WADE SEES OFF PAINTER IN EUROPEAN DARTS GRAND PRIX OPENER
JAMES WADE defeated Kevin Painter 6-4 as the European Darts Grand Prix began on Friday in Sindelfingen, Germany, as Kyle Anderson, Andy Hamilton and Stephen Bunting also enjoyed first round victories.
World number six Wade, who won June's Gibraltar Darts Trophy, began his bid for a second £20,000 European Tour title of the year in style as he saw off experienced star Painter.
Having been a semi-finalist in all three PDC World Series of Darts events held during August, Wade continued that good form by taking out 125 in the opening leg of his clash with Painter before doubling his lead.
Painter hit back to level at three-all, but Wade took the next two legs to lead 5-3 and held off his opponent's brief rally to claim the win on double two.
Wade now progresses to face number 13 seed Justin Pipe in Saturday's second round, and said: "It was a tough draw and to face Kevin Painter in the first round shows the strength in depth of the PDC now. He didn't play as well as he can but I took advantage."
Another of the world's top 16 stars, Andy Hamilton, whitewashed Dutch qualifier Ron Meulenkamp 6-0 in a strong display, setting up a tasty second round game with Jamie Caven on Saturday.
Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting had to fight back from 5-3 down before winning a see-saw contest with Germany's Jyhan Artut 6-5 to progress to face Peter Wright in the second round.
Bunting took out 100 and 68 to lead 2-0 before Artut won five of the next six legs to move a leg away from the win, but an 11-darter fired the Englishman's challenge, before he finished 82 to level and then won the deciding leg on tops.
Australia's Kyle Anderson, who joined Wade in reaching the semi-finals of last week's Sydney Darts Masters, enjoyed a winning European Tour debut as he defeated Kevin Dowling 6-4.
Anderson held an early 3-1 lead before being pegged back level at four-all by a 109 finish from Dowling, but he took the next on double 16 before taking out 109 himself to seal the win.
Anderson now meets Robert Thornton in Saturday's second round, and said: "I was nervous so I'm just happy to get past the first round, and I feel good. It was great to be back home in Australia and I've come back in a great frame of mind.
"Robert's a tough cookie and I've got to be on my game tomorrow."
Canadian youngster Shaun Narain also picked up victory in his first European Tour appearance, opening his clash with Johnny Haines with a 164 finish before defying checkouts of 104 and 103 from the Swindon ace to edge the deciding leg.
Narain now meets Steve Beaton - last September's champion on the Sindelfingen stage - in the second round on Saturday.
Germany's Max Hopp moved through to the second round as he defeated Belgian debutant Mike De Decker 6-2, with the teenager now set to face number four seed Dave Chisnall in round two.
He was joined in the last 32 by Michael Rosenauer, who edged past Chris Aubrey in a deciding leg after twice hitting back from two legs behind to level before taking out a 104 finish in the ninth leg, as he set up a clash with Belgium's Kim Huybrechts.
However, there was disappointment for debutant Sascha Goldammer, a 40-year-old from Kaiserslautern who shared the first four legs with Rowby-John Rodriguez before the Austrian youngster pulled clear with four in a row to move through to face Ian White.
Dutch youngster Ryan De Vreede picked up a 6-2 win over Croatia's Robert Marijanovic as he moved through to play number one seed Gary Anderson, with the emerging star taking out a key 117 finish to move 4-2 up before going on to seal the win.
Joe Cullen impressed with the day's highest average, of 99.73, in a 6-3 comeback victory over Mensur Suljovic.
The Austrian number one took out 148 as he established a 3-1 cushion before the youngster hit four 180s in a run of five straight legs to power to the win, setting up a tasty clash with Terry Jenkins on Saturday.
Darren Webster sealed his 6-3 win over Wayne Jones with a 140 checkout as he progressed to a second round date with number two seed Brendan Dolan.
Steve Hine punished former World Youth Champion James Hubbard for missing four match darts in the deciding leg of their first round clash as he moved through to face Adrian Lewis - another former winner on the Glaspalast stage - on Saturday.
John Henderson joined Hubbard in being left to rue missed match darts after he allowed Matt Clark to come from 5-3 down to claim a 6-5 win in their clash, setting up a second round tie with Simon Whitlock.
Rapid-fire Ricky Evans hit four 180s in his 6-3 win over Jelle Klaasen, as the former World Youth Championship finalist moved through to face another Dutchman on Saturday, Austrian Open winner Vincent van der Voort.
Kevin McDine's 6-2 victory over Jason Lovett means that he now plays former World Youth Champion Michael Smith in the last 32, while Andrew Gilding impressed in a 6-3 win over Benito van de Pas as he moves through to meet Mervyn King.
Saturday sees the second round split across two sessions at the Glaspalast in Sindelfingen, before the £100,000 event concludes on Sunday, with the third round in the afternoon session followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in the evening session.
Relive the action with our BLOG at the foot of this page, and watch the action LIVE online on Saturday and Sunday through the websites listed below.
Live Coverage
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European Darts Grand Prix
European Tour Event Seven
Glaspalast, Sindelfingen, September 5-7 2014
Friday September 5
3pm-11pm Local Time (2pm-10pm BST)
First Round
Kevin McDine 6-2 Jason Lovett
Shaun Narain 6-5 Johnny Haines
Matt Clark 6-5 John Henderson
Jelle Klaasen 3-6 Ricky Evans
Mike De Decker 2-6 Max Hopp
Steve Hine 6-5 James Hubbard
Ryan De Vreede 6-2 Robert Marijanovic
Darren Webster 6-3 Wayne Jones
Michael Rosenauer 6-5 Chris Aubrey
Kevin Dowling 4-6 Kyle Anderson
Sascha Goldammer 2-6 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Joe Cullen 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
Benito van de Pas 3-6 Andrew Gilding
Kevin Painter 4-6 James Wade
Ron Meulenkamp 0-6 Andy Hamilton
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Jyhan Artut
Saturday September 6
Afternoon Session
1pm-5pm Local Time (12pm-4pm BST)
Second Round
Terry Jenkins (15) v Joe Cullen
Vincent van der Voort (12) v Ricky Evans
Steve Beaton (8) v Shaun Narain
Michael Smith (16) v Kevin McDine
Mervyn King (11) v Andrew Gilding
Brendan Dolan (2) v Darren Webster
Ian White (6) v Rowby-John Rodriguez
Jamie Caven (14) v Andy Hamilton
Evening Session
7pm-11pm Local Time (6pm-10pm BST)
Second Round
Kim Huybrechts (7) v Michael Rosenauer
Justin Pipe (13) v James Wade
Robert Thornton (3) v Kyle Anderson
Dave Chisnall (4) v Max Hopp
Simon Whitlock (10) v Matt Clark
Peter Wright (5) v Stephen Bunting
Gary Anderson (1) v Ryan De Vreede
Adrian Lewis (9) v Steve Hine
Match Stats
| Ave | 180s | High Finish | Ave | 180s | High Finish | |||
| 88.02 | 0 | 114 | Kevin McDine | 6-2 | Jason Lovett | 87.98 | 1 | 60 |
| 91.13 | 2 | 164 | Shaun Narain | 6-5 | Johnny Haines | 90.00 | 2 | 104 |
| 86.67 | 2 | 103 | Matt Clark | 6-5 | John Henderson | 87.25 | 3 | 76 |
| 93.88 | 1 | 36 | Jelle Klaasen | 3-6 | Ricky Evans | 93.73 | 4 | 81 |
| 85.28 | 1 | 105 | Mike De Decker | 2-6 | Max Hopp | 94.46 | 2 | 68 |
| 77.35 | 1 | 48 | Steve Hine | 6-5 | James Hubbard | 81.99 | 2 | 143 |
| 89.01 | 1 | 117 | Ryan De Vreede | 6-2 | Robert Marijanovic | 82.50 | 1 | 92 |
| 93.05 | 1 | 140 | Darren Webster | 6-3 | Wayne Jones | 99.10 | 2 | 118 |
| 78.05 | 0 | 104 | Michael Rosenauer | 6-5 | Chris Aubrey | 78.73 | 1 | 47 |
| 85.90 | 1 | 109 | Kevin Dowling | 4-6 | Kyle Anderson | 91.55 | 3 | 109 |
| 72.13 | 0 | 72 | Sascha Goldammer | 2-6 | Rowby-John Rodriguez | 87.96 | 3 | 127 |
| 99.73 | 4 | 80 | Joe Cullen | 6-3 | Mensur Suljovic | 93.53 | 1 | 148 |
| 90.60 | 0 | 120 | Benito van de Pas | 3-6 | Andrew Gilding | 96.52 | 1 | 120 |
| 85.20 | 2 | 40 | Kevin Painter | 4-6 | James Wade | 87.91 | 0 | 125 |
| 84.45 | 1 | - | Ron Meulenkamp | 0-6 | Andy Hamilton | 98.02 | 1 | 86 |
| 94.34 | 3 | 100 | Stephen Bunting | 6-5 | Jyhan Artut | 89.60 | 3 | 106 |
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