A review of Sunday's semi-finals at the Boylesports World Grand Prix as Gerwyn Price won a thriller to set up a clash with aubergine farmer Dirk van Duijvenbode.
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Only in darts could an aubergine farmer make history.
Dirk van Duijvenbode headed to Coventry for his first ever World Grand Prix - where experience of the double-start format is usually paramount for success - as a 200/1 outsider to win his first PDC title of any kind, let alone one of the biggest TV majors in the sport.
But having upset the odds to beat three-time semi-finalist Mensur Suljovic, World Matchplay champion Dimitri Van den Bergh, legendary Gary Anderson and now Simon Whitlock, the world number 73 now finds himself in a potentially career-changing final at the Ricoh Arena on Monday night.
Van Duijvenbode, who had never previously gone beyond the last 32 of any of his few major appearances, coped with the pressure of playing in unchartered territory and powered to a brilliant 4-1 victory with an average of 88 while his opponent lacked the same ruthlessness that he displayed when brutally assassinating a fly on Thursday and then when thrashing five-time champion Michael van Gerwen 48 hours later.
The world number 73 has now guaranteed himself a bumper pay day of at least £45,000 but if he continues to play this well as an underdog, then he'll fancy his chances of toppling world number three Gerwyn Price and scoop the top prize of £100,000.
Nevertheless, van Duijvenbode's boss can still expect to see him back on the farm on Tuesday regardless of the result.
The 28-year-old Dutchman, who will now rise to at least 54 on the Order of Merit, told www.pdc.tv: "I was supposed to be working again on Monday, so I'll have to call my boss. I'll still have to work on Tuesday but I enjoy working.
"He said to me after I beat Gary Anderson that he was in tears. It feels so awesome if people enjoy it so much when I win."
Van Duijvenbode will also qualify for next month's BoyleSports Grand Slam of Darts after reaching the final, and added: "It's a massive achievement to be in the Grand Slam because it means you've been in a final.
"I've only been in the qualifiers before so I'm delighted I don't have to play them now."
As far as the match was concerned, van Duijvenbode took the opener 3-0 before the 2017 runner-up responded by winning the second 3-1.
Aubergenius dropped just one leg over the next two sets before racing through the fifth set 3-0, finishing the job with a 12-darter.
"It feels so good to be in the final," said Van Duijvenbode, who hit 13 of his 33 finishing doubles as Whitlock, who averaged 79.48, spurned 13 of his 17. "I'm so happy that I'm finally playing my game on stage. Both of us thought it was an opportunity to go through to the final and I took the opportunity.
"I wasn't at my best but maybe Simon was scared and he was trying to get me out of my game. I've got a good record against him but he's played the best game of everyone in this event and beat the number one in the world.
"I don't think I should have lost the second set, but I was happy to win at the end. I thought I would be more nervous than I was. I've always said that I'm not thinking about winning the tournament, but if I win my next game then I will do."
He is 3/1 to win Monday night's final against Price, who survived three match darts in a thrilling semi-final against Dave Chisnall.
The two-time Grand Slam of Darts champion is chasing his second TV title in a matter of weeks having won the World Series of Darts last month and it looked well on course for his first World Grand Prix final when opening up a commanding 3-1 set lead.
But Chizzy, who had still been playing well up to this point having won the second set 3-0 and also weighed in with checkouts of 130, 122 and 113, produced a tremendous comeback by taking the next two 3-1 to force a decider.
Price looked to have regained the upper end with a stunning finish from 130 to break back at 1-1 before moving one leg away with a 15-darter.
The 2013 and 2019 runner-up held his nerve on double two when Price waited on 66 as a pulsating clash went the full distance, and it looked like victory was his when a visit of 138 left him 68 compared to his opponent's 269.
However, after the Iceman applied a degree of pressure by leaving 142, Chisnall spurned his first match dart at double 18 and then missed a further two at two nines on his next visit as Price made him pay in agonising fashion.
"I thought I was out," admitted Price, who managed three 100+ checkouts in the match including a crucial one of 104 in set three. "I thought I'd bombed the opportunity, and you could see by my reaction at the end that I was relieved.
"I knew Dave was playing well and having a bit of luck because I was struggling to start in the last few sets. I put myself under a lot of pressure and gifted him two sets.
"I thought I played well to put myself 3-1 up but Dave was playing well and hit some big checkouts, and I was thinking that it wasn't going to be my night.
"I should be experienced enough to deal with that and get the job done, but I stuck in there until the end and had a little bit of luck in the last leg, so I'm over the moon."
Price, who is 1/4 favourite to win what would be his fourth PDC title in five events, said: "It's his first final and I think he's going to be under a lot more pressure than I am. I think I can go on and win it but I've got to work hard, hit my doubles and produce my scoring.
"Hopefully I can be a little bit better tomorrow and pick up that trophy."
Defeat will be galling for Chisnall, who is still seeking his first televised title. If Chizzy had managed to convert his match darts against Price, he'd have reached his sixth major PDC final - but this would have been his first as favourite having lost all his others against either Phil Taylor or Michael van Gerwen.
World Grand Prix: Sunday results and Monday schedule
Sunday October 11 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Semi-Finals (Best of seven sets)
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-1 Simon Whitlock (3-0, 1-3, 3-0, 3-1, 3-0)
- Gerwyn Price 4-3 Dave Chisnall (3-2, 0-3, 3-2, 3-2, 1-3, 1-3, 3-2)
Monday October 12 (8pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Final (Best of nine sets)
- Dirk Van Duijvenbode (3/1) v Gerwyn Price (1/4)
Click here for full 2020 World Grand Prix draw and schedule
Related links
- 2020 World Grand Prix draw and schedule
- 2020 Premier League fixtures & results
- 2020 PDC event calendar & results
- 2020 World Darts Championship results
- 2019 PDC event results
- Sky Bet's darts odds
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