Jose De Sousa reached his first major televised final thanks to a 16-12 victory over Simon Whitlock at the Grand Slam of Darts.
A day on from denying Michael van Gerwen in a dramatic finish to their quarter-final, Whitlock appeared to run out of steam as his Portuguese opponent moved to within one win of a breakthrough title at the age of 46.
Despite his age, De Sousa has been among the rising stars of the circuit having only joined the PDC in 2019 when he lost his job as a carpenter, and now he has his chance in Tuesday's final to land one of the biggest events on the calendar.
Awaiting him will be the vastly more experienced James Wade, who conjured a remarkable fightback to deny Dimitri Van den Bergh 16-15.
🎯🇵🇹 Jose De Sousa becomes the first Portuguese player ever to reach a major darts final!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 23, 2020
👏 To think the Special One lost his job as a carpenter last year after joining the PDC circuit!pic.twitter.com/AogSLp9KjF
For Whitlock, it was a painful repeat of the World Grand Prix, where he'd also seen off van Gerwen only to fall at the penultimate hurdle and suffer an agonising semi-final defeat.
"This a feeling I cannot describe - my best moment in darts," said De Sousa. "It's a dream come true and I feel like my heart will explode - it's amazing.
"I didn't expect this but I fought in every leg, today my doubles went in and I deserve this. It's wonderful and it means a lot."
Whit's end
Early on it appeared as though Whitlock would prove difficult to stop, taking out 82 for a 12-dart opener before another 12-dart leg earned him a 5-2 lead.
De Sousa though threw back-to-back 180s to break throw in the next and he was in front for the first time after another maximum in leg 13 helped him to lead 7-6.
Whitlock found one last rally to level at 8-8 at the end of a scrappy leg, but he made a mess of taking out 66 in the next and when De Sousa took it the tide began to turn fully in his favour.
A 121 finish saw him open up a two-leg lead at 11-9 and while Whitlock got within two again at 13-11 thanks to a 140 finish, De Sousa's response was to take out 121 once more to complete another 12-darter.
That ended Whitlock's resistance as he lost the next leg after missing five darts at tops, and though De Sousa faltered with the finish line in sight, he took his second set of opportunities to run out a 16-12 winner.
ANOTHER 121 FINISH!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 23, 2020
Jose De Sousa again fires in a huge 121 checkout as he maintains a three leg average over Simon Whitlock!#BoyleSportsGSOD pic.twitter.com/KVS8uu36B0
De Sousa, who hails from Portugal but now lives near Madrid, is now on the verge of winning a £125,000 title and the Eric Bristow Trophy.
"I'm really happy for my fans and everyone who has backed me, my sponsors and my manager," he added. "I left my job last year and this year I'm really happy to make a place in the PDC, I've worked so hard.
"This year has been difficult for everybody and it's not easy - in two months I've had three days in my home. But all the people in Portugal and Spain have supported me and I'm very proud."
Wade wins thriller
De Sousa said after his victory that he'd like to face Van den Bergh in the final and he probably ought to be set to, only for the Belgian to blow a handy lead as Wade produced a trademark comeback.
📂 Darts
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 23, 2020
└📁 Players
└📁 James Wade
└📁 Vintage winspic.twitter.com/jiwLaMl4fd
Van den Bergh was in command early as his throw proved impenetrable, and when he threw an 11-dart leg to lead 13-9 the finish line was well within sight.
He missed a dart at double 16 to move into a five-leg lead and that kept Wade interested as he pinched that one before 13- and 15-dart legs got him back within one at 13-12.
After the next two legs were exchanged, Van den Bergh paid the price for attempting to hit bullseye for a 130 finish when Wade was back on 241, going on to miss five darts at double as Wade stole the leg to draw level at 14-14.
To his immense credit, Van den Bergh produced a 14-dart leg against the throw to move back in front and now had darts in hand for the match, only for Wade to pick himself up off the canvas, survive one match dart at bullseye, and level it up again at 15-15.
That meant for a deciding leg and having done so much hard work to get his chance, Wade would not be denied, visits of 140, 180 and 105 leaving him on 76, which was taken care of in three darts for a fabulous win.
"I was beat and then I wasn't beat," said an emotional Wade. "Lady luck was on my side, I'm so, so happy - unbelievably happy.
"I haven't felt this for a long, long time. It hasn't happened for me at times. I would like to say I'm enjoying it but I'm not, it's bloody torture!"
He'll now face De Sousa in Tuesday night's final, which begins at 6pm UK time. It's the 24th major final of his career and second of the month, having been runner-up to Peter Wright at the European Championship.
Wade is a two-time runner-up in the Grand Slam of Darts and were he to put that right with a win on Tuesday, it would be his 11th major title.
Grand Slam of Darts Sunday results & remaining schedule
Monday November 23 (7pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Semi-finals (Best of 31 legs)
- Simon Whitlock 12-16 Jose De Sousa
- James Wade 16-15 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Tuesday November 24
Afternoon Session (6pm)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
Final (Best of 31 legs)
- Jose De Sousa v Dimitri Van den Bergh
