WADE HOLDS OFF KORTE AS SEEDED QUARTET PROGRESS

JAMES WADE edged into the second round of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship on Monday night, as Andy Hamilton, Mervyn King and Kevin Painter impressed in joining the world number three in the last 32 at Alexandra Palace.

Left-hander Wade, a second round loser in the World Championship to Mensur Suljovic a year ago, set up a clash with Jelle Klaasen on Friday night with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Finland^s Petri Korte.

Korte, the Finnish number one with a distinctive throwing style, came from 2-0 down to defeat Denmark^s Per Laursen in the preliminary round earlier on Monday night.

He looked set to be swept aside by Wade when the UK Open champion took six of the first seven legs to win the first two sets, but Korte secured the third 3-1 and led 2-0 in the fourth before missing two darts for the set to square the game.

Wade stepped in to hit double five and keep the set alive before winning the remaining two legs to seal his second round spot with a 115 finish.

"I^m very relieved to have closed the game out in the fourth set ," said the world number three. "I shouldn^t have let myself get into that situation but Petri took out some excellent checkouts.

"I^m still yet to find my feet in this tournament, but if I can a lot of people will be in trouble and I^d be a contender for the title."

Earlier in the night, Andy Hamilton missed double 18 for a nine-dart finish during his 3-2 triumph against Spain^s Antonio Alcinas as the pair battled out a classic.

Alcinas led by winning the first and third sets before Hamilton won six of the game^s final seven legs to progress.

"I^m happy to be through and I think it was one of the best games of the first round," said Hamilton. "Antonio played great and I^ve loads of respect for him because I didn^t think he^d hit me as hard as he did.

"To have hit a nine-darter would have been amazing but I^ve won and that^s all I^m worried about. I hit the treble 20 and treble 15 but panicked a bit on double 18 and had a rush of blood!"

Painter, meanwhile, followed up last weekend^s Cash Converters Players Championship triumph with a strong display to defeat Under-21 World Champion Arron Monk 3-1.

The 2004 finalist won the game^s first two sets before Monk hit back to take the third in a decider, but Painter hit a sixth 180 in the fourth set^s final leg as he took victory with a 96 average.

"I didn^t feel like I was firing on all cylinders tonight and I felt at times I was a bit sloppy at times but Arron came back at me well," said Painter.

"When I was 2-0 up I thought I had done the hard work but I got a bit of a sweat on in the last set and I wouldn^t have fancied a fifth set.

"Winning my first major last week has given me a lot of confidence. I knew I had my work cut out against Arron and it^s the sort of game I like, but I^m relieved to get through."

Mervyn King whitewashed Oceanic Masters winner Geoff Kime in the night^s other game with a strong start to his challenge in the event, and now meets the winner of Tuesday^s clash between Colin Osborne and Michael van Gerwen in round two.

Last year^s runner-up Gary Anderson returns to Alexandra Palace to play Germany^s Jyhan Artut, former World Matchplay winner Colin Lloyd faces top American Darin Young and Terry Jenkins faces the winner of the preliminary round game between Joe Cullen and Serbia^s Oliver Ferenc.

 

Ladbrokes World Darts Championship
Preliminary (P) and First Round
Monday December 19
Andy Hamilton 3-2 Antonio Alcinas
Per Laursen 3-4 Petri Korte (P)
Mervyn King 3-0 Geoff Kime
Kevin Painter 3-1 Arron Monk
James Wade 3-1 Petri Korte

 

Tuesday December 20 (7pm)
Colin Lloyd v Darin Young
Joe Cullen v Oliver Ferenc (P)
Colin Osborne v Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson v Jyhan Artut
Terry Jenkins v Cullen/Ferenc

 

ANDY HAMILTON 3-2 ANTONIO ALCINAS
(2-3, 3-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-0)
ANDY HAMILTON came from behind on two occasions to end the hopes of Spain^s Antonio Alcinas in a first round thriller at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.

Hamilton, who missed a dart at double 18 for a nine-dart finish in the third set, will now face Vincent van der Voort for a place in the last 16 on December 27.

Alcinas made a blistering start to win the first set and also edged the third to lead 2-1, but Hamilton took six of the game^s final seven legs in securing progression.

"I was disappointed to miss a dart at double 18 for the nine-darter, but the most important thing was to win the game, as there is so much pressure in these first round matches," said Hamilton.

"Antonio kept hitting the big scores throughout the game and I^m just happy to have made it through."

After his brave performance Alcinas said: "I^m delighted with my performance but the missed doubles in the final set really killed me."

Both players hit maximums in the opening leg before Hamilton took it with a 14-darter, finishing on double ten.

The Spanish ace, who lost to James Wade in last year^s competition, hit a 15-darter to win the second leg and bettered that in the third with a superb 12-dart finish.

The next saw Alcinas miss a dart at bullseye to take the set, and Hamilton landed a 125 checkout to break back.

The deciding leg proved to be a dramatic affair as Hamilton missed a dart at double ten for the set and Alcinas hit double 16 at the first time of asking to establish an early lead.

Alcinas hit back-to-back maximums in the first leg of set two and went on to win it in 11 darts before both player missed two chances to take the second.

Hamilton eventually took it by hitting double 16 and then secured a break of throw with an excellent 110 finish.

The Stoke player then hit double 18 in the fourth leg to level the match and then hit a two-dart 86 finish to make a positive start to the third set.

Hamilton hit consecutive 180s in the second leg to leave the chance of a nine-darter.

The Stoke star hit a seventh treble 20, followed by treble 15 in his bid to finish 141, but his attempt at double 18 to achieve the magical feat was just below the bed.

Hamilton hit double four to take the leg in 12 darts, but missed three chances to win the set in the next and Alcinas hit double ten to keep the set alive.

Alcinas hit the same bed to win the fourth leg and then claimed the set in the deciding leg with a superb 123 checkout, completed on the bullseye.

Hamilton won the first leg of the fourth set by hitting double top at the first attempt and then took the second on double ten after Alcinas missed a dart at double 19 for a 158 checkout.

The 32-year-old from Majorca hit an excellent 11-darter to win the third leg, but Hamilton landed double eight in the next to send the match into a final set.

The fifth set began with Hamilton taking the first leg on double ten after Alcinas had missed two chances at the same double.

Hamilton then secured a break of throw in next by landing double eight with his last dart to move closer to victory, and when the Spaniard missed five darts at a double in the next his opponent made him pay by stepping up to hit double 16 for the triumph.

 

PETRI KORTE 4-3 PER LAURSEN

PETRI KOTRE enjoyed a dream Alexandra Palace debut by coming from 2-0 down to defeat Per Laursen in a final-leg thriller at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.

The Finnish player^s reward is a clash against UK Open champion James Wade for a place in the last 32.

Laursen started the match superbly, hitting a 180 with his first three darts and finishing 137 for the opening leg.

The experienced Dane, who defeated John Part in last year^s competition, hit double 14 to lead 2-0 before Korte hit a 174 in the third and won it on double five to reduce the deficit.

Korte took the fourth leg to level the match after Laursen was off-target on double four, and the Finnish qualifier then hit double top to lead the match for the first time.

Laursen won the sixth leg against the darts by hitting tops, but Korte held his nerve to hit double 16 with his third dart and progress to play Wade.

 

MERVYN KING 3-0 GEOFF KIME

(3-0, 3-0, 3-0)
MERVYN KING reached the last 32 of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with a whitewash victory over Australia^s Geoff Kime.

King, who reached the semi-finals at Alexandra Palace in 2009, will now face either Colin Osborne or Michael van Gerwen in the second round after Christmas.

King started the match confidently with a 180 in the process of taking the first leg and doubled his lead by landing double 14.

King, who defeated Phil Taylor in the Cash Converters Players Championship a week ago before losing to eventual winner Kevin Painter, hit double eight in the third to claim the opening set comfortably.

King, seeded 12 for this year^s World Championship, hit double four to make a positive start to set two and then won the next leg with the aid of his third maximum.

Kime was struggling to find any rhythm on his big stage debut, and King won his sixth successive leg by hitting double top to establish a two-set lead.

Kime - who was born in Leeds before moving to Australia aged 12 - missed two darts at doubles to take his first leg of the match at the start of the third set, and King hit double eight to edge ahead.

King won the second before Kime hit a 180 in the third, but he missed three chances at doubles and his opponent hit double ten to end the game.

Oceanic Masters winner Kime admitted: "I^d practised well and felt good going onto stage but it took me too long to settle. It^s a great experience and I^d love to return here again the future."

 

KEVIN PAINTER 3-1 ARRON MONK

(3-1, 3-2, 2-3, 3-2)
KEVIN PAINTER began his bid for a second successive major title with a 3-1 defeat of promising youngster Arron Monk in the first round of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

Painter, who claimed his maiden major at the Cash Converters Players Championship in Doncaster a week ago, will now face Mark Walsh on Friday evening for a place in the last 16.

The 2004 finalist took a two-set lead before Monk won the third, but hit a sixth 180 of the game in edging a fourth-set decider to close out victory.

"My finishing was good again tonight and that was a major reason why I won in Doncaster last week," said Painter.

"Arron was really starting to find his range towards the end and I^m thankful that hit that double 16 to end the match because I was sweating there and didn^t fancy a fifth set."

Both players struggled to find the winning double in the opening leg of the match before Painter landed double eight to make Monk pay for five missed attempts, and he then took the second with a confident 13-darter.

Monk won the third leg by hitting double top at the first attempt, but the Basingstoke youngster missed a dart at the same bed in the next and Painter took the leg to claim an early advantage.

Under-21 World Champion Monk, who won the PDPA Qualifier to play in this year^s tournament, took the first leg of set two in impressive fashion by landing the bullseye for an 86 finish.

Painter won the second on double two after Monk was just off-target with another dart at the bull, and then won the next with a clinical 11-dart finish.

Monk hit double five to win the fourth leg, but Painter held throw in 14 darts to win the set and leave Monk a mountain to climb.

Monk won the first leg of the third set with a 70 finish before Painter held throw in the second with a 14-dart leg.

Monk took out an excellent 82 finish with his opponent waiting on a double to break throw in the third, but Painter won the fourth with a two-dart 64 to move one leg away from the match.

Monk held advantage of throw in the deciding leg, and the 21-year-old hit a 14-darter to reduce the deficit.

Painter opened an early advantage at the start of the fourth set by landing double top before Monk levelled by hitting double five with his third dart before Painter hit a 70 finish to move a leg away from the win for a second time.

Monk fought back superbly with a 12-dart leg to level the set, but his scoring deserted him at the start of the deciding leg, which saw Painter hit a timely maximum before finishing double 16 to progress.

 

JAMES WADE 3-1 PETRI KORTE

(3-0, 3-0, 1-3, 3-2)
JAMES WADE was made to sweat before overcoming the challenge of Petri Kotre with a four-set triumph in the first round the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.

Wade looked on course for a routine straight-sets victory when he took six of the first seven legs in the game to open up a 2-0 lead.

However, the Finnish qualifier won the third set 3-1 and hit two ton-plus finishes to lead in the fourth, but paid for two missed darts to level the match before Wade pounced with three straight legs to record the win.

"I^m very relieved to have closed the game out in the fourth set ," said the world number three. "I shouldn^t have let myself get into that situation but Petri took out some excellent checkouts.

"I^m still yet to find my feet in this tournament, but if I can a lot of people will be in trouble and I^d be a contender for the title."

The number three seed hit double top to win the first leg and then broke his opponent^s throw comfortably to take the second.

The first set was won in the third leg when the reigning UK Open champion took out 88, before Korte hit double 18 to win his first leg of the match at the start of the second.

Wade took the second leg before producing an eye-catching 95 finish on the bull to win the next after Korte had hit the first 180 of the game.

The Finnish player hit another maximum in the fourth leg but Wade took it with a 70 finish to double his lead.

Korte hit his third 180 of the match at the start of set three, and won the first leg against the darts by taking out 71 in two-darts.

Korte also took the second by converting a 76 finish before Wade took the third leg by hitting double ten.

The fourth leg saw Wade hit his first 180 of the contest, but a missed dart at double top proved costly as Korte stepped up to take out 94 in two darts to win the set in excellent fashion.

Korte continued his excellent form at the start of the fourth set to take the first two legs, with the aid of 112 and 106 checkouts.

Korte missed two darts at double 18 in the next leg to win the set, and Wade managed to hit double five to hit back.

Wade hit double top to win the fourth and then closed out the game in clinical style with a 115 checkout to set up a tasty second round game with Jelle Klaasen on Friday.