GUTSY WADE & CLINICAL VAN GERWEN REACH PARTYPOKER.COM WORLD GRAND PRIX FINAL
JAMES WADE won through to his third partypoker.com World Grand Prix final with a stunning comeback to defeat Gary Anderson 4-3, and will take on Michael van Gerwen in Sunday's final in Dublin after the Dutchman's straight sets triumph over Stephen Bunting.
Wade, the 2007 and 2010 World Grand Prix champion, continued his memorable week at the Citywest Hotel by following up his second round nine-dart finish and a quarter-final defeat of Phil Taylor with a resilient fightback from 3-1 down in sets.
Anderson won the opening six legs of the game without reply to take a two-set lead, and missed his chance to win the third as Wade followed up finishes of 101 and 104 by taking the set on double ten.
Anderson, though, finished 107 and a 13-darter as he edged the fourth for a 3-1 lead, only to see Wade hit back in amazing fashion.
The left-hander took set five without reply, landing a 121 finish on the bull for the third leg, and then levelled the game by taking set six 3-1.
Wade then moved ahead for the first time at 1-0 and 2-1 in the deciding set, only for Anderson to land finishes of 81 on the bull and 141 - after hitting a 13th 180 - to send the game into a sudden-death leg, which Wade took on double ten.
"Gary blew me completely out of the water in the first two sets," admitted Wade. "At 2-0 down I was preparing myself for a losers' speech, and I thought I was beaten.
"I held on for dear life and to win the third set was massive for me because when Gary's playing well, only Adrian Lewis can live with him, but I'm quite fortunate that he eased up and allowed me back into the game.
"I'm pretty good with pressure and I made the most of my opportunities."
Wade is bidding to win his first major TV title since 2011 when he competes in Sunday's final, and he added: "I've been there and done it before, and I'll look forward to the final now.
"I'm looking forward to what darts can bring me now and it's starting to be enjoyable again. If it's enjoyable it takes 20 percent of the pressure off."
2012 World Grand Prix champion van Gerwen, meanwhile, remains on course for his second triumph in the double-start format after cruising past Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting in their last four contest.
The pair traded early ton-plus checkouts before van Gerwen came from 2-1 down to edge the opening set 3-2, and the second set also went to the Dutchman despite a 128 finish from Bunting.
Van Gerwen then sealed the third set without reply with a 160 checkout and took his run of successive winning legs to seven as he moved 2-0 up in set four.
Bunting hit back by landing double eight and double four - for a 65 finish - to level the set, but van Gerwen posted his fifth maximum of the game to pull clear in the set's deciding leg before finishing 62 for a 14-darter to seal his spot in the final.
"A 4-0 victory is fantastic and I could only dream about that before the game," said van Gerwen. "I played really well, especially in the first three sets, and I'm really happy with my performance.
"Stephen's a fantastic player but I put him under pressure and took advantage when he missed his chances.
"If you're a professional you need to do well at the right moments, and I showed that tonight in the deciding leg of the first two sets. My doubles were really good and that's something I can build on in the final.
"It's amazing to be in the final again and I know how to win this event, but there's still a long way to go. James was fantastic tonight and it's going to be a tough game, but that's something to worry about tomorrow.
"I've got a good record against James but that won't mean anything - all I want is to lift the trophy, and that's the only thing I am looking at, so I need to prepare myself well for the final."
Bunting had won through to the semi-finals in his first appearance in the World Grand Prix before seeing his challenge ended in 36 minutes by van Gerwen, and said: "I'm proud of what I've done this week but that's why Michael's the World Champion and world number one.
"My gameplan was to try and get on top straight away, and if I'd have won the deciding legs of those first two sets it could have been a different game, but after that he went on a bit of a rampage and I was chasing the game."
Sunday's final will be preceded by the final of the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay championship between Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney and Polish-born Radek Szaganski, with the winner of the event taking a place in the World Darts Championship in December.
The Irish Matchplay final will commence at 6.15pm, with the partypoker.com World Grand Prix final starting at 7pm.
Tickets are still available and can be purchased from the Citywest Hotel Box Office on 00353 (0)1 401 0505 or in person at the Citywest Hotel. Doors open at 6pm.
The partypoker.com World Grand Prix is live on Sky Sports HD in the UK & Ireland.
Additional international coverage will be broadcast through:
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Online through www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers
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partypoker.com World Grand Prix
Semi-Finals
Saturday October 11
James Wade 4-3 Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen 4-0 Stephen Bunting
Format
Semi-Finals - Best of Seven Sets
* All Sets are the best of five legs. There will be no tie-break in any set.
* All legs must begin and end with a double, meaning that a player must hit a double before he can begin scoring in each leg.
MATCH INFORMATION
James Wade 4-3 Gary Anderson
First Set 0-3 - Anderson makes a flying start to win the opening set without reply, punishing a missed bullseye from Wade to take the first leg on tops before trading 180s with the left-hander in leg two, which he takes with a 138 checkout before finishing 121 on the bull to claim first blood.
Second Set 0-3 - Anderson's brilliant start continues as he wins the second set without Wade having a dart at a double - with the pair continuing to trade scores only for the clinical Scot to double his advantage. Wade's 174 in the opening leg is bettered by a 180 from Anderson before he finishes 67 for a 12-darter and then takes out 80 on double ten to leg 2-0 in the set, which is wrapped up with a 72 finish on tops in leg three, despite a maximum from Wade.
Third Set 3-2 - Wade finishes 101 and 104 to win two of the opening three legs of the set, with Anderson finishing a 14-darter on tops and another chance on the same bed to level at two-all before landing two 180s in the decider, only to miss a dart at double 16 for the set as Wade steps in on double ten to claim the set.
Fourth Set 2-3 - Anderson regains his two-set lead in another tight set. The Scot's double ten to open the set is cancelled out by double two from the left-hander, after Anderson misses two darts at double four to follow an earlier 180. The pair trade 180s in leg three before Anderson takes out 107, and though Wade hits a 180 and finishes 24 to level, the Scot lands his eighth maximum of the game as he finishes a 13-darter to move 3-1 up in the game.
Fifth Set 3-0 - Wade cuts the gap once more, finishing tops in the opening leg before punishing Anderson for missing the bull and two darts at double 12 in the second by taking out 32, and though the Scot opens leg three with a 160 score, the two-time Dublin winner hits his sixth 180 of the game before finishing 121 on the bull to take the set without reply.
Sixth Set 3-1 - Wade wins the opening leg at ease, with Anderson missing 12 starting doubles before his opponent lands a 180 and finishes 88. Anderson lands a 180 as he levels, but Wade finishes double six and tops for the next two as he continues his charge and levels the game.
Seventh Set 3-2 - Wade moves ahead for the first time in the game by finishing 48 on tops to win the opening leg of the deciding set, although he misses the bull for a 121 finish to double his advantage as Anderson follows his 12th maximum by taking out 81 on the bull to level. Wade's double eight moves him 2-1 up and to the brink of victory, with Anderson hitting his 13th maximum and a 141 checkout for a 12-darter as he sends the game into a sudden-death leg - but the Scot misses his first four opening doubles and Wade pulls clear to finish double ten to complete a sensational comeback.
Match Stats
| James Wade | 4-3 | Gary Anderson |
| 51 | 100+ | 36 |
| 15 | 140+ | 16 |
| 1 | 170+ | 0 |
| 7 | 180 | 13 |
| 94.03 | Average | 93.66 |
| 121 | High Finish | 141 |
| 3 | Breaks of Throw | 4 |
| 28/67 | Starting Doubles | 28/80 |
| 14/30 | Finishing Doubles | 14/28 |
Michael van Gerwen 4-0 Stephen Bunting
First Set 3-2 - van Gerwen opens the game with a 110 finish which is bettered by a checkout of 116 by Bunting as he levels before landing double 16 to move 2-1 up. Van Gerwen takes the fourth leg in 14 darts, and the finishes double 16 to win the decider to take the first set.
Second Set 3-2 - van Gerwen opens the set with scores of 160 and 180, but after seeing the chance of a nine-darter go begging, Bunting takes out 128 on double ten to lead. The World Champion levels on double four, only for Bunting to land tops as he moves 2-1 up. Bunting also lands 180s in the next two legs, but van Gerwen finishes 75 on tops to level before finishing 24 to secure the set and double his lead.
Third Set 3-0 - van Gerwen storms into a three-set lead with a deadly three-leg burst, finishing double eight and tops before defying a 180 from Bunting with a stunning 160 checkout to wrap up a third straight set.
Fourth Set 3-2 - van Gerwen lands a 180 before finishing double four to take the opening leg, and punishes Bunting for a miss at double six in the next as he moves a leg away from victory. Bunting replies with double eight and double four - for a 65 checkout - to level the set, but a fifth 180 of the game from van Gerwen pulls him clear in the decider before he finishes 62 for a 14-darter to book his spot in the final.
Match Stats
| Michael van Gerwen | 4-0 | Stephen Bunting |
| 23 | 100+ | 19 |
| 12 | 140+ | 10 |
| 1 | 170+ | 0 |
| 5 | 180 | 5 |
| 93.80 | Average | 86.20 |
| 160 | High Finish | 128 |
| 5 | Breaks of Throw | 2 |
| 18/39 | Starting Doubles | 18/45 |
| 12/22 | Finishing Doubles | 6/14 |
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