Gerwyn Price denies Dirk van Duijvenbode to regain World Series Finals title

Gerwyn Price secured his second World Series Finals title with a thrilling 11-10 victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode in the final in Amsterdam on Sunday.

Price, whose initial triumph came two years ago, backed up last month’s New Zealand Masters success by scooping the £70,000 top prize at the AFAS Live.

He was pushed all the way by home favourite Van Duijvenbode in a pulsating final, eventually securing the title with a 90 finish for a 14-darter.

A high-quality start saw the pair trade 14-darters in the opening four legs before Price broke for a 3-2 lead, and he then pinned tops to open up a two-leg cushion.

Three successive legs from Van Duijvenbode saw him move ahead again at 5-4, and he added a 12-darter as he retained the edge.

Price took out 146, 121 and 116 as he came from 7-6 down to lead 9-8 – pouncing on a miss at double 18 from Van Duijvenbode in leg 17.

The Dutchman – who had taken out 112 in leg 15 – hit back with a superb 11-darter and fired in double four to move 10-9 up, putting himself on the brink of a maiden big-stage title.

Price showed his class with a 12-darter to take the final to a deciding leg, and after being first to a finish during a tense climax, the Welshman took out 90 on double 15 to seal glory.

“I’m thrilled to get over the line,” said Price, who ended the final with a 100 average. “Dirk played fantastic but I think I played a little bit better.

“It was a great game but I made it really difficult for myself. There were two or three legs where I missed doubles, and at five-all going into the second break I probably could have been 7-3 up.

“I knew from there on in it was going to be a tough battle; Dirk was playing really well and obviously the crowd were supporting him but I dug in there right until the end.

“I gave myself a chance in the last-leg decider and scraped over the line.

“I’m more than experienced with these sort of crowds, and fair play to them – they were all cheering for their man but I think they were quite respectful in patches.

“I let him off the hook a couple of times but I just wanted to give myself a chance in the last leg – I’ve got a little bit more composure and experience than Dirk had in that leg and that’s all that counted.”

Price earlier followed up Saturday’s narrow win over Matt Campbell with a high-quality 10-8 victory over Joe Cullen in the Quarter-Finals, before edging past 2018 champion James Wade 11-9 in the Semi-Finals

Wade had hit back from 2-0 down to lead 6-5 after landing a 170 checkout amid three 12-darters, but only for Price to reel off five legs in a row on his way to victory.

Van Duijvenbode’s run to a third televised final sees him qualify for November’s Grand Slam of Darts.

June’s Dutch Masters runner-up, he had battled past Haupai Puha and Gary Anderson to reach the final day of action, before surviving a missed match dart from Ryan Joyce in the penultimate leg of their Quarter-Final.

He then ended Jonny Clayton’s title defence with a superb 11-8 Semi-Final success, but saw his wait for a first televised title extended despite landing seven 180s in the final and averaging 97.7 with 52 per cent on the doubles.

“I was a bit unfortunate in the last leg and he showed his class,” admitted Van Duijvenbode. “I should have won this one.”

“It’s a bit frustrating because apart from that class, I could have won it in the end if I just composed myself better.”

Clayton had earlier claimed six of the last seven legs to defeat four-time champion Michael van Gerwen 10-7 in the Quarter-Finals.

Wade was Sunday afternoon’s other Quarter-Final winner, finishing ten doubles from 18 attempts in a clinical 10-5 win over birthday boy Michael Smith.

World Series of Darts Finals 2022 Day Three Results

Sunday September 18

Afternoon Session

Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price 10-8 Joe Cullen
Dirk van Duijvenbode 10-9 Ryan Joyce
Michael Smith 5-10 James Wade
Michael van Gerwen 7-10 Jonny Clayton

Evening Session

Semi-Finals
Gerwyn Price 11-9 James Wade
Dirk van Duijvenbode 11-8 Jonny Clayton

Final
Gerwyn Price 11-10 Dirk van Duijvenbode