We are currently experiencing high order volume. We appreciate your patience and continued support | Free UK delivery over £60

Monthly Archives: July 2018

  1. Winter Gardens reflections

    Here Darts commentator Stuart Pyke takes his own look back at one of the best tournaments in the history of the prestigious World Matchplay

    And breathe!

    I write this piece sat with World Matchplay Champion Gary Anderson and another Team Unicorn star Michael Smith. We are at Manchester Airport ahead of a marathon journey for the latest adventure on the World Series of Darts.

    The journey with these two will be entertaining! The journey that Anderson made at Blackpool was nothing short of sensational.

    It is incredible to think he is now 47-years-old but he really does get better with age. Darts’ ‘Triple Crown’ is an exclusive club and not many will get to be members. The Scot joining Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor as the only players to win the World Championship, Premier League and World Matchplay.

    Year after year, Gary had fallen short at Blackpool. He desperately wanted to add the Matchplay crown to his haul of PDC ‘Major’

    Read more
  2. Amazing Anderson triumphs in Matchplay epic!

    Bottle, bravery, breathtakingly brilliant!

    Team Unicorn superstar Gary Anderson is the 2018 World Matchplay Champion after winning the greatest final in the 25-year history of the tournament as he saw off Mensur Suljovic 21-19 in an epic at the Winter Gardens.

    Four times Gary threw for the match and was pegged back before finally hitting one of the sweetest double 10s of his career in what was also the longest ever Blackpool final.

    It also completes the PDC Triple Crown for Anderson as he adds the Matchplay title to his World Championship and Premier League.

    Anderson pockets £115,000 plus the £45,000 for his historic 9 darter, but it is the trophy and the title that means more.

    “I am smiling now but what a match, what a struggle!” he said. “Mensur kept coming back at me time and time again. It was a case of hanging in there and taking my chances when they came along, but winning this title means so much to me.”

    Read more
  3. Anderson ends De Zwaan run to reach Matchplay final

    Gary Anderson has reached his first World Matchplay final in Blackpool with a sensational display on Saturday night.

    He won a thrilling all Unicorn semi-final 17-12 against an inspired Jeffrey de Zwaan but this time ‘The Black Cobra’ bit off more than he could chew.

    Anderson hit an incredible 16 x 180s and averaged a brilliant 106 and he will face Mensur Suljovic in the Winter Gardens final after the Austrian beat an out-of-sorts Peter Wright 17-13.

    “I had to play as well as that to beat Jeffrey,” the Scot said. “The kid is going to be a star long after I’ve stopped playing. His attitude is spot on and we will be hearing a lot more about him for sure!”

    “I won the important legs in the middle of the game and that was the difference. The longer games seem to be helping me. Hopefully one more big big push.”

    It was a cracking semi-final between the two Unicorn stars. De Zwaan was terrific again but

    Read more
  4. 9-dart Anderson wins thriller to set up De Zwaan showdown!

    It will go down as one of the best nights in the 25-year history of the World Matchplay.

    Gary Anderson hit an amazing 9-darter as he edged out Joe Cullen 19-17 in one of the best matches ever seen on the Winter Gardens stage.

    And Jeffrey de Zwaan has done it again! A magnificent display to beat Dave Chisnall 16-8. Real quality to set up an all Unicorn semi-final clash with Anderson.

    But the Scot raised the Winter Gardens roof with another televised 9 darter which earns him a £45,000 bonus!

    “Joe was terrific. He played superbly and pushed and pushed and punished me for missed doubles. The 9-darter was sweet because it felt like it was going to happen. In the end I needed a bit of luck and I will have to play a lot better if I want to win this tournament.”

    Cullen was crest-fallen, and you can’t blame him after playing the match of his life.

    “It is difficult to take. I gave it absolutely everything up there and it

    Read more
  5. Unicorn trio bow out in Blackpool

    James Wade, Kim Huybrechts and Ian White have missed out on a place in the World Matchplay quarter-finals.

    Wade lost to Simon Whitlock, Huybrechts was beaten by Peter Wright, while White went down to Mensur Suljovic.

    For Wade, it was just one of those days. Normally so reliable on the doubles, he suffered a nightmare hitting seven from 29 attempts and all those misses were crucial. In the end it was the difference between winning and losing.

    The stats don’t lie. Wade had at least one dart at double in the last 11 legs of the match.

    A slow start also proved costly for ‘The Machine’ as he slipped 3-0 behind. But a brilliant 149 check-out got him going and after Whitlock missed chances, it was 3-2.

    However, Wade’s double troubles were only just beginning. The Aussie stretched his lead to 6-3. The Unicorn man hung in there before missing doubles in three straight legs. There was no coming back though after he missed a great opportunity

    Read more
  6. Matchplay joy for Anderson, De Zwaan and Cullen

    It was a sensational night at the World Matchplay as the Team Unicorn trio of Gary Anderson, Joe Cullen and Jeffrey de Zwaan powered into the quarter-finals.

    But for Michael Smith, it is the Winter Gardens exit door as he lost a big lead and went down to Dave Chisnall.

    De Zwaan was nerveless as he edged out Adrian Lewis 11-9, while Cullen thrashed Daryl Gurney with a composed display.

    And it’s Cullen against Gary Anderson in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

    Anderson staged a magnificent fightback 104 to beat Raymond van Barneveld 11-9 with an average of 104 and a show of real quality.

    He was unlucky to be 4-1 down and 5-2 behind as he missed key doubles and Barney mopped with finishes of 130 and 122. Even at 7-4 down Anderson believed and he produced some magical ‘arrers with his new Unicorn darts, piling in the 140s and 180s as he won four legs on the spin to move in front for the first time

    It was Anderson at his irresistible

    Read more
  7. PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship expands for 2018

    The PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship is to expand to 96 players with a prize fund of £60,000 this year, providing greater opportunities for young players from across the globe.

    Team Unicorn’s Dimitri Van den Bergh will defend his title in November, having claimed the honour in 2017 by defeating Josh Payne in the final.

    In a move which mirrors the expansion of the William Hill World Darts Championship, an additional 32 places will be made available as the tournament grows to a new level.

    There will be up to 72 qualifiers from the PDC Unicorn Development Tour Order of Merit, alongside any age-qualified players inside the top 32 on the main PDC Order of Merit.

    They will be joined by 24 international qualifiers from across the world to compete in the early rounds on Monday November 5 at Wigan's Robin Park Tennis Centre.

    The first round will be a group stage featuring 32 groups of three players, with the group winners progressing to compete

    Read more
  8. Hero Huybrechts wins Matchplay epic!

    It’s taken seven long years but Kim Huybrechts has tasted victory at the World Matchplay....and what a win it was!

    After six successive 1st Round defeats, the Team Unicorn ace edged out John Henderson in a last leg shoot-out.

    James Wade was also involved in a thriller as he was forced to dig deep to beat Jermaine Wattimena in a tie-break 12-10.

    But for Jelle Klaasen a night to forget as he slumped to a heavy defeat against Peter Wright.

    But Huybrechts thriller took top billing on Monday night in Blackpool. The hot shot ‘Hurricane’ holding his nerve.

    “I can’t express how relieved I am,” he admitted. “I was cruising at the start then kind of got stuck. I don’t think doubts crept in but I was well aware of my record here. John played really well to come back but I always believed it was going to be my night and hopefully I can kick on and go on a big run here in Blackpool.”

    Kim banged in brilliant

    Read more
  9. Anderson survives tough test in Blackpool

    Gary Anderson justified his favourite tag on day two of the World Matchplay.

    He upped the ante beating Stephen Bunting 10-7 on Sunday night at the Winter Gardens.

    There were also key victories for fellow Unicorn stars Joe Cullen and Ian White, but Kyle Anderson bowed out.

    Gary stepped up when it mattered.

    “There was a bit of pressure up there with everyone making me favourite and I made a bit of a mess of things at the start, but pleased with the way I finished it off and happy to get through that 1st Round,” Gary said.

    He found himself trailing 4-2 and 5-3 after missing key doubles, but Anderson soon found his range and rhythm with some terrific power scoring as he went on a brilliant run to win six of the next seven legs.

    The Unicorn star flexed his muscles and Bunting just couldn’t respond. Gary hit five 180s and when it mattered at the business end, he also found crucial scores of 174 and then 177 to set up a crucial

    Read more
  10. De Zwaan downs Van Gerwen in Matchplay sensation

    It will rank as one of the biggest upsets in the 25-year history of the World Matchplay and it is Unicorn new boy Jeffrey de Zwaan who stunned World No.1 Michael van Gerwen on the opening night at the Winter Gardens.

    De Zwaan shocked Van Gerwen 10-6 with a classy, cultured and cool display. A sensational result and the second time he’s beaten the World No.1 in a TV ‘Major’ this year after his triumph at the UK Open.

    Make no mistake, this was thoroughly deserved as he forced Van Gerwen into a series of errors.

    De Zwaan, who now plays Adrian Lewis, couldn’t hide his delight at the biggest win of his career.

    “I always thought I could do it,” he said. “At five legs all, my belief grew, and he started to panic a bit I think.”

    “I kept cool and he started to feel pressure. It is an amazing feeling for sure!”

    The Unicorn starlet came from 0-2 down and kept pace with Van Gerwen. His finishing

    Read more
Page