Wright out as seeds tumble on night two of World Grand Prix
Peter Wright was the biggest casualty on night two of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, as three seeds tumbled in round one.
World Champion Wright was beaten in straight sets by Ryan Joyce, blowing the bottom half of the draw wide open.
Sixth seed Nathan Aspinall also fell in straight sets, losing to Gabriel Clemens. Seventh seed, and former winner of this event Daryl Gurney, was beaten 2-1 by Joe Cullen.
The only seed to win tonight was the third seed, Gerwyn Price. He came through a difficult match against Jermaine Wattimena in straight sets.
Elsewhere on night two of the World Grand Prix:
- Dave Chisnall produced arguably the performance of the first round to thrash Glen Durrant
- Simon Whitlock also produced a remarkable performance, dropping just one leg in his defeat of Chris Dobey
- Kim Huybrechts, Jonny Clayton and Jeffrey De Zwaan all made it through to round two
Rentless Joyce avoids the Snakebite
Ryan Joyce produced the biggest shock of night two of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix. He sent world champion Peter Wright packing in straight sets to blow that quarter of the draw wide open.
Joyce started the contest brightly, holding his throw twice in three legs to go 2-1 up. He then hit his first 180 of the match in the next leg, en route to checking out 51 on double 16 to win the opening set 3-1.
The World Champion won the opening leg of the second set on his throw, before missing 12 darts at a double to get into the leg. This allowed Joyce to level the second set up at 1-1 in 14 darts, without Wright scoring. Snakebite regained his composure to hold throw in the next leg, before Relentless levelled up again at 2-2 by hitting double six with Wright waiting on double 18 to level the match.
This set up a deciding final leg in the second set, and Snakebite started poorly, missing four darts at a double to start. Eventually, he clawed his way back into the leg, and was first to a finish. However, he went inside on both double ten and then five, and Joyce seized his moment. He hit double eight to win the set 3-2 and win his debut match at the event 2-0, knocking out the second seed in the process.
Aspinall and Gurney dumped out
Nathan Aspinall was another seed to lose on night two of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix. He lost 2-0 to Germany’s Gabriel Clemens.
It was the German Giant who started brightest. After breaking throw in the first leg on double ten, he consolidated it with a double five shot to go 2-0 in front. The Asp held throw in the next leg, but the ending to the opening set was anything but predictable. Clemens bust his score on 92, and missed two darts at a double. However, Aspinall could not punish his mistakes, missing three to level the contest. In the end, Clemens found double four to take the set and lead 1-0.
The German’s struggles on the doubles continued at the start of the second set. He missed five darts in two legs to go 2-0 up. This time though, Aspinall was able to capitalise, racing into a two leg lead. However, Clemens would fight back, hitting an 85 on the bullseye to trail 2-1, before pinging double 16 to break back and force a deciding leg.
Aspinall left himself on 54, but strayed into the single 11 rather than 14. This meant he only got one shot at tops to level the match, which he missed. Clemens then hit double ten with his last dart in hand to win the set 3-2 and the match 2-0, knocking Aspinall out of the first round of the Grand Prix for the first time in his career.
Joe Cullen came through a battle with former BoyleSports World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney. The Rockstar won 2-1 to move into round two.
The first set was routine for Cullen. After holding his throw, he broke in the second leg with a double eight shot. Gurney found his range in the next leg, but missed two at tops to keep the set alive. This allowed the Rockstar to once again hit double eight and win the set 3-0.
Superchin would not go down easily though. After getting his first leg on the board, he went 2-0 up in the second set thanks to a 73 outshot. Cullen would win two straight legs himself though, breaking back in the fourth with a double ten finish to force a deciding leg. There, he missed double 20 for the match, allowing Gurney to find his favourite double 16 and win the second set 3-2.
With the match level at 1-1, Gurney went ahead at the start of the third set for the first time in the match, hitting double 14 to break. Cullen would roar back though, hitting double six for a 12 dart break of his own to level at 1-1. After both players held their throw once more, the match went to a deciding leg. There, Cullen showed why it was important to win the bull, as he found tops to win the set 3-2 and the match 2-1. It’s the fourth loss in seven years for Superchin in round one of the Grand Prix.
Iceman remains cool in key moments
Gerwyn Price found a way to win and book his place in the second round of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix. He beat Jermaine Wattimena in straight sets.
Wattimena started the contest well. He broke Price’s throw in the first leg, before taking advantage of the Welshman’s inability to find a double to start the second. It took the Iceman ten attempts to get in, allowing Machine Gun to hit a 76 outshot and take a 2-0 lead. Price eventually got on the board in the next leg, before punishing two missed darts for the set from the Dutchman, hitting a magical 118 out to level. Wattimena then took seven darts to get into the deciding leg, allowing Price to cruise to a double five outshot and a one set lead.
The second set saw each player comfortably hold throw twice, which meant another deciding leg. Once again, Price remained calm and collected, hitting a 134 and 180 to eventually leave 34. He found double 12 to win the second set 3-2, winning a hard fought game in straight sets.
Chisnall and Whitlock produce stunning performances
Dave Chisnall produced one of the performances of the first round to thrash Glen Durrant on night two of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix.
In a repeat of last year’s semi final, Chisnall started brightly and did not look back throughout the contest. After holding his throw, he then produced an 11 dart break, hitting double 18 to go 2-0. Chizzy then missed four darts for the set in the next leg, leading Duzza to hit a 97 outshot and get the set back on throw. However, Chisnall put that behind him straight away, hitting double top for a 13 darter and the first set.
Chisnall continued his charge into the second round straight after the break, breaking the Durrant throw to lead 1-0. The Premier League league phase winner just could not get going and after holding his throw, last year’s runner up Chisnall went seven darts into a nine darter. He hit double five to whitewash the second set 3-0 and the match 2-0, averaging 102.9 in the process.
Simon Whitlock only arrived in Coventry yesterday, replacing Adrian Lewis who tested positive for COVID-19. However, he looked like he has been in the bubble for days, dispatching Chris Dobey 2-0.
The Wizard seemed to have cast a spell on the Ricoh Arena stage, producing an excellent performance. The first set saw Whitlock hold his throw, before breaking Dobey’s throw in the next leg by hitting double top. The Australian then wrapped up the opening set by hitting double six, winning it 3-0 in 45 darts.
Dobey got going in the first leg of the second set, producing an excellent scoring leg to hit double 18 and get on the board. That though would be the only leg he’d win, as Whitlock continued his brilliant scoring. He levelled the set at 1-1, before breaking Hollywood’s throw with a 11 darter on double 16. The Wizard then wrapped up the game on the same double in the next leg, winning the set 3-1 and the match 2-0.
Huybrechts, Clayton and De Zwaan complete round two line up
Kim Huybrechts won a hard fought game 2-1 against Brendan Dolan on night two of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix.
After sharing the opening two legs, a brilliant 105 checkout from Dolan saw him punish three missed darts at a double from Huybrechts to take a 2-1 lead in the opening set against the throw. He then won the set in the next leg with a fantastic 110 outshot to lead 1-0.
Huybrechts would not go down without a fight though. After immediately breaking in the opening leg of the second set, he eventually held his throw despite missing seven darts to win it more comfortably. Dolan then reeled off two straight legs himself, taking us to a final leg decider with a double 16 outshot. The History Maker threw first in the leg, but despite hitting a 134 to leave double 18, did not get a shot for the match. Huybrechts calmly found a 65 shot to level the match and go into a final set.
The first two legs of the third set were shared, before Huybrechts hit double 16 to go 2-1 ahead. A fantastic 180 from the Belgian then swung the fourth leg in his favour, and after Dolan missed bullseye for a 161 to take us into a decider, Huybrechts found double top to complete a fantastic comeback and move into the second round.
Jonny Clayton won 2-1 against Ian White to book his place in round two in Coventry.
In a topsy turvy match, both players broke each other’s throw in opening two legs of the first set, before Clayton hit a 152 and 171 en route to double 16 and a 2-1 lead. The Ferret then cleaned up the set by finding double eight to win 3-1 and go ahead.
After both players held throw in the opening two legs of the second set, it was White who would find a break this time in the next leg. Diamond started and ended the leg with tops to go 2-1 ahead, before he hit double 20 again to take the set 3-1 and level the match.
Clayton got the upper hand in the third set, punishing stray darts from White in the first leg to hold his throw. The Welshman then hit a brilliant 180, before checking out 90 on the bullseye to break the White throw and go 2-0 ahead. White then was given a reprieve in the third leg, as Clayton missed three for the match, before Diamond hit double ten to keep the match alive and break. However, he could not find it in the next leg to take us into a decider, leading to The Ferret hitting a brilliant 106 to win the match 2-1.
The final match on night two of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix saw Jeffrey De Zwaan beat Jamie Hughes 2-1.
Both players held their throw in the opening two legs of the match, before De Zwaan hit double 10 to go 2-1 up, after Hughes missed a chance to break. The Black Cobra showed him how to do it in the next leg, as he hit tops to break and take the opening set 3-1.
After two breaks of throw to start the second set, Hughes then held his throw by hitting double eight with De Zwaan on double 12 after a brilliant 130 set up. Yozza then scored excellently in the next leg, breaking the Dutchman’s throw again with a 13 darter to level the contest at one set all.
Heading into the decider, De Zwaan had the darts, and held throw to lead 1-0, but then came the turning point of the contest. Hughes hit 140 to leave 142, but the Black Cobra struck. He pinged a magnificent 136 shot to break the Yozza throw, letting out a massive celebration in the process. Hughes could have responded with a 101 checkout in the next leg, but missed double 16, allowing De Zwaan to hit a 72 outshot to win the set 3-0 and the match 2-1.
Night Two Results
First Round
Kim Huybrechts 2-1 Brendan Dolan
Jonny Clayton 2-1 Ian White
Dave Chisnall 2-0 Glen Durrant
Joe Cullen 2-1 Daryl Gurney
Ryan Joyce 2-0 Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price 2-0 Jermaine Wattimena
Gabriel Clemens 2-0 Nathan Aspinall
Simon Whitlock 2-0 Chris Dobey
Jeffrey De Zwaan 2-1 Jamie Hughes
Night Three Schedule of Play
Second Round (19.00 BST)
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Dirk Van Duijvenbode
Mervyn King v Simon Whitlock
Gary Anderson v Danny Noppert
Michael van Gerwen v Devon Petersen
Best of five sets
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