MIGHTY MIKE MARCHES ON TO SET UP ROYAL APPOINTMENT
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN will take on Mervyn King in the quarter-finals of the partypoker.com World Grand Prix in a repeat of the 2012 final on Friday night, as Stephen Bunting and Richie Burnett joined them in the last eight in Dublin with second round wins.
World Champion van Gerwen defeated Dean Winstanley 3-1 in a quick-fire contest has he continued his challenge to win back the £100,000 title on Sunday night.
Van Gerwen edged a high-quality opening set 3-2 before Winstanley took out 136 and a 12-darter as he raced through the second to level the contest.
The Dutchman, though, came from a leg down to win the third set in a deciding leg - taking out 120 for a 12-darter - before winning the fourth 3-1 to seal his place in a third successive Dublin quarter-final.
"I made it difficult for myself," admitted van Gerwen, whose average of 98.06 was the highest of this year's event so far.
"In the first set I played really well but in the second set I couldn't hit a double and Dean did well, hitting some good finishes at the right moments.
"I'm pleased to be through and I am happy to have such a high average because I missed a few doubles and I know I can do better. There is more to come."
Van Gerwen's last eight opponent will be Mervyn King as they meet in a repeat of the 2012 World Grand Prix final which the Dutchman won 6-4 with a comeback triumph to claim his first major PDC title.
King secured his place in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over Raymond van Barneveld in a bizarre contest.
The Dutchman led 2-0 in the opening set only to be punished for failing to take his chances to move ahead as King hit back with three successive legs to claim the set and then took another treble to win the second set without reply, including a 112 checkout.
Van Barneveld then won the third 3-0 to raise the prospect of another comeback victory - following his first round revival against Dave Chisnall - only to see his starting doubles desert him in the fourth set, with the Dutchman clearly struggling with a back problem as King took three straight legs for victory.
King had come into the tournament using a new design of dart, and admitted: "I did a good job but the performance wasn't fantastic.
"I've been playing with those darts all day and in the practice room they were flying, but they're not quite going as I want on stage yet. I'm going to stick with them and I've got good feelings about them, but I've got to get used to them on stage.
"If the darts go properly against Michael, he's got a real game on his hands. I'm looking forward to playing Michael because if the darts do go well, everyone's in for a real treat."
Stephen Bunting hit a stunning 12 180s and three ton-plus finishes as he continued his superb World Grand Prix debut with a 3-2 defeat of Peter Wright.
Lakeside Champion Bunting took out 141 on his way to the first set, only to see Wright win six of the next seven legs as he took a 2-1 lead in the game, sealing set three with a superb 146 finish.
Bunting, though, came from 2-1 down to edge the fourth set and also hit back from behind in the decider, winning three successive legs as a 130 bullseye checkout moved him through.
"Peter's a fantastic player and his doubles to start were really good," said Bunting. "I felt like I was always coming from behind, and I hit that many 180s because I needed to and they kept me in some legs.
"I know I'm playing well and my scoring's fantastic. My doubles have always been my Achilles heel, so I'll work on that before the quarter-finals."
2011 semi-finalist Richie Burnett was the night's other second round winner, as he produced a clinical display to defeat Terry Jenkins - a two-time World Grand Prix runner-up - 3-1.
The Welshman finished 121 to secure the opening set 3-1 and edged the second in a deciding leg to move two sets clear.
Jenkins raced through the third set without reply, despite 180s from Burnett, but the former Lakeside Champion won the fourth in the same manner as he completed the win.
"I can improve but I'm happy to win 3-1 against a great player, and a smashing guy, like Terry," said Burnett. "I wasn't happy with my starting doubles, but when I got in I scored well and hit some big shots when it mattered.
"Fortunately for me, Terry let me in for a couple of legs and they were crucial, and by the last set I was pretty clinical.
"I'm having great fun at the moment. I love this game - I've been doing it for 30 years and it's given me a great life, and it's payback time for me; I'm playing with a smile on my face, and when I'm enjoying it I'm dangerous."
The quarter-finals will also see reigning champion Phil Taylor taking on two-time winner James Wade - who hit a stunning nine-darter in his second round win over Robert Thornton - in an eagerly-awaited contest, while Gary Anderson meets Kevin Painter.
Tickets for the tournament are still available and can be purchased from the Citywest Hotel Box Office on 00353 (0)1 401 0505 or in person at the venue on the night of the event. Doors open at 6pm, with play commencing at 7pm on each night.
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partypoker.com World Grand Prix
Thursday October 9
Second Round
Peter Wright 2-3 Stephen Bunting (1-3, 3-0, 3-1, 2-3, 1-3)
Richie Burnett 3-1 Terry Jenkins (3-1, 3-2, 0-3, 3-0)
Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Dean Winstanley (3-2, 0-3, 3-0, 3-1)
Raymond van Barneveld 1-3 Mervyn King (2-3, 0-3, 3-0, 0-3)
Format
Second Round - Best of Five 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.
Quarter-Finals - Confirmed Order of Play
Richie Burnett v Stephen Bunting
Gary Anderson v Kevin Painter
Phil Taylor v James Wade
Michael van Gerwen v Mervyn King
MATCH INFORMATION
Peter Wright 2-3 Stephen Bunting
First Set 1-3 - Bunting makes a flying start to win the first set with a 99.70 average, taking out 141 to win the opening leg against the throw and bouncing back from five missed doubles in the second - which allowed Wright in on double ten - by hitting back-to-back 12-dart legs, which each featured 180s before the St Helens man took out 98 and 104.
Second Set 3-0 - Wright levels the game by taking the second set without reply, averaging almost 105 for the three legs as he hits a 180 and lands double six in the opener, hits six perfect darts of 160 and 180 in the second - which he takes on double ten after a possible nine-darter goes begging - and then lands double four to square the match.
Third Set 3-1 - Bunting gives himself a chance of hitting a nine-darter by opening the third set with scores of 160 and 180, before - like Wright - missing the treble 20 of a 161 combination. However, he returns to win the leg on double eight, but Wright defies 180s from the St Helens man in the next two to finish 81 and double two to lead 2-1 before claiming the set in a dramatic fourth leg, which sees Bunting score 180 and 165 to leave 24 only to then miss three doubles, allowing his rival in to take out a superb 146 checkout.
Fourth Set 2-3 - The pair trade the opening two legs on tops before Wright hits a 180 and steals the third on the same bed, after Bunting misses four darts at double 19. Bunting, though, opens the fourth leg with scores of 160 and 140 before levelling with a 67 finish, and he then lands his ninth 180 of the game before finishing tops to edge the set to level.
Fifth Set 1-3 - Wright fires in a 180 and takes out 60 to take the opening leg, but Bunting replies with a maximum and a 70 finish to level before powering in his 11th 180 in the next - setting up a 64 checkout as Wright lands a 174 to leave 16 only to be left watching on as his rival moves a leg away from the win. Bunting then completes a dozen maximums for the game before missing double five for a 130 checkout for the match - bursting his score! - only for Wright to miss two darts at double eight to allow the Lakeside Champion back in to complete the 130 combination on the bullseye at the second time of asking to seal a superb win.
Match Stats
| Peter Wright | 2-3 | Stephen Bunting |
| 27 | 100+ | 16 |
| 13 | 140+ | 10 |
| 1 | 170+ | 0 |
| 6 | 180 | 12 |
| 95.04 | Average | 93.30 |
| 146 | High Finish | 141 |
| 6 | Breaks of Throw | 5 |
| 20/39 | Starting Doubles | 20/43 |
| 1029 | Finishing Doubles | 10/29 |
Richie Burnett 3-1 Terry Jenkins
First Set 3-1 - Jenkins kicks off the game with a 160 score and lands tops to lead, only for Burnett to level by taking out 67 before snatching the third against the darts on tops, after Jenkins opens with another 160 but misses two darts at double 16 and eight. Burnett then capitalises on another missed double from Jenkins - at double 12 for a 144 finish - by taking out 121 on double 14 to secure the set.
Second Set 3-2 - The pair trade double top finishes in the opening two legs before Burnett's misses at double eight and four allow Jenkins to break in the third by finishing 47 on double 13 - only for Burnett to level with a break by finishing 72 before landing double eight to take a two-set lead.
Third Set 0-3 - Jenkins kick-starts his challenge by taking the third set without reply, defying 180s from Burnett in the opening two legs as double top and double eight - for a 14-darter after Burnett misses two darts at double 16 - move him clear. The Welshman lands another 180 in the third, but Jenkins is first to a finish and takes out 60 on tops to claim the set.
Fourth Set 3-0 - Burnett takes out 65 on tops before capitalising on Jenkins' misses in the second to break throw on double 16, and he then lands tops in the third to book his place in the quarter-finals for the second time in four years.
Match Stats
| Richie Burnett | 3-1 | Terry Jenkins |
| 16 | 100+ | 22 |
| 16 | 140+ | 9 |
| 0 | 170+ | 1 |
| 3 | 180 | 1 |
| 92.61 | Average | 88.40 |
| 121 | High Finish | 76 |
| 3 | Breaks of Throw | 2 |
| 15/41 | Starting Doubles | 15/29 |
| 9/15 | Finishing Doubles | 6/17 |
Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Dean Winstanley
First Set 3-2 - The game begins in superb fashion as both players storm out of the starting blocks - with van Gerwen landing tops for a 13-darter in the opening leg before scoring 165 to lead 40 in the second, only to see Winstanley finish 156 to level. Double four moves van Gerwen back in front and he then responds to a 160 opening score from Winstanley in leg four by scoring 177 and 171 to leave 16 before his rival this time finishes 74 as he levels - but the decider goes to the World Champion on tops as he moves ahead.
Second Set 0-3 - Winstanley levels the game by winning the second set without reply with three superb legs, hitting a 136 checkout in the opening leg and a 180 in the second as a 12-darter doubles his advantage, before trading 180s with van Gerwen in leg three as both players initially miss a double for a 121 finish before the Yorkshireman lands double eight to square the contest.
Third Set 3-2 - Winstanley's tops to open the third set is cancelled out by finishes of 72 and double eight as van Gerwen moves 2-1 up, with the English ace hitting a 180 in a 13-darter to level before the pair open the deciding leg with 160 scores, as the World Champion takes out 120 to claim the set and regain the lead.
Fourth Set 3-1 - van Gerwen lands a 177 only to miss two darts at tops to allow Winstanley in for an 80 finish, but the Dutchman lands a 180 and double nine to level, punishes a miss from Winstanley at double 12 by hitting double five to move 2-1 up before sealing victory in style with a superb 13-darter.
Match Stats
| Michael van Gerwen | 3-1 | Dean Winstanley |
| 23 | 100+ | 18 |
| 9 | 140+ | 10 |
| 4 | 170+ | 0 |
| 4 | 180 | 3 |
| 98.06 | Average | 91.82 |
| 120 | High Finish | 156 |
| 2 | Breaks of Throw | 2 |
| 17/39 | Starting Doubles | 17/33 |
| 9/20 | Finishing Doubles | 8/12 |
Raymond van Barneveld 1-3 Mervyn King
First Set 2-3 - van Barneveld finishes double 18 and double 16 to move into a 2-0 lead, only to see the set slip away as King edges the third on double 16 and then hits the same bed to punish six misses across three visits from the Dutchman in leg four to level, before hitting a 180 and double four to take the lead.
Second Set 0-3 - King moves two sets up by extending his run of winning legs to six, finishing double eight, 112 and tops to move a set away from the quarter-finals.
Third Set 3-0 - van Barneveld stops the rot by hitting double 16 before finishing 70 on the same double to move 2-0 up, and then defies a 180 from King by taking out tops to claim the set without reply.
Fourth Set 0-3 - The Dutchman - appearing to be affected by a back problem - misses 18 darts to start in the opening leg as King secures the 2014 event's first whitewash leg before doubling his advantage on double ten, and when van Barneveld is unable to kick off with 12 starting doubles in the third, King seals victory on double two to set up a repeat of the 2012 final against Michael van Gerwen in Friday's quarter-finals.
Match Stats
| Raymond van Barneveld | 1-3 | Mervyn King |
| 21 | 100+ | 21 |
| 7 | 140+ | 5 |
| 0 | 170+ | 0 |
| 0 | 180 | 2 |
| 71.54 | Average | 80.18 |
| 70 | High Finish | 112 |
| 3 | Breaks of Throw | 5 |
| 13/57 | Starting Doubles | 14/32 |
| 5/14 | Finishing Doubles | 9/22 |
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