two to move to the brink of victory.
8-2 - Taylor opens with a 180 and adds two more treble 20s in his second visit, before posting double ten to complete a brilliant display, ending with an average of 108.31.

Match Stats

Simon Whitlock v Andy Hamilton
0-0 - Andy Hamilton wins the bull and throws first.
1-0 - Whitlock brings the capacity crowd to its feet by opening with a 180, and finishes double 16 to win the opening leg against the throw.
2-0 - Hamilton lands a 180, but Whitlock finishes 78 on double 12 to double his lead.
3-0 - Whitlock breaks again, punishing misses from Hamilton by landing double four.
3-1 - Hamilton opens with 180 and 140 and finishes 84 on the bull to get off the mark with a 12-darter.
4-1 - Double top sees Whitlock regain his cushion.
5-1 - The Australian continues to delight the crowd by posting double 19.
6-1 - Whitlock takes out 124 on double eight to move five legs clear.
7-1 - The Australian opens with 140 and 180 as he moves a leg away from the win.
8-1 - Double ten sees the Australian favourite progress to a semi-final with Phil Taylor.

Match Stats