Mensur Suljovic (Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC)

World Grand Prix darts: Peter Wright sets up quarter-final with Mensur Suljovic in Dublin

Darts

Thu October 05, 2017 · 7y ago

Peter Wright set up a quarter-final with Mensur Suljovic at the World Grand Prix after they both cruised through in Dublin. We have a full round-up of Wednesday's action as well as match-by-match statistics and updated Sky Bet odds.

Snakebite, who is Sky Bet's 2/1 favourite to win the double-start tournament and bag his second televised major, initially looked in danger of crashing out when he lost the opening set to Mervyn King and appeared to be bothered by a sore elbow sustained in the practice room, but he bounced back in emphatic fashion to win 3-1 and reach the last eight of the World Grand Prix for the first time in his career.

The key to the world number three's success was a string of killer 100+ checkouts, including a 121 on the bull and a match-sealing 112 in the fourth set while a stunning 141 in the third saw him complete a 12-darter. His other was a 116 which levelled the match at one set apiece.

It was a classy display from the UK Open champion despite the elbow pain and unless the injury flares up into something more serious, he'll be odds-on to beat Suljovic and gain revenge for the group stage defeat he suffered at the hands of the popular Austrian at last month's Champions League of Darts.

Suljovic, who is aiming to claim his third PDC title in three weeks having landed the prestigious Champions League of Darts crown at the start of September before winning a Players Championship event last Saturday, underlined just why he's so widely fancied with a 3-0 victory over Steve West.

The highlight of the match - and indeed the night - came in the third set when he nailed a 140 checkout with two double 20s.

The scoreline was perhaps harsh on West considering every set was won 3-2 but the Englishman was ultimately made to pay for missing a total of 27 darts at doubles.

Suljovic, 45, will move up to four in the world rankings should he triumph in Dublin and most players will struggle to halt his undoubted momentum.

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World Grand Prix: Sky Bet odds

Peter Wright - 2/1
Daryl Gurney, Raymond van Barneveld - 4/1
Mensur Suljovic - 5/1
Benito van de Pas, Simon Whitlock - 14/1
Robert Thornton - 18/1
John Henderson - 25/1

Click here for all the World Grand Prix odds

Earlier, Benito van de Pas produced one of the best performances of the tournament so far to rout Gerwyn Price 3-0 in a match which was widely expected to be much closer.

The Dutch ace blasted out of the blocks by winning the first two sets 3-0 thanks to solid high scoring and ruthless finishing, which helped his average soar past 100, while the complete whitewash was on the cards when a clinical two-dart checkout from 86 saw him move 1-0 up in the third.

Price could afford a wry smile when he finally got on the board and he looked well placed to take the next leg too, only for van de Pas to nail another two-dart checkout from 100 to edge ahead again.

The Welshman managed to force a deciding leg but he missed double top for a 106 checkout and van de Pas made no mistake at the same red bit to book his place in the quarter-finals.

Van de Pas will next play Simon Whitlock, who produced the third whitewash of the night as he breezed past his close friend and tournament debutant Richard North.

The Australian's clinical finishing proved to be the difference as he hit nine of his 17 attempts compared to North's three from 10 while he also nailed three 180s and a high checkout of 98 during a highly impressive performance.

Whitlock has now matched his best ever run at the World Grand Prix having twice previously reached the quarters (2013 & 2016) and he'll now see this as a huge opportunity to go one step further.

North won't be happy with a nervy display which was of stark contrast to his superb 3-0 win over Mark Webster during his maiden televised appearance on the TV stage since earning his first PDC tour card at the start of the year.