World Grand Prix of Darts 2017: Raymond van Barneveld Reaches Quarter-Final
Raymond van Barneveld and John Henderson will meet in the quarter-final after each winning second-round matches in the 2017 World Grand Prix of Darts at Dublin's Citywest Hotel on Tuesday.
Barney beat Steve Beaton in straight sets, while Henderson, conqueror of Michael van Gerwen in the opening round, finished off Alan Norris to reach the last eight.
Daryl Gurney and Robert Thornton also made it through to the quarter-finals after beating Joe Cullen and Dave Chisnall, respectively.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Here's a look at the night's results, along with the remainder of the second round matches still to be played on Wednesday, per PDC Darts:
Beaton missed two darts at double-16 to cost him what would have been a two-leg lead in the opening set. It was a set Barney went on to take 3-1.
Yet, it was the 50-year-old Dutchman who gifted a leg to Beaton at the start of the second. Van Barneveld was struggling to find his range at doubles but still managed to even things at a leg apiece.
The two former world champions were sluggish during most of the second set. Barney looked rattled by the four missed darts that had gifted the opening leg to Beaton.
Van Barneveld was 2-1 down in the set when he hit a crucial 16 finish to even things up. Beaton then couldn't complete a 50 finish, allowing Barney to pin double-18 and win a second set in a row.
A double-16 put Van Barneveld a leg up in the third, before landing tops to go two up. Misses on double-14 and double-seven kept Beaton in it, though, and he closed the gap.
However, Barney soon pinned tops again to seal his place in the quarters.
Earlier, Gurney was quick out of the blocks in winning the first set against a bewildered Cullen. However, the latter fought back and took the third set in style, winning 3-0.
The fourth set also saw Cullen start well, but an impressive checkout put Super Chin back on terms, per PDC Darts:
Gurney is the home favourite and was well worth his win thanks to some prolific scoring on doubles, per Live Darts:
By contrast, Henderson started slowly and dropped the first set. However, the Highlander made amends brilliantly in the second winning four legs in a row to even things against Norris.
There was a moment of fortune when Henderson missed two darts at double-14, giving Chuck a chance at tops to stay in the set. It was a chance the latter couldn't take, though, leaving Henderson to finish the job.
The next set saw some spectacular darts from the Highlander. He hit treble-20, 14 and landed bull to go 2-0 up. Yet Norris answered by breaking throw to hit tops and make it 2-1 in the third.
It was soon 2-2, but Henderson played out a superb leg on throw to eventually hit double-12 and take the set.
The duo traded 160s to start the fourth set. Scoring slowed a little afterwards, but double-10 gave Henderson the leg. He started the next with a 180, as his confidence visibly grew, before another double-10 made it 2-0.
Another maximum put Henderson in position for a shutout in the set. He pinned tops to complete the whitewash and reach the quarter-finals.
Henderson earned more plaudits for seeing off Van Gerwen, but he was actually more consistent and efficient at the oche against Norris. The Highlander's scoring was particularly eye-catching:
Tonight's session began with Thornton seeing off Chisnall. Chizzy couldn't take advantage of a 2-1 lead and wasted five match darts to allow Thornton back in. The Thorn seized his second chance and wired tops to go through.
Thornton expressed his relief at surviving after his tough start:
It's likely to be tougher still for Thornton against in-form Gurney. Meanwhile, Barney against the Henderson, the story of the tournament so far, will be the highlight of the last-eight draw.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
