Round-up: Grand Slam of Darts
Phil Taylor is looking to win his third consecutive Grand Slam title
Also In The News
|
By Darren Estwick. |  |
Sunday, 15, Nov 2009 12:22
By Darren Plant.
Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld were among the winners on the opening night of the Grand Slam of Darts.
Taylor saw off Anastasia Dobromyslova 5-0, after Van Barneveld had beaten current women's world champion Francis Hoenselaar 5-1.
Taylor, looking to clinch his third consecutive Grand Slam crown, was a heavy favourite going into his match, and his performance justified that.
He raced into a 3-0 lead, but former women's world champion Dobromyslova missed one dart to reduce the deficit.
Taylor clinched that leg, and sealed victory with a 16 dart leg, but admitted afterwards he found it awkward to play the Russian.
Taylor said: "I thought it was difficult for both of us to play a proper game because we are good friends, but she played very well."
Dobromyslova added: "I didn't play too bad, but Phil was the better player and I got what I deserved."
The other match of the group saw Mark Webster edge out Vincent van Der Voort 5-3 in a high quality encounter.
The duo shared the opening six legs, before Webster won a nervy seventh leg with a 21 darter.
He won the match in impressive fashion with a 12 dart leg to post an average of a shade below 100.
Van Barneveld started his campaign with a 5-1 victory over Hoenselaar, despite a below par display.
The Dutchman won the opening three legs, before his Dutch compatriot pulled a leg back with a 20 dart leg.
However, Van Barneveld upped his game after the break and clinched the win with a 12 dart leg, taking out a 121 checkout.
A 100.74 average from Kevin Painter suggested Van Barneveld will not have the group all his own way, after the Englishman saw off John Part 5-3.
Painter posted six 180s and three 11 dart legs, as he responded from losing the game's opening leg to join Van Barneveld on two points.
Mervyn King had opened this year's tournament with a faultless display, beating Kirk Shepherd 5-0.
King averaged nearly 99, with checkouts of 100 and 106 the highlights of a 100 per cent record on his doubles.
ITV wildcard qualifier Steve Maish joined King at the top of the group with a 5-1 win over Darryl Fitton.
Fitton won the game's opening leg, before Maish strung together five consecutive legs to comfortably claim victory.
The opening games of Group B proved tight as Colin Osborne and Tony O'Shea earned 5-3 wins over their opponents.
Osborne came from 3-0 down to beat Colin Lloyd 5-3, while Grand Slam debutant O'Shea hit 4 180s to help him see off Brian Woods 5-3.