Chris Dobey celebrates beating Gary Anderson (Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC)
Chris Dobey celebrates beating Gary Anderson (Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC)

Darts results: Gary Anderson crashes out to Chris Dobey as Michael van Gerwen storms into World Matchplay quarter-finals


A review of Tuesday's action at the World Grand Prix as Chris Dobey stunned Gary Anderson while Michael van Gerwen turned on the style to reach the quarter-finals.

Chris Dobey came from a set down against Gary Anderson to claim one of the biggest victories of his career at the Boylesports World Grand Prix.

'Hollywood', who is making his debut at the unique double-start major in Dublin, was beaten by his great mentor in an epic World Championship fourth-round clash last December but he turned the tables in their first meeting since then to book his place in the quarter-finals.

It's only the third time that the 29-year-old from Northumberland has reached this stage of a televised tournament having also done so at the 2016 Grand Slam of Darts and 2018 Players Championship Finals but on this evidence he'll fancy his chances of going at least one more step further.

Anderson, meanwhile, sees his attempts to add this illusive major to his glittering CV end for another year and he'll be the first to admit he's still not at the standard he was pre-back surgery.

The Flying Scotsman, who's primary target before the World Championship will be a first Grand Slam of Darts title, took the opening set despite Dobey's stunning 134 checkout but blew a 2-1 lead in the second before his opponent raced away with the next two for the loss of just one leg.

Interestingly, his next opponent is Ian White who, at 20 years his senior, has also never gone beyond the last eight of a televised major despite his unquestionable ability.

But Diamond's career could well be about to ascend to where the world of darts fans believe it should do after producing a nerveless display against one of the game's brightest talents, Michael Smith.

White, who has won two European Tour titles during a superb season including one against MVG in the Netherlands, showed fighting spirit after losing the opening five legs to beat Joe Cullen on Sunday and this latest comeback will give his confidence a real shot in the arm.

Bully Boy, a runner-up in four tournaments in 2019 since being World Championship runner-up at the start of the season, took the opening set in a deciding leg only for White to reel off the next six on the trot to move 2-1 up overall.

That became seven at the start of the fourth set and although Smith got his act together to take two of the next three to force a fifth leg, he failed to land a starting double with his opening two visits as he gifted White a place in the last eight.

Michael van Gerwen laid down a serious marker in his quest to win a fifth World Grand Prix title by thrashing Jeffrey de Zwaan 3-0 in double quick time for the loss of just two legs.

The defending champion has never retained the unique double-start Dublin major since lifting the trophy for the first time in 2012 but he'll take some stopping now after surging into the quarter-finals.

Many pundits and fans were expecting a close encounter between the world number one and the man who knocked him out of both last season's UK Open and World Matchplay. Instead, MVG many a mockery of those predictions.

Van Gerwen flew out of the blocks in emphatic fashion as he wrapped up the first set 3-0 in four minutes with the help of two 12-darters, a 134 finish and a stunning average of 107.36, leaving de Zwaan shellshocked.

His average dropped slightly to 103.39 by the end of the second set that he won 3-1 after the Black Cobra finally getting a leg on the board with a 120 checkout but then it 'collapsed' below three figures due to taking 11 darts to hit a starting double at the start of the third. The Dutchman still bounced back to win the set 3-1 and end with an average of 94.79.

Despite winning 10 titles this season including the Masters, Premier League and the World Series events in Melbourne and New Zealand, van Gerwen's dominance had been questioned to the point that he headed to Dublin as big as 6/4 in places, but now he's an odds-on favourite.

Standing next in his way is Mervyn King, who he beat in the 2012 final, after the veteran Norfolk thrower rolled back the years with a 3-1 victory over James Wade to book his place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2014

The 53-year-old, who edged out rising star Dimitri van den Bergh in a Sunday night thriller, upset the odds for the second match running at the Citywest Convention Centre to end the Machine's hopes of winning this unique double-start major for a third time.

Although reigning European and World Series Finals champion Wade was a strong favourite having enjoyed a superb season in which he's bagged five titles, King's triumph shouldn't come as too much as a surprise considering he's knocked both MVG and Gary Anderson out of the televised UK Open and World Matchplay respectively this year.

King, the 2012 runner-up here, was in sparkling form on the scoring front with seven 180s but was let off the hook for 24 missed finishing doubles by a lacklustre Wade who struggled to find his rhythm.

The 2007 and 2010 winner began well enough when taking the opening set 3-1 and was 1-0 up in the second before King produced a stunning 109 finish after back-to-back 180s to start turning the tide.

The Norfolk man then punished Wade's five missed set darts in a deciding leg to level the match at 1-1 before a stunning 10-darter at the start of the third kick started a run of six legs from the next seven to advance to the last eight.

The second round concludes on Wednesday night with the likes of Rob Cross, Peter Wright and Dave Chisnall in action.

World Grand Prix: Tuesday results & Wednesday schedule

Tuesday October 8 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Second Round (Best of five sets)

  • Mervyn King 3-1 James Wade (2-3, 3-2, 3-1, 3-0)
  • Ian White 3-1 Michael Smith (2-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-2)
  • Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Jeffrey De Zwaan (3-0, 3-1, 3-1)
  • Gary Anderson 1-3 Chris Dobey (3-2, 2-3, 0-3, 1-3)

Wednesday October 9 (7pm)
Second Round (Best of five sets)

  • Danny Noppert v Nathan Aspinall
  • Dave Chisnall v Stephen Bunting
  • Rob Cross v Glen Durrant
  • Peter Wright v Jermaine Wattimena

Click here for full World Grand Prix draw, schedule & TV guide

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