It wasn’t to be for Dimitri van den Bergh.
The Unicorn youngster was beaten 16-9 in the Grand Slam quarter-finals by Mensur Suljovic on Friday night.
But it has still been an amazing week for the 24-year-old Belgian who showed yet again that he is going to have a big say in the world of darts for many years to come.
And of course he has that history making 9-darter in the bank, another quarter-final in a TV ‘Major’ and so much to look forward to.
It was a sprint for Gary Anderson as he reached the Grand Slam quarter-finals.
But Unicorn teammates Michael Smith and James Wade were beaten on Thursday. Smith lost a Grand Slam Classic to Michael van Gerwen, while Wade suffered a shock defeat at the hands of young German Michael Unterbuchner.
Anderson was irresistible in despatching Wesley Harms 10-2 and will play surprise package Unterbuchner.
A near 102 average, six 180s, some brilliant finishing with 63% on the doubles. In the second session of the match the Unicorn star won five straight legs without missing a double as he went from 3-2 to 8-2 in a matter of minutes.
“I got going once I got my pace going. There was some good stuff in there, but I will have to improve if I want to challenge for this title,” he said.
Gary raced into a 3-0 lead and was clinical, summed up by a 90 finish on the bull. Harms got two legs back, but only after Anderson had missed darts to win both of them.
What an incredible night for Team Unicorn ace Dimitri van den Bergh!
Through to the Grand Slam quarter-finals for the first time after hitting an incredible 9 dart leg in his 10-6 victory over Stephen Bunting.
A history making night for the young Belgian. Only the fourth 9 darter in Grand Slam history and a £25,000 bonus to go with it!
“I just can’t believe that happened!” he said. “It is amazing. My first ever 9-darter. I was shaking and it is difficult to take it all in.”
“But also to get through to the Grand Slam quarter-finals is a great achievement and I know that I am capable of being here at the weekend and challenging for the title.”
After the first eight legs were all won on throw, the Unicorn star struck first to break Bunting and then he opened up a two-leg advantage. It could have been better but for two missed darts at D18 for 7-4, but Van den Bergh showed a lot of composure.
His
Michael Smith made it three wins out of three to top his group at the Grand Slam.
But his reward is a last 16 showdown against World No.1 Michael van Gerwen!
The Team Unicorn star demolished Raymond van Barneveld 5-0 on Tuesday night with a 99 average, but because Van Gerwen only finished runner-up in Group A, the pair will go toe-to-toe on Thursday.
“I played well and Van Gerwen will bring the best out of me. I have the game to beat him, so let him worry about me. That never entered my mind against Barney. It was all about winning and what will be, will be,” Smith said.
But there was bitter disappointment for Keegan Brown and Ian White who both blew great opportunities to reach the knock-out stages in Wolverhampton.
It was a simple equation for the Unicorn duo - win and stay in, lose and go home.
Brown lost a thriller to Wesley Harms who will now face Gary Anderson in the last 16. Anderson made it three straight wins with a convincing
It’s been quite the year for Dane Vilas. Not content with a summer which included an unbeaten 235 against Somerset, he can now add Club Captain for two different sides to his already accomplished CV.
After a stellar 2018 County Championship season, in which he racked up three hundreds and 792 runs, the South African wicketkeeper-batsman has been named as Lancashire County Cricket Club’s captain after finishing as the team’s leading run-scorer.
The 33-year-old captained the side four times last year in the Championship and in his short tenure as a Lancashire player, having signed a Kolpak deal in 2017, has quickly become a fan-favourite.
Vilas said: “I’m
It came to down to one match….one all-Unicorn clash to decide who went through to the knock out stages at the Grand Slam.
And it was PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion Dimitri van den Bergh who won the day as he beat BDO star Mark McGeeney 5-1 to reach the last 16, where he will face a clash with Stephen Bunting on Wednesday night.
Dimitri was too good and drew on the pain of losing a 9-dart shoot-out at the Grand Slam two years ago as motivation on Monday night.
“It was a painful experience and I didn’t want to go through all that again - winning two group games and not qualifying,” he said.
“I am finding my form again at just the right time. I want to be here at the weekend and then it is the Players Championship, the chance to defend my World Youth title and the big one at the Ally Pally. I feel like I am ready!”
Van den Bergh averaged 99 to McGeeney’s 96, both hit two 180s but after the early exchanges
It was an amazing Gary Anderson who took centre stage in Wolverhampton on Sunday night.
Gary booked his place in the knock-out stages of the Grand Slam with a breath-taking display to win the all Unicorn affair 5-1 against Ian White.
Elsewhere on a dramatic second day, James Wade is also through to the last 16, Michael Smith is close to qualifying, while White, Keegan Brown, Mark McGeeney and Dimitri van den Bergh all face straight shoot-outs in their last group matches.....win and qualify, lose and go home!
But Anderson was the undoubted star of the show on Sunday.
His incredible average of 112.54 was the fourth highest in the history of the Grand Slam.
Gary smashed in SEVEN 180s in just six legs and hit 71% on the doubles to go through with a match to spare. That is against Steve Hine.....White faces a straight knock out situation with German Michael Unterbuchner in his last group game. But it was a dazzling destruction from ‘The Flying Scotsman’.
What a few weeks it’s been for Team Unicorn youngster Ted Evetts.
He has won the PDC Challenge Tour 20 event in Peterborough on Sunday, coming hot on the heels of victory on the Development Tour and qualification for the World Championship.
Evetts has a bright future for sure! He was a 5-4 winner over David Evans to take the title on the last Challenge Tour weekend of the year.
The win means that the Unicorn man finishes second on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit for 2018. Michael Barnard finished top of the pile but because both he and Evetts have both already qualified for the World Championship through the Pro Tour, the man who finishes third in the Challenge Tour table gets a spot at the Ally Pally.
And that man is New Zealander Cody Harris. He pipped Unicorn new boy Cameron Menzies at the post. Menzies finished fourth on that Challenge Tour Order of Merit. He was just £350 behind Harris. The Scot still has one more chance to earn a World
James Wade made it 11 consecutive TV wins as he started his bid for Grand Slam glory in some style.
On the opening day in Wolverhampton, there were also wins for fellow Unicorn stars Gary Anderson, Michael Smith, Keegan Brown, Ian White and Dimitri van den Bergh.
But Wade was supreme again....full of confidence and belief after those back-to-back triumphs at the European Champion and World Series Finals.
He brushed aside Dutchman Wesley Harms 5-0 with a 99 average. Wade hit four 180s in the opening three legs as he took control and never looked back. He is clearly in the mood for another big TV title.
Gary Anderson got off to a winning start despite being far from his best. He struggled early on against German Michael Unterbuchner after seeing several darts hit the floor. But the Scot found his range and from 1-2 down, he reeled off four straight legs including an 11 darter.
In the same Group D we saw a stand out performance from Ian White. A superb
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Team Unicorn star Michael Smith has signed a new contract with Unicorn Darts.
World no.9 'Bullyboy' has tied up his long-term future with the world's leading darts manufacturer after being crowned Premier League runner-up earlier this year.
Have a listen to Michael's thoughts on the new contract and his future goals in this Exclusive interview with Stuart Pyke.
