Gerwyn Price (Picture: Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Darts results: Gerwyn Price produces sizzling comeback to defeat Joe Cullen and reach the World Grand Prix quarter-finals

By Sporting Life

Darts

Thu October 07, 2022 · 2y ago

Gerwyn Price underlined his status as Boylesports World Grand Prix favourite with a stunning comeback to defeat Joe Cullen and reach the quarter-finals in Leicester.

The 2020 champion, who was runner-up 12 months ago, took a scrappy opening set 3-1 but struggled to find his A-game as Rockstar reeled off six of the next seven legs to move into a 2-1 lead overall.

Price has a knack of producing his best darts when the pressure is on and it was no different at the Morningside Arena as he averaged 107 in taking the fourth set 3-0 to force what should have been a nerve-shredding decider.

But the Iceman was as cool as his nickname, averaging 112 and unleashing checkouts of 104, 134 and 88 in three more emphatic legs to storm into the last eight, where he'll meet debutant Madars Razma.

The showreel moment from Price, who averaged 92.95 compared to Cullen's 88.08 and threw three of the seven 180s, was undoubtedly the tops-tops finish to his 134 checkout that also followed a visit of 171.

As commentator Wayne Mardle described it, "dirty, dirty, dirty darts". It'll take something filthy to stop him lifting the title.

“I put myself under a lot of pressure, but when my back was up against the wall I produced my best darts,” reflected Price.

“I’m nowhere near my best. I was way off the pace early on, but I produce my best stuff under pressure, which is brilliant.”

Price’s reward is a quarter-final showdown against Madars Razma, after the Latvian dumped out 2017 champion Daryl Gurney to reach the last eight of a TV event for the first time in his career.

Razma - who defeated Ryan Searle on his double-start debut on Tuesday - averaged 92, landed five 180s and pinned 37% of his attempts at a finishing double to complete one of his best big stage performances.

Gurney kicked off proceedings with a classy 110 checkout, but a sequence of six straight legs from Razma saw him establish a two-set lead with a 96 average.

Gurney arrested his slide in set three to halve the deficit, but Razma regained control with back-to-back 14-darters, and a trademark 171 with three treble 19s catapulted him to victory inside 16 darts.

“I’m in the quarter-finals - it sounds so amazing. I am living my dream, and I believe I can go further,” said a buoyant Razma, who is on the cusp of breaking into the world’s top 32.

“I am so happy. I am improving step by step, and I feel like I can beat everybody here. My new goal is to be in the top 32 by the World Championship.”

Elsewhere, Nathan Aspinall staged a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to edge out UK Open champion Danny Noppert, surviving four match darts to secure a spot in his second World Grand Prix quarter-final.

Aspinall appeared to be staring down the barrel of a straight-sets defeat at one stage, but the tenacious Stockport star fought back bravely to preserve his hopes of a maiden double-start crown.

Noppert snatched a hard-fought opening stanza after Aspinall frittered away five set darts, and his frustration was compounded when the Dutchman doubled his advantage in a second set decider.

Aspinall closed out a scrappy third set to keep his hopes alive, and he then produced his best spell of the match to force a fifth and final set, taking out 104 and 100 finishes to maintain his revival.

Noppert looked to have stemmed the tide after storming 2-0 ahead in set five, but after squandering four match darts in leg three, his game unravelled in an action-packed conclusion.

The Dutchman took 13 darts to pin a starting double in an incredible final leg, and Aspinall took full advantage to hit tops and reach his second TV quarter-final of 2022.

“What a fantastic comeback. I’m absolutely buzzing,” declared Aspinall, who defeated fourth seed Michael Smith in round one.

“I’m a fighter. I enjoy these battles. That is what I’m about, and I’m very happy with that win.”

The two-time TV title winner will now play Martin Lukeman, who denied Ross Smith in another dramatic sudden-death leg to continue his dream debut in Leicester.

Smith crashed in ten 180s and forced a last-leg shoot-out after an extraordinary miscount from Lukeman in the penultimate leg, but the debutant recovered to secure a landmark win.

Smith converted 72 and 67 finishes in consecutive legs to snatch the opening set, but he was left to rue squandering four darts at double for a 2-0 cushion as Lukeman levelled.

The 37-year-old reeled off five consecutive legs to move 2-1 ahead but Smith responded strongly, following up a sensational 174 set-up shot by pinning double eight to preserve his hopes.

Smith appeared to have gifted Lukeman victory after squandering eight darts to force a decider, but a bizarre miscount from Lukeman on 45 prolonged the drama, only for the Watford thrower to sink tops to seal the deal.

“It’s the biggest payday of my career. I’ve put so much work in, and I’m so proud of myself," claimed Lukeman, who will feature in his first televised quarter-final on Friday.

“I’m in the quarter-finals of a major. It’s crazy. I’m just going to take it game by game. I know I can beat anyone on my day and I’m riding a wave at the moment.”

World Grand Prix: Daily schedule & results

Monday October 3 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
First Round (Best of three sets)

Callan Rydz 0-2 Krzysztof Ratajski
Brendan Dolan 0-2 Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey 2-0 Luke Humphries
Dimitri Van den Bergh 2-1 Dave Chisnall
Jonny Clayton 2-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Peter Wright 2-0 Kim Huybrechts
Michael van Gerwen 2-0 Gary Anderson
Jose de Sousa 0-2 Adrian Lewis

CLICK HERE FOR NIGHT ONE REVIEW

Tuesday October 4 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
First Round (Best of three sets)

Madars Razma 2-1 Ryan Searle
Ross Smith 2-1 Andrew Gilding
Danny Noppert 2-0 Gabriel Clemens
Joe Cullen 2-1 Damon Heta
Rob Cross 1-2 Daryl Gurney
James Wade 1-2 Martin Lukeman
Gerwyn Price 2-0 Martin Schindler
Michael Smith 1-2 Nathan Aspinall

CLICK HERE FOR NIGHT TWO REVIEW

Wednesday October 5 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Second Round (Best of five sets)

Adrian Lewis 2-3 Chris Dobey
Peter Wright 3-2 Krzysztof Ratajski
Michael van Gerwen 3-2 Stephen Bunting
Jonny Clayton 2-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh

CLICK HERE FOR NIGHT THREE REVIEW

Thursday October 6 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Second Round (Best of five sets)

Martin Lukeman 3-2 Ross Smith
Daryl Gurney 1-3 Madars Razma
Gerwyn Price 3-2 Joe Cullen
Nathan Aspinall 3-2 Danny Noppert

Friday October 7 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Quarter-Finals (Best of five sets)

Nathan Aspinall v Martin Lukeman
Gerwyn Price v Madars Razma
Peter Wright v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Michael van Gerwen v Chris Dobey

Saturday October 8 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Semi-Finals (Best of seven sets)

Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 2
Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 4

Sunday October 9 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Final (Best of nine sets)

Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2

Darts results: Gerwyn Price produces sizzling comeback to defeat Joe Cullen and reach the World Grand Prix quarter-finals

World Grand Prix: Daily schedule & results

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