Darts results: Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall among day one winners at Grand Slam of Darts

By Ben Coley

Darts

Sun November 10, 2019 · 5y ago

Michael van Gerwen finished as he had started, with three fine darts to begin his Grand Slam campaign with a win. Read our review of Saturday's action.

Evening review

Michael van Gerwen sealed a 5-2 victory over Jim Williams with a brilliant 145 checkout to get his Grand Slam bid under way.

Van Gerwen both started and ended the match in style, a mid-game lull allowing the Welshman to avoid a whitewash having struggled to keep up in the scoring stakes.

Doubtless that will have frustrated van Gerwen, who opened proceedings with the first of two 180s, took the second leg in 12 darts and was 3-0 up in no time.

Williams' 100 finish in the fourth leg kept things interesting but he paid the price for two missed darts at double in the next, a vulnerable van Gerwen missing six of his own before taking it in a mammoth 23 darts.

Off the pace in the next, van Gerwen allowed Williams back within two but in typically explosive fashion, he ended the match how it had begun - with three superb darts.

🎯 Michael van Gerwen might not have been at his absolute best tonight, but he remains the sport's greatest showman

💯 First three darts: 180

👌 Last three darts: 145

✅ Job: Donepic.twitter.com/wmSfd77kln
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 9, 2019

Van Gerwen will next face Adrian Lewis on Sunday, with Williams taking on Ross Smith after Jackpot won the other below-par contest in Group A.

Gerwyn Price was given a serious workout by Mikuru Suzuki before securing a 5-3 win.

In-form Price took a scrappy opening leg and was 2-1 up after a 142 finish, but 15 missed darts at double underline the fact that he was far from his fluent best.

The defending champion will next face Robert Thornton, who came through a final leg decider against Dimitri van den Bergh.

Gary Anderson was below his best, but it was encouraging to see the Scot win 5-1 against Dave Parletti having arrived under an injury cloud and seemingly way below the levels required to mount a serious title challenge.

Anderson faded in the scoring stakes after an electric start, but it will have doubtless pleased him that only one dart at double went astray in a dominant performance.

Ian White and James Wade were both 5-2 winners in Group B, seeing off Steve Lennon and Wesley Harms respectively, Wade's 140 to win his match without doubt the highlight.

Afternoon review

Nathan Aspinall was among the most impressive winners as the Grand Slam of Darts got under way on Saturday afternoon.

One of the breakout stars of 2019, Aspinall's electric scoring was always likely to be favoured by the format in the group stage of the event, with matches taking place over a maximum of nine legs.

Aspinall needed just five, dominating from the off in a whitewash win against Martin Schindler which began with a brilliant 142 finish and included three 180s.

Nathan Aspinall in action in the Grand Slam of Darts

Schindler missed all six attempts at double, the scoreline therefore perhaps flattering Aspinall a little, but it was nevertheless a fine way to start Group H - dubbed by some as the 'group of death'.

That title reflects the fact that the group is completed by Michael Smith and Glen Durrant, who played out an engrossing affair to end the session, one which Smith won 5-3.

Durrant was made to pay for a missed dart at double in the very first leg and, after Smith had broken throw, he was able to keep his nose in front in a tight match decided on one or two key visits.

Peter Wright holds the aces in Group F, beating Wayne Warren 5-2 after danger man Danny Noppert had lost 5-4 to Ryan Harrington to place his qualification prospects in some doubt.

The favourites came to the fore in Group E, Dave Chisnall beating Jamie Hughes 5-3 and Rob Cross a 5-2 winner against Lisa Ashton.

And there was a dominant Daryl Gurney display in Group G, as he allowed Richard Veenstra just one look at double in a one-sided 5-0 win for the PDC man.

In the same group, Brendan Dolan disappointed as he slumped to a 5-1 defeat to Gabriel Clemens.

😂 "What's your nickname in Germany, boo?"

🎯🤝 Daryl Gurney and Gerwyn Price meet on the oche to grill each other about their own careers and more...

👍 @Superchin180 @Gezzyprice @OfficialPDC pic.twitter.com/V5apFXeUgV
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 7, 2019