European Tour seventh heaven for Gerwyn Price at the European Darts Open
Gerwyn Price sealed his seventh European Tour title by claiming European Darts Open glory in Leverkusen on Sunday, denying Dirk van Duijvenbode 8-7 in a dramatic final.
Price, the winner of back-to-back Premier League nights in Nottingham and Newcastle, continued his prolific run of form by sweeping aside the field at the Ostermann Arena to land the £30,000 title.
The Welshman had opened his challenge with a 109 average against Krzysztof Ratajski on Saturday, before bettering that display with a 110 average in a 6-2 defeat of World Champion Michael Smith in Sunday afternoon’s Third Round.
He then proved too strong for Michael van Gerwen with another stellar display to claim a 6-4 Quarter-Final success – registering a third straight victory over the Dutchman.
Price averaged over 100 for a fourth consecutive game as he dispatched Danny Noppert 7-4 in the Semi-Finals, before seeing off another Dutchman in Van Duijvenbode to clinch the title.
Price was forced to battle back from 3-1 and 7-6 down in the final – surviving two missed match darts before snatching glory.
After Price missed the bull to open up a 2-0 lead, Van Duijvenbode levelled, broke in leg three and then took out 81 on the bull to seize command.
Three straight legs from Price saw him edge back ahead, and the pair were then locked at five-all when the world number four fired in seven perfect darts in an 11-darter to move 6-5 up.
Back-to-back 13-darters saw Van Duijvenbode surge back in front, only for him to miss double 18 and double eight to claim his first European Tour title in leg 14.
Price took out 108 to force a deciding leg, and fired in a fourth 180 of the tie to pull clear before securing the title with a 12-darter.
“I’m happy to get the win,” said Price, who draws level with Peter Wright on seven European Tour wins.
“I played brilliant darts all weekend apart from the final. It was a slow game – I had to dig in and grind out the win, and without this crowd behind me it’s really difficult.
“This weekend the crowd have been fantastic. I’m back in Germany next weekend so hopefully they’ll support me again!”
Van Duijvenbode had survived four missed match darts in an equally dramatic Semi-Final as he hit back from 6-2 down to deny Rob Cross.
The Dutch ace had also defeated European Champion Ross Smith and World Youth Champion Josh Rock on Sunday in an impressive run to the decider.
However, he was denied a third ranking title of the year – having already won two Players Championship events – as he narrowly missed out on a maiden European Tour success.
Reflecting on the final, Van Duijvenbode admitted: “I didn’t play my best game but I should have won anyway.
“It is what it is. I don’t think it should be that close, I could have [had] some bigger distance [between us] at the beginning, and in the end there’s no holding him back.
“That’s just the class he has. He’s never afraid, he takes out the 108.”
Cross’ agonising wait for a first Euro Tour title continues following his Semi-Final exit, despite a sensational 110 average in his Last 16 win over William O’Connor.
Cross also ended the hopes of emerging German prospect Ricardo Pietreczko in the Quarter-Finals in another contest which went to a deciding leg.
Noppert was the day’s other losing semi-finalist, having ended Dave Chisnall’s bid to claim successive European Tour wins in the Third Round before enjoying a 6-4 triumph against Damon Heta.
Pietreczko followed up Saturday’s memorable win over Peter Wright by seeing off Stephen Bunting 6-3 to reach his first European Tour Quarter-Final.
European Darts Open 2023 Day Three Results
Sunday March 26
Afternoon Session
Third Round
Danny Noppert 6-1 Dave Chisnall
Damon Heta 6-4 Ryan Meikle
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Michael Smith
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-3 Stephen Bunting
Rob Cross 6-1 William O’Connor
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Ross Smith
Josh Rock 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
Danny Noppert 6-4 Damon Heta
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Rob Cross 6-5 Ricardo Pietreczko
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3 Josh Rock
Semi-Finals
Gerwyn Price 7-4 Danny Noppert
Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-6 Rob Cross
Final
Gerwyn Price 8-7 Dirk van Duijvenbode
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