Austrian Darts Championship | Determined MVG in last 16
Michael van Gerwen produced a statement of intent at the Austrian Darts Championship with a 103 average as he joined home favourites Mensur Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriguez in the last 16 in Vienna.
Van Gerwen won four of the opening five European Tour events in 2019, but has not taken victory since the Austrian Darts Open in May.
However, he was in dominant mood with a 103 average in a 6-2 win over Kyle Anderson, claiming the opening two legs to take command and three in a row to lead 5-1 before closing out victory.
"I think I played well overall," said Van Gerwen, a World Series winner in Melbourne and Hamilton over the past two weekends.
"I only had two bad legs but I won my game quite comfortably. I'll be back tomorrow and I hope I can do even more."
Van Gerwen will now face an all-Dutch third round tie with Jeffrey de Zwaan, who hit six doubles from 11 attempts in a clinical 6-4 win over Darren Webster.
Austrian number one Mensur Suljovic delighted his home crowd with a 6-2 defeat of Czech debutant Adam Gawlas to end the 17-year-old's hopes in Vienna.
Gawlas had impressed in a first round win over Ross Smith, and came from 3-0 down to trail just 3-2 before Suljovic pulled clear for victory, averaging 96 and hitting six doubles from ten attempts.
Suljovic is joined in the last 16 by former World Youth Championship finalist Rodriguez, who was a 6-4 winner against world number three Daryl Gurney on Saturday.
Rodriguez produced one of the performances of his career in a 6-4 victory, rising to the occasion in a high-quality contest which saw Gurney average 101 and land a ten-darter as he led 2-1 and 3-2, only for Rodriguez to claim four of the next five for victory.
"I'm absolutely delighted to be in the third round in front of my home crowd," said Rodriguez, who saw off Josh Payne in round one. "To win yesterday was great and this was even better.
"I knew that the crowd would be behind me if I played well and it helped me a lot. It's the one time a year they get to see me and I'm happy that I'll be back on stage on Sunday."
Rodriguez's younger brother Rusty-Jake lost out earlier in the day as he went down 6-1 to Ian White, who opened his bid to win a third European Tour event of the year in comfortable fashion.
Peter Wright held off a resilient fightback from Dimitri Van den Bergh to book his spot in the last 16 with a narrow 6-5 win over the Belgian.
Wright took an early 3-0 lead and held a 5-2 advantage before the World Youth Champion kept the tie alive with three straight legs, but a 13-darter in the decider secured victory for the Scot.
Joe Cullen set up a tasty third round tie with Wright, defeating Luke Humphries 6-2 to move into the last 16.
Cullen opened with a 12-darter but saw Humphries share the opening four legs, only for missed doubles from the youngster in the next two to allow the Yorkshireman to pull clear.
Cameron Menzies produced a memorable display to book his spot in the final day with a 6-2 defeat of World Championship finalist Michael Smith.
Menzies maintained the momentum from Friday's 6-1 win over Kevin Munch by taking out 148 for a 12-darter in leg one, and he led 2-0 and 4-1 before Smith took out 109 in reply, but two further legs sealed victory for the Scot.
"I think that's one of the best wins I've ever had," said Menzies. "I'm absolutely buzzing.
"Michael's one of the best players in the world at the moment and he didn't play anywhere near his standards, but I'm happy with that."
Adrian Lewis hit back from 2-0 and 4-3 down to defeat German youngster Christian Bunse 6-4 as he set up a third round tie with Menzies.
Bunse started strongly to take the opening two legs, before Lewis finished 105 and 78 to level.
Bunse also took two of the next three, but a 76 checkout saw Lewis square the game again before successive double top finishes sealed progression for the two-time World Champion.
Gerwyn Price hit back from 4-3 down to book his third round place in Vienna with a 6-4 defeat of Brendan Dolan, averaging over 99 and finishing six doubles from 11 attempts.
A tight opening saw the first six legs shared before Dolan finished 104 - with his opponent waiting on 40 - to move ahead in leg seven, but Price levelled and then broke throw by taking out 116 for a 12-darter before tops sealed the win.
Price now plays Vincent van der Voort, who came from 3-0 down to book his spot in Sunday's final stages with a rousing 6-4 defeat of Simon Whitlock.
Whitlock landed two 13-darters on his way to a 3-0 lead, only to see Van der Voort take four in a row, including a 161 checkout for a 12-darter, as he edged ahead.
The Australian finished 130 on the bull to level in leg eight, but the next two went to Van der Voort as the former Austrian Darts Open winner continued his bid for further European Tour glory.
Dave Chisnall began his challenge to follow up June's Danish Darts Open win with a second European Tour title of the year with a fine 6-2 win over Dietmar Burger.
The Austrian qualifier led 1-0 and 2-1, but Chisnall moved ahead for the first time by finishing 106 to break in leg five, and pulled clear to seal victory with six doubles from eight attempts and a 99 average.
Ricky Evans averaged 100 in a superb 6-1 defeat of former World Championship finalist Kirk Shepherd to open his challenge to reach a second European Tour final of the year.
The Kettering ace reeled off the opening four legs before Shepherd took out 110 in leg five, but Evans was not to be denied as he claimed the next two to seal a third round place against Chisnall.
James Wilson survived three missed match darts from Steve Beaton before securing his place in the last 16 against Suljovic with a narrow 6-5 triumph.
Beaton hit back from 3-2 down to lead 5-4, but missed two match darts in leg ten and a further dart for victory in a tense decider before Wilson landed double four to claim his second win in as many days.
Keegan Brown secured a place in the final day of a European Tour event for the fifth time in 2019 with a 6-4 win over UK Open champion Nathan Aspinall, averaging 99 in a fine display to create a clash with White.
Brown raced into leads of 3-1 and 5-2 before Aspinall finished 121 and then survived two missed match darts as he pulled back to 5-4, but the Stockport ace was unable to prevent his rival landing tops in leg ten to seal the win.
Mike De Decker set up a third round tie with Rodriguez by punishing Jonny Clayton's 19 missed doubles with a 6-3 victory over the former Austrian Darts Open winner.
Clayton led 2-1, but saw De Decker claim five of the next six legs to take victory, with the Belgian landing a huge 158 checkout in leg eight on his way to the last 16.
Sunday will see the £140,000 tournament conclude across two sessions, with the afternoon's third round being followed in the evening by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final at the Multiversum Schwechat.
The Austrian Darts Championship will be broadcast through PDCTV-HD at video.pdc.tv for all subscribers worldwide, as well as through a series of bookmakers' websites.
Schedule of Play
Friday August 30 First Round (Bets of 11 legs)
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
- William O'Connor 4-6 Brendan Dolan
- James Wilson 6-2 Gavin Carlin
- Adam Gawlas 6-5 Ross Smith
- Ted Evetts 3-6 Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
- Cameron Menzies 6-1 Kevin Munch
- Dietmar Burger 6-3 Cor Dekker
- Justin Pipe 4-6 Vincent van der Voort
- Jermaine Wattimena 5-6 Christian Bunse
Evening Session (1915 local time, 1815 BST)
- Alex Steinbauer 4-6 Kirk Shepherd
- Mark Webster 3-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Luke Humphries 6-5 Jamie Hughes
- Hannes Schnier 5-6 Keegan Brown
- Mike De Decker 6-5 Chris Dobey
- Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-5 Josh Payne
- Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-3 Christian Goedl
- Kyle Anderson 6-4 Stephen Bunting
Saturday August 31 Second Round (Bets of 11 legs)
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
- Steve Beaton 5-6 James Wilson
- Simon Whitlock 4-6 Van der Voort
- Gerwyn Price 6-4 Brendan Dolan
- Dave Chisnall 6-2 Burger
- Ricky Evans 6-1 Shepherd
- Michael Smith 2-6 Cameron Menzies
- Ian White 6-1 Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
- Adrian Lewis 6-4 Bunse
Evening Session (1915 local time, 1815 BST)
- Keegan Brown 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
- Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-4 Daryl Gurney
- Mike De Decker 6-3 Jonny Clayton
- Peter Wright 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Mensur Suljovic 6-2 Adam Gawlas
- Joe Cullen 6-2 Luke Humphries
- Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Kyle Anderson
- Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-4 Darren Webster
Sunday September 1
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round (Bets of 11 legs)
- Gerwyn Price v Vincent van der Voort
- Adrian Lewis v Cameron Menzies
- Mensur Suljovic v James Wilson
- Ian White v Keegan Brown
- Rowby-John Rodriguez v Mike De Decker
- Peter Wright v Joe Cullen
- Dave Chisnall v Ricky Evans
- Van Gerwen/Anderson v Webster/De Zwaan
Evening Session (1915 local time, 1815 BST)
Quarter-Finals (Bets of 11 legs)
Semi-Finals (Bets of 13 legs)
Final (Bets of 15 legs)
Sunday's games played in Draw Bracket order
Austrian Darts Championship Sky Bet odds
Where can I watch the Austrian Darts Championship on TV?
This event is not being screened live on TV in the UK but, along with all the other PDC European Tour events, you can watch the event unfold if you are a PDCTV-HD Subscriber. Head to the PDC website for more details.
Prize Fund
- Winner: £25,000
- Runner-up: £10,000
- Semi-Finalists: £6,500
- Quarter-Finalists: £5,000
- Last 16 losers: £3,000
- Last 32 losers: £2,000
- Last 48 losers: £1,000
- Total: £140,000
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