Michael van Gerwen was defeated by John Henderson (Pic: Lawrence Lustig)

World Grand Prix darts: Michael van Gerwen crashes out against John Henderson in Dublin

Darts

Mon October 02, 2017 · 7y ago

Michael van Gerwen crashed out of the World Grand Prix as John Henderson claimed a shock 2-1 victory to blow the double-start tournament wide open. We have a full round-up of Sunday's action as well as match-by-match statistics and updated Sky Bet odds.

The world number one was Sky Bet's odds-on favourite at 5/6 to lift the trophy for a fourth time in six years - and 1/20 to beat the big Scotsman - but he suffered one of the biggest upsets in darts history on the opening night at the Citywest Hotel Convention Centre.

Henderson, ranked number 32 in the world, headed to Dublin as a 500/1 no-hoper for glory (now 80/1) given he was handed the toughest first-round draw possible and was still rated the outsider against MVG even when he took the deciding leg of the first set.

Defending champion van Gerwen came back out after the interval to take the second set 3-0 in double quick time and it looked as though a needless scare would be avoided against a man he'd beaten in all their previous eight encounters.

However, the Dutchman's troubles returned in the final set as twice Henderson punished him for missed darts at doubles to lead 1-0 and 2-1 and although he forced a decider, MVG uncharacteristically struggled to find the trebles as his opponent won the match with a 17-darter.

This shock exit continues a shocking run of form for MVG at recent televised majors, having been thumped 16-6 by Phil Taylor during the summer's World Matchplay before failing to negotiate the group stages at the Champions League of Darts last month.

The rest of the field will now sense a real opportunity to win an event which is also missing world number two Gary Anderson, who withdrew on Sunday due to the impending birth of his next child, while 11-time World Grand Prix champion Taylor had already decided to skip this event to focus on the other winter majors before his retirement.

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World Grand Prix: Sky Bet odds

Peter Wright - 100/30 from 8/1
Raymond van Barneveld - 9/2 from 33/1
Dave Chisnall - 11/2 from 28/1
Daryl Gurney - 6/1 from 33/1
Mensur Suljovic - 9/1 from 22/1

Click here for the rest of the World Grand Prix odds

Even Henderson can now think of himself as a contender having set up what he'll feel is a winnable second-round clash with Alan Norris, who beat Justin Pipe 2-1 at the start of the night which featured a 170 checkout from the loser.

Meanwhile, Dave Chisnall produced the best performance of the night with an average of 101.1 in a 2-0 victory over Jelle Klaasen.

Chizzy fired in six 180s, hit all six of his finishing doubles and managed three 100+ checkouts to give his Dutch opponent no chance in a one-sided affair and he'll next meet Robert Thornton in the last 16.

The 2015 champion has been out-of-sorts for a while now and looked short of confidence when his opponent Kim Huybrechts cruised through the first set 3-0 with an average of well over a 100 but he turned the clash on its head out nowhere by taking the second set 3-1 before a stunning checkout of 157 put him 2-0 up in the decider.

It was then Huybrechts' turn to come alive as Thornton appeared to choke when failing to double-in on three consecutive visits in the fourth leg to hand the initiative back to his opponent and more drama was to follow in the deciding leg of the match.

Huybrechts, who had the advantage of throwing first, took three visits to start but after battling his way back into the leg, a timely 180 reduced his score to 38 put unbelievable pressure on the Scotsman but he managed to get over the line by nailing his third attempt at tops.

Raymond van Barneveld and Daryl Gurney were both popular winners on Sunday and are now the favourites to win this half of the draw.

Barney, who has never won this unique double-start event during his glittering career having been runner-up twice in 2008 and 2009, made a sluggish start as the in-form Aussie Kyle Anderson moved into a 2-0 lead in the opening set but he bounced back to take the next three legs on the spin.

The second set also went the distance but despite opening with only 36, the popular Dutchman still managed a clinical 15-darter thanks to following visits of 140, 100, 125 and a checkout of 100 to set up a clash with Steve Beaton, who is through to the last 16 for the first time since 2012.

The Bronzed Adonis had earlier rolled back the years to upset the odds against rising star Rob Cross, who entered the tournament on a high having won his third PDC title of a dream debut season on the circuit as recently as Friday.

Cross, 27, made an awful start as Beaton used his experience to take the opening set 3-0 and then kept coolest in a deciding leg of the next to clinch a 2-0 victory.

Northern Ireland's Gurney delighted the Dublin crown with a superb display as he knocked out two-time world champion Adrian Lewis with a 2-1 victory.

SuperChin blitzed through the first set 3-0 with the help of a stunning bullseye-bullseye-double 16 checkout of 132 but a rusty Jackpot, who is still trying to rediscover his best form following surgery to a back problem earlier in the summer, levelled the match when taking out 77 in a deciding leg of the second.

However, the Northern Irishman found another gear to win the third set 3-0 and he'll next meet Joe Cullen in the last 16.

Cullen had earlier bounced back from losing the first set 3-0 to defeat Darren Webster 2-1 although he also had to survive a match dart.

With the second set level at 2-2, the Demolition Man so nearly took out 147 for a 2-0 victory but missed his attempt at double 18 after nailing treble 20 and treble 17.

The Rockstar, tipped up by our Chris Hammer at 11/1 to win his quarter, returned to the oche to make Webster pay and level the match before holding his nerve once again in a deciding leg of the third set to prevail.

Cullen, 28, scored highly throughout the match and averaged over 90 with the help of six 180s and if he improves on his finishing doubles then he'll certainly be a threat for Gurney.

By Chris Hammer

Sunday's World Grand Prix results & statistics

Click here for the full tournament schedule & results

Seedings in brackets

Alan Norris 2-1 Justin Pipe

Three-dart averages
Norris: 81.72
Pipe: 81.53
180s
Norris: 0
Pipe: 1
100+ checkouts
Norris: 104, 102, 101
Pipe: 170
Finishing checkout percentage
Norris: 38.89% (7/18)
Pipe: 46.18% (6/13)

Joe Cullen 2-1 Darren Webster

Three-dart averages
Cullen: 91.62
Webster: 87.16
180s
Cullen: 6
Webster: 4
100+ checkouts
Cullen: N/A (Highest 60)
Webster: 100
Finishing checkout percentage
Cullen: 28.57% (6/21)
Webster: 36.84% (7/19)

Steve Beaton 2-0 Rob Cross

Three-dart averages
Beaton: 89.59
Cross: 85.59
180s
Beaton: 1
Cross: 2
100+ checkouts
Beaton: N/A (Highest 93)
Cross: N/A (Highest 59)
Finishing checkout percentage
Beaton: 54.55% (6/11)
Cross: 18.18% (2/11)

Robert Thornton 2-1 Kim Huybrechts

Three-dart averages
Thornton: 78.93
Huybrechts: 85.82
180s
Thornton: 2
Huybrechts: 5
100+ checkouts
Thornton: 157
Huybrechts: N/A (Highest 76)
Finishing checkout percentage
Thornton: 42.86% (6/14)
Huybrechts: 40% (6/15)