TAYLOR KEEPS DREAM ALIVE WITH EPIC WIN
SEVENTEENTH TITLE IN LEGEND’S SIGHTS AFTER BEATING ANDERSON TO SEAL SEMI SPOT
Phil Taylor kept alive his dream of a 17th and final World Championship success – after a thrilling 5-3 quarter-final victory over Gary Anderson last night.
The 57-year-old showed his class with 12 maximum 180s and an average of 102.
He stormed into a 4-1 lead, helped by six successive leg victories, and survived the loss of two sets to take the eighth 3-2 to confirm his semi-final date with surprise package Jamie Lewis.
Anderson wasted chances to put the pressure on Taylor, blowing 2-0 leads in the second and fourth sets.
An excellent 12-dart leg put Taylor 2-1 up in the eighth set, and he just missed double tops for a 129 checkout before Anderson forced a decider.
Taylor against missed double 20 to seal victory, but Anderson could not respond and Taylor duly wrapped up the win.
Taylor, who retires from top-level darts after this tournament, said: “It was a struggle my energy levels went towards the end, but I knew I just had to keep putting him under pressure.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world and I’m going to miss it after next week, but I’ve been around for 30 years now. I’m absolutely fine and I’m loving it.”
Tonight’s opponent for Taylor, Welsh preliminary round qualifier Lewis stormed into the semi-finals with a ruthless 5-0 whitewash of Darren Webster.
“I’m so chuffed to win that game,” he said.“I thought it was going to be a close game and go 5-4, 5-3 either way, but to come out and win that game 5-0, I’m just so chuffed.
“I came into this hoping to have a good run, but to make the semis is a dream come true. I still think there’s room for improvement, but I know if I get into the right flow I can play as good as anybody.”
In the other half of the draw, Michael van Gerwen will meet Rob Cross tonight after an epic 5-4 success against fellow Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld.
The top seed was in danger of crashing out after van Barneveld made it 4-4 to set up a decider. But Van Gerwen held his nerve to secure a close-fought victory, helped by breaking van Barneveld with a 96 checkout.
“At the beginning, Raymond was playing well and I was struggling a little bit,” van Gerwen told Sky Sports.
“I think everyone could only dream of a quarter-final like this because we both averaged a quite good standard.
“I’m really glad I was the winner. He played really good. I didn’t expect him to keep his motivation up so long. He normally shakes his head when he’s behind but he didn’t do that.
“That’s a positive thing for him but the negative thing is I’m through to the next round.”