Phil Taylor swept aside Raymond van Barneveld in their final clash on the Blackpool stage. Check out our review of Wednesday at the World Matchplay.
Phil Taylor powered past old rival Raymond van Barneveld to reach the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay on Wednesday.
Those hoping for a classic to rival some of their great showdowns through the years might have been disappointed, but not so Taylor, who didn't have to be at his best to keep his title dreams alive.
Taylor averaged 102.27 and hit 50 per cent of doubles as he won 11-3, thanks in no small part to some abysmal finishing from his Dutch opponent.
While the first seven legs of the match were fairly even, the last seven all went to Taylor, who lost the 2016 final to Michael van Gerwen and will face him in the last eight this time.
"If his doubles go in, he's the most dangerous player in the world," Taylor said of his van Barneveld.
"Every time you let him in, he comes back and beats you up.
"The doubles made all the difference."
Van Gerwen cut a frustrated figure as he sealed his progress with an 11-3 victory over Simon Whitlock, if not emphatic in style then certainly in scoreline.
Whitlock missed chances early on and that allowed van Gerwen to stay in second gear as he averaged just under 100 and threw five 180s.
The world champion never looked happy on the oche but Whitlock's 91.37 average and series of missed doubles paved the way for the odds-on favourite to advance.
"I need to make sure I'm prepared for the next game against Phil," said van Gerwen.
"There's a lot more in the tank and I need it in the next game."
Dave Chisnall missed 28 darts at double as he lost 14-12 to Alan Norris in the first game of Wednesday's session in Blackpool.
Chisnall made a blistering start to the best-of-21-leg affair, with two maximums straight from the off giving him a shot at a nine-dart finish.
Although it went begging, Chisnall hit two more maximums to win the second leg, requiring just 25 darts to race into a 2-0 lead, and would go on to throw 11 in total.
But Norris, while unable to hold throw to win in regulation, eventually upped his own game on the doubles to advance to the quarter-finals.
In a game which ebbed and flowed throughout, neither player looked comfortable with darts in hand for the leg.
Norris himself missed 18 opportunities, but double top proved a relative sanctuary and it was on this that he finally sealed victory with a 100 checkout.
It was in the end a deserved success, as it was only on maximums - and only marginally - that Chisnall bettered his opponent, who hit nine of his own, averaged just shy of 99 and converted the opportunities which Chisnall could not.
Next up for Norris is a clash with Adrian Lewis, who was made to work hard to beat Rob Cross 11-8.
Cross won the first leg of the match against the throw, but after Lewis broke back immediately he never trailed.
Still, four of the 11 legs the two-time world champion won came with the last dart in hand and Cross waiting, and it was only from 8-8 that he began to assert.
Indeed, Lewis was unlucky not to instead lead 9-7 as a bounce-out cost him what would've been a second 144 checkout and a break of throw.
But that signalled a gear change which Cross couldn't contain as Lewis progressed by breaking on double six and then sealing it on double top.
It was harsh on Cross, who was solid on doubles and averaged in excess of 104 as his profile received another boost.
"It was an awesome game," said Lewis. "(Cross) is an awesome player. I'm over the moon.
"He'll be a top-16 player. His attitude is amazing, he believes in himself, and he'll be up there.
"I'm trying just to stay relaxed, dictate the pace a bit, and play my own game inbetween all that."
Lewis has been struggling to practice lately due to injury and was over the moon to advance to a last-eight clash with Norris.
"I'm more shocked than you lot!" added the former world champion, who had started the match as just a narrow favourite.
Wednesday's World Matchplay results
Second round (best of 21 legs)
Dave Chisnall 12-14 Alan Norris
Adrian Lewis 11-8 Rob Cross
Phil Taylor 11-3 Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen 11-3 Simon Whitlock
*Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth additional leg is sudden-death
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