Debutant Dazzles As Daily Mirror Grand Slam Kicks Off
DAVE CHISNALL made a stunning debut in the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating Simon Whitlock 5-1 as the 2010 tournament began at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.
The Lakeside Championship runner-up punished a below-par display from his Australian opponent - who was the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship finalist in January and has surged to fourth in the PDC Order of Merit since.
Chisnall, though, showed no nerves on his Wolverhampton Civic debut, hitting four 180s in making a brilliant start to his challenge in the £400,000 event.
"I^m very pleased with that," said Chisnall. "The darts went great for me and it^s a fantastic start."
Chisnall will now take on Robert Thornton on Sunday night, with the winner of their clash putting one foot into the second round of the Grand Slam.
Scottish ace Thornton had opened the tournament with a 5-2 win over Colin Osborne, who now takes on Whitlock in a clash of the players who share the "Wizard" nickname.
James Wade, who won both the World Grand Prix and Championship League Darts titles last month, defeated Justin Pipe 5-2 in their opening contest, and now takes on Tony O^Shea on Sunday night.
"It^s hard to play Justin because of the pace of his play, but it^s a win for me and that^s all that matters," said Wade. "I got on and did my job but you^ll see a lot more from Justin."
O^Shea, a quarter-finalist last year in Wolverhampton, made a winning start with a clinical 5-1 win over Vincent van der Voort, averaging almost 103 in a fine display.
Mervyn King and Terry Jenkins made winning starts in Group C, with King overcoming Women^s World Champion Stacy Bromberg 5-1 and Jenkins defeating Scotland^s ITV Wildcard Qualifier John Henderson 5-2.
Scottish ace Gary Anderson, twice a semi-finalist in Wolverhampton, showed no mercy with a whitewash of ITV Wildcard Qualifier Mark Hylton to open Group B, while home favourite Wayne Jones overcame Mark Webster 5-2 thanks in part to finishes of 130 and 118.
Sunday sees Groups E-H open their challenges in the afternoon session, with reigning champion Phil Taylor kicking off against Michael van Gerwen and Ted Hankey facing Wes Newton in the other Group H game.
Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld meets Tricia Wright, while 2009 Grand Slam of Darts runner-up Scott Waites begins his challenge against another Dutchman, Co Stompe.
Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts
Saturday November 13
Groups A-D First Games
Robert Thornton 5-2 Colin Osborne
Mervyn King 5-1 Stacy Bromberg
Tony O^Shea 5-1 Vincent van der Voort
Gary Anderson 5-0 Mark Hylton
Dave Chisnall 5-1 Simon Whitlock
James Wade 5-2 Justin Pipe
Wayne Jones 5-2 Mark Webster
Terry Jenkins 5-2 John Henderson
Sunday November 14
Afternoon Session - 12.30pm-5pm
Groups E-H First Games
Co Stompe v Scott Waites
Colin Lloyd v Darryl Fitton
Paul Nicholson v Arron Monk
Wes Newton v Ted Hankey
Ronnie Baxter v Steve Beaton
Adrian Lewis v Martin Phillips
Raymond van Barneveld v Tricia Wright
Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
Evening Session - 6pm-10.30pm
Groups A-D Second Games
Vincent van der Voort
Mark Webster v Mark Hylton
John Henderson v Stacy Bromberg
Simon Whitlock v Colin Osborne
Robert Thornton v Dave Chisnall
James Wade v Tony O^Shea
Mervyn King v Terry Jenkins
Gary Anderson v Wayne Jones
ROBERT THORNTON 5-2 COLIN OSBORNE
ROBERT THORNTON made an ideal start to the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-2 win over Colin Osborne in the tournament^s opening match.
The Scot produced some superb finishing to see off the 2009 UK Open finalist, putting himself in a good position within Group A.
Thornton hit double top at the first time of asking in the opening leg, and hit a 180 in the second before punishing a miss at double 16 from Osborne to break throw on double eight for a 2-0 lead.
Osborne broke back with a 68 finish, but two misses to level in the next allowed Thornton to follow up another 180 with a second break of throw for a 3-1 lead.
He returned from the break to take the fifth and move a leg away from the win, which Osborne delayed with an 80 checkout in the next only for a third 180 of the game from Thornton to be followed by a superb bullseye finish for 126 checkout as he sealed the win.
"I^m really pleased with that," said Thornton. "I nicked the first few legs but took my chances when I got them.
"I^ve been working hard on my finishing - my wife has been shouting out scores for me to finish whilst practising at home and it^s obviously working!"
Osborne admitted: "Robert played well. He dug in and won the scrappy legs and it was one of those nights for me, but there^s no excuses and I^ve got it all to do now."
MERVYN KING 5-1 STACY BROMBERG
MERVYN KING showed PDC Unicorn Women^s World Champion Stacy Bromberg no mercy with a 5-1 victory in their opener at the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts.
King took the opening three legs without allowing the American ace a dart at a double, and sealed victory to make an ideal opening to Group C, which also features Terry Jenkins and John Henderson.
Double 16 gave King the first leg before a 74 finish doubled his advantage, before he hit a 180 and double four for a 3-0 lead.
King landed a second maximum in the fourth leg, but missed doubles gave Bromberg a glimpse of a finish, and she took out 96 on double eight to get on the scoreboard.
Double two gave King a 4-1 cushion, and he hit the same bed to secure the win after missing the bull for a 170 checkout.
"I^m pleased to get a victory but I know I can play better," said King. "I was a bit nervous going up there because I know how well Stacy can play and she didn^t quite produce that but she^s got another two games."
Bromberg said: "It was pretty warm up there and I took time to get used to it but it^s the first of three games and I^ll improve."
TONY O^SHEA 5-1 VINCENT VAN DER VOORT
TONY O^SHEA made a winning return to the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, producing a superb performance to defeat Vincent van der Voort 5-1.
O^Shea was a quarter-finalist on his Grand Slam debut last year, and impressed in his opening Group D clash with the Dutchman, averaging almost 103 and finishing five from seven attempts at a double.
Van der Voort also performed strongly, but paid for missed doubles in falling to defeat, hitting only one from nine chances in the contest.
Three of those came in the opening leg, with a missed bull for a 125 finish followed by two misses at double eight as O^Shea took out 80 in two darts to break.
Van der Voort hit back to hit double eight for the second leg, but O^Shea landed a 177 score to set up a 32 in breaking for a second time for a 2-1 lead.
That was extended to 3-1 with a 76 finish in the fourth, after van der Voort hit a maximum and reached a finish in ten darts but missed double 16 and double 8.
A missed double top allowed O^Shea in on double five for a 4-1 lead after the break, and the Stockport ace then took out 102 on tops to seal the win.
GARY ANDERSON 5-0 MARK HYLTON
GARY ANDERSON handed debutant Mark Hylton a lesson on the big stage with a whitewash victory to open his challenge at the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts.
Hylton won his spot in the tournament at the ITV Wildcard Qualifier in Barnsley last weekend, earning him only a second televised appearance after competing in the 2007 UK Open.
And Scottish star Anderson, a semi-finalist in 2007 and 2008 in Wolverhampton, showed no mercy to deny the Rugeley left-hander a dart at a double in a clinical display.
Anderson hit a 180 in the opening leg, which he won on double five, before landing a second maximum and a 96 finish in doubling his lead.
Hylton had a chance in the third on 121, but after landing the treble 20 he missed the single 11 to leave bullseye, with Anderson returning to post double 12 for a 3-0 break.
Anderson opened the fourth with scores of 180 and 140 before checking out with Hylton waiting on 24, before double top secured a comprehensive win at an average of almost 99.
DAVE CHISNALL 5-1 SIMON WHITLOCK
DAVE CHISNALL made a stunning debut in the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating Simon Whitlock 5-1 with a fine performance.
The Lakeside Championship runner-up punished a below-par display from his Australian opponent - who was the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship finalist in January and has surged to fourth in the PDC Order of Merit since.
Chisnall, though, showed no nerves on his Wolverhampton Civic debut, hitting four 180s in making a brilliant start to his challenge in the £400,000 event.
He hit double top to win a nerve-settling opening leg and landed a 180 and double two to move 2-0 up against the Australian.
Chisnall also landed a maximum in the third, but double eight saw Whitlock get himself off the mark.
The St Helens man responded in style to take the fourth, with scores of 180, 140 and 165 setting up a 12-darter to lead 3-1.
Whitlock missed two darts at double ten in the next as Chisnall took out 99 to move a leg away from the win, and although nerves too over as he missed five match darts, two more misses from the Australian allowed him back to post double one for victory.
"I^m very pleased with that," said Chisnall. "The darts went great for me and it^s a fantastic start."
Whitlock conceded: "I didn^t feel right up on stage and was a bit nervous, but Dave played well. I had chances to get back into it and didn^t take them, but he deserves credit."
JAMES WADE 5-2 JUSTIN PIPE
JAMES WADE made a confident start to his challenge in the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating ITV Wildcard Qualifier Justin Pipe 5-2 in their opening Group D game.
Wade, who won both the Bodog.com World Grand Prix and Championship League Darts last month, was in clinical mood as he saw off Pipe, hitting five doubles from just seven attempts in the contest.
Wade made a confident start by landing double top at the first time of asking in the first leg, with Pipe waiting on 32 without having a dart to take the leg.
He did get off the mark in the second, putting aside early nerves on double one, only to see Wade hold on his trusted tops in the third.
Wade missed double top to steal the fourth, with Pipe returning to finish double 18, but after the left-hander finished 110 to lead 3-2 he then broke in leg six on tops - after a missed bull from the Taunton qualifier - for a two-leg cushion.
Pipe began the next with a 180, but a miss at double ten for a 140 finish allowed Wade back in, and double ten sealed his win.
"It^s hard to play Justin because of the pace of his play, but it^s a win for me and that^s all that matters," said Wade. "I got on and did my job but you^ll see a lot more from Justin.
"He^s still inexperienced at this level on TV but he^s a phenomenal talent in practice and it^s only a matter of time before he breaks through."
Pipe admitted: "I was nervous and I^m very disappointed with my performance. I practised well but didn^t take it onto the stage and I^ve got to learn to do that in the next two games."
WAYNE JONES 5-2 MARK WEBSTER
HOME favourite Wayne Jones enjoyed a winning return to the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-2 defeat of Mark Webster in their Group B opener.
Jones had been a group stage loser in the 2007 Grand Slam of Darts on Wolverhampton soil, but celebrated his return to the event in style by coming from 2-1 down to win four successive legs.
Webster made a confident start with a 13-darter to win the opening leg on double top, but both players suffered with double trouble in the second, with Jones missing 11 darts at a double and the Welshman wasting seven chances to break before double two levelled.
Webster hit tops again in the third, but Jones landed a 177 to leave 24 in the fourth as he squared the game before taking out 130 on the bull to break for the first time.
Double 18 put him 4-2 up, and Jones sealed victory in style with a 118 checkout.
"Winning the second leg probably won me the match because if Mark had gone 2-0 up he^d probably have raced away from me," said Jones. "It was a scrappy game at times but I got the win.
"I^m pretty pleased to get the win because I felt a lot of pressure going back out in front of the Wolverhampton crowd but I^m happy to give them something to cheer!"
TERRY JENKINS 5-2 JOHN HENDERSON
TERRY JENKINS denied ITV Wildcard Qualifier John Henderson a winning debut in the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-2 victory in their Group C opener.
Jenkins, the 2008 runner-up, showed some strong form to see off the debutant, setting up a mouth-watering clash with Mervyn King in Sunday night^s second games.
After trading the first two legs with Henderson, Jenkins took on 102 for the third leg, double six to break in the fourth and tops for a 13-darter as he led 4-1.
Henderson replied with a superb 12-darter, which featured his second maximum of the game and a 91 finish as he cut the gap.
Jenkins, however, hit back with a second 180 of his own in leg seven, and took out double ten to seal victory.