Tuesday 5 May 2020

TA Pro Tour Finals - the final session

Who will be the final winner? Let's see.


Danny NoppertLegMichael van Gerwen
00111
00212
11302
21402
31502
30613
41703
40814
51904
501015
611105
601216
601317
601418
601519
6016110

It won't be Danny Noppert, who played well enough to keep things level through twelve legs, but from there van Gerwen upped his game with a five leg winning spurt to move through to the semi finals.

Rob CrossLegDaryl Gurney
00111
00212
00313
00414
11504
21604
31704
41804
51904
501015
501116
501217
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611509
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811709
911809
1011909
It won't be Daryl Gurney either, as Cross came through a swingy game that had some hints of their Matchplay encounter about it, Gurney throwing away a 4-0 lead, then when on the brink of victory at 9-5 up, allowed Rob to come back with five straight legs to claim it in a decider, so after a repeat of one of the best Matchplay semis ever, we'll get a repeat of one of the best worlds semis ever.

Max HoppLegJames Wade
00111
11201
10312
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10514
21604
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301118
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It won't be an all-German semi final, as Wade was able to get a good lead early in the matchup, have the second session effectively go on throw to go into the final break with a four leg lead, then only drop one further leg from there as Max's run ends and he's unable to push forward into the semi finals.

Simon WhitlockLegGabriel Clemens
11100
10211
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10413
21503
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31704
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41905
511005
501116
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611307
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We will, however, have one German at that stage, as Gabriel Clemens was able to do just enough to see off a resurgent Simon Whitlock in the quarters. Both the first two sessions went 3-2 against the darts, but Gabriel came out of the break on fire, immediately stealing the darts off Simon, not giving up another leg on throw and getting a further break to seal the deal.

Michael van GerwenLegRob Cross
00111
11201
10312
21402
31502
30613
41703
40814
51904
611004
711104
811204
911304
1011404
It's the number one seed who's through to the final with a surprisingly easy victory over Rob Cross, in an odd game where the players traded two breaks each then two holds each, but 4-4 would be the closest Rob got to victory, as in a somewhat similar pattern to the quarter final, Michael didn't drop another leg and coasted through to the final.

Gabriel ClemensLegJames Wade
11100
21200
31300
30411
41501
40612
51702
50813
61903
601014
601115
601216
601317
601418
601519
6016110
It won't be a first big final for Gabriel - in a similar pattern to the other semi final, James Wade was able to power away when it mattered to clinch a final spot. It was looking pretty good for Gabriel, breaking early and holding his throw through the first two sessions to go in with a 6-4 advantage, but that'd be it for the German as Wade put together a seven leg streak to go one match away from the title.

Michael van GerwenLegJames Wade
00111
00212
11302
21402
20513
20614
31704
30815
41905
401016
511106
501217
611307
711407
811507
801618
911708
901819
9019110
And Wade was able to take it! Despite not having made a single final in the regular season, James was able to upset the number one seed and put another trophy in the cabinet. The first session was nice as he was able to get the break he needed, then we had the two players trading holds until leg 14, where Michael was able to get the match back on throw. With his record in deciding legs, you'd have thought that after two more holds the title would be in the bank, but Wade was able to break when it mattered the most - in a deciding leg.

A bit of a surprising one for me - if you're picking someone from outside the big three to be the next to win a major going forward, I'm guessing Wade probably isn't in most people's top five, or if he is, only just.

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