SUL’S GOLD
Mensur makes Match Play a Wright off for Pete
Shattered Peter Wright saw his dreams of World Matchplay glory ripped away by bogey-man Mensur Suljovic.
The Scotland World Cup star was left devastated after a below-par Blackpool show.
Wright was reduced to tears last year when demolished by Phil Taylor in the Final.
This time around, it was arch nemesis Suljovic who took apart his championship aspirations in the semi-finals.
For the sixth successive match, and the fourth time in 2018, Wright was floored by the Austrian as he lost 17-13.
The world No.2 had put his most recent losses to Suljovic down to his own form or ill health. But last night, it was just down to a missed opportunity.
Wright struggled at various stages throughout the game and had no complaints.
His start indicate what may lie in store as he managed to smash two stems in his first visit. There was wreckage scattered all over the rest of his evening. Despite that unfortunate opening when he cracked those two darts in his first three throws, the Scottish star edged to a 3-2 lead at the first interval.
But the tide began to turn against Wright in the second session of the match.
Despite firing a spectacular 136 finish, he was broken on three separate occasions to drop 6-4 behind.
Wright was on the ropes as the Austrian continued to keep pushing and the lead for the underdog was extended to 9-6.
The Tartan ace needed to conjure something special and roared back to level at 10-10.
But Wright fell apart at the vital time and dropped 14-10 behind. Despite managing to keep fighting until the end it was Suljovic who triumphed.