Stoke's world No1 won the first six legs and never looked like slipping up on his way to a three-dart average of 109.76 – breaking his own record for a major final.

Taylor admitted his 14th world title had been one of the most satisfying, having been in the unusual position of having to wait three years to reclaim the prize. "To win it back again is unbelievable for me, you do doubt yourself and think am I going to win this again," he said. "To get it back I'm absolutely made up."

Taylor revealed he had to stay focused and reveal a ruthless streak to ensure that there was no repeat of his 2007 slip-up against Van Barneveld – one of the greatest matches the sport had produced, which his great rival won 7-6 at the tournament's previous home at the Circus Tavern.

Taylor said that defeat was uppermost in his thoughts when he took to the oche on Sunday and added: "Once I started and I was playing well I thought, 'Don't stop now, don't give him a chance'. As soon as you relax with Raymond he seems to kick in, he gains on your weakness so I thought keep hitting him and keep hitting him because he's like Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe. That's what you have to do to him. It's very cruel but that's what you have to do.

"They are such good players nowadays that what you have to do when you are on stage is put them under pressure and keep them under pressure. The averages have got to be 100-plus or you are going home."

While Taylor displayed some of the best darts of his life at this year's championships, a world title looked a long way off at the beginning of last year, when he showed signs of vulnerability, which were clearly evident when he was thrashed 8-3 by Peter Manley in the Premier League.

Like any true champion Taylor knuckled down and changed his mindset, and used the Manley defeat to his advantage.

"It was the best thing that ever happened to me I think," he said. "Once he (Manley] beats you, he rubs it in your face as well. I've got signed photographs for him because he sells them, but he doesn't half rub it in but I thank him for it in a strange way.

"Now I have to concentrate on defending my world title because there is nothing more important than that."

The beaten, but unbroken Van Barneveld was generous in his praise for Taylor and admitted he had no answers to the maestro's brilliance.

The Dutchman said: "I played a computer. All my congratulations to Phil. He's absolutely brilliant.

"I'll be back, don't worry, but beating this man – I don't know what to do? Practicing ten hours a day is probably not enough."

In Sunday's final, Taylor set the highest three-dart average for a final, scoring 109.76.

The duo will battle at London’s Alexandra Palace on Sunday in a repeat of the classic 2007 final - which van Barneveld won in a sudden-death leg after a three-hour epic.

The Dutchman followed up his nine-darter in his quarter-final win over Jelle Klaasen with a 6-4 win over world number three James Wade on Saturday night.

Wade produced his best display of the tournament, but van Barneveld crucially found an extra gear to win the final two sets of a pulsating clash.

“Getting into the final was my target now but am I good enough to beat Phil Taylor? I have to dig deep to give him a game,” said van Barneveld.

“He is so complete this year, so focused and is killing everyone at the moment. He is good enough to beat me 7-0, but I am good enough to beat him 7-0 and you never know.”

Taylor, meanwhile, powered past Mervyn King 6-2 to remain on course for an unprecedented 14th World Championship title.

He led 3-0 before King took two sets to hit back, but another three-set burst put Taylor into the final, with an average of just under 104 on the night.

“I’m over the moon to be in the final but it wasn’t as easy as it could have been,” said Taylor. “I went 3-0 up and started thinking about what I was doing.

“I thought I was going to be in the final and then started missing, and that was my mistake.

“I think I’ve earned my place in the final, Barney has done well but had a little bit of luck and I think tomorrow his luck will run out!”

King pockets £30,000 as a semi-final loser and will also win a place in the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts after moving into the PDC’s top six.

Be he admitted: “You don’t expect to beat Phil Taylor when you play like that and it wasn’t good enough.

“I had my chance and blew it. I didn’t play anywhere near what I should have done - you’re not going to beat Phil Taylor with a 90 average and I got what I deserved.”

Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 James Wade
Phil Taylor 6-2 Mervyn King

Final
Sunday 7pm
Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 6-4 JAMES WADE
(3-2, 0-3, 1-3, 3-2, 2-3, 3-1, 3-0, 0-3, 3-0, 3-0)
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD defeated James Wade 6-4 to reach his second Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship final.

The Dutchman, the champion two years ago in the last Circus Tavern final, gets his chance for glory at Alexandra Palace following another fine display.

After hitting the first nine-darter in the PDC World Championship during his quarter-final win over Jelle Klaasen, van Barneveld continued his march with another strong display.

World number three Wade put in his best performance of the tournament so far and should have led the match 3-1, but wasted opportunities cost him dear as the Dutchman finished the stronger.

Wade made a superb start to the match, hitting a maximum with his first three darts, and going on to break throw with a 13-dart finish.

Van Barneveld immediately hit back with a 121 checkout, but the Englishman won the third leg against the darts by landing double top.

But van Barneveld produced superb darts to win the next two legs, the fourth in 11 darts and the decider with a two-dart 64 finish.

Wade won the opening leg of the second set, before hitting a fabulous 11-darter of his own to double the advantage.

Both players hit maximums in the third leg, but it was Wade who hit double top to square the game.

Van Barneveld opened up a 1-0 lead in set three before Wade hit back-to-back maximums in a 12-dart finish to take the second leg.

The world number three then went on to win the next two legs, landing double ten on both occasions to win the set and go ahead for the first time in the match.

Van Barneveld broke throw with a clinical two-dart 93 finish at the start of the fourth set, but missed a dart at double 16 to extend his advantage, and Wade stepped in to win the second leg.

Wade went 2-1 ahead with a 14-dart finish before van Barneveld hit his sixth maximum of the match in the fourth leg and went on to win by landing double eight.

In the deciding leg Wade missed four darts to win the set and go 3-1 ahead - crucially bursting his score on two occasions before double nine allowed van Barneveld to level.

Wade won the opening leg of the fifth set before the Dutchman hit successive 14-dart finishes to take a 2-1 lead.

But van Barneveld missed two darts at double 18 to win the set in the fourth leg, which Wade won before breaking the Dutchman’s throw to lead for the second time in the game at 3-2.

The opening two legs of the sixth set where shared before van Barneveld broke throw in the third leg with an excellent 112 checkout, despite Wade hitting his 13th maximum of the contest.

The Dutchman then hit double 18 in the fourth leg to win the set and square the game at three-all, before taking a 4-3 lead after winning set seven without reply.

After conceding the previous six legs, Wade managed to win the opening leg of the eighth set after van Barneveld was off-target with a dart at double top.

Wade then broke the Dutchman’s throw with an 82 finish in the second leg, and followed that up with by hitting double eight in the next to win the set and level the game at 4-4.

But van Barneveld went on to take the ninth set to go within touching distance of victory, again storming through three legs without reply.

At the start of the tenth set, van Barneveld broke Wade’s throw to hold the advantage, before winning the second leg with a fantastic 128 checkout, with Wade waiting on a two-dart finish.

That took him a leg away from victory, which was wrapped up with a 100 finish to ensure his place in the final.

“I didn’t perform that well today,” admitted van Barneveld. “I was very tired last night and didn’t sleep at all after the nine-darter and the match against Jelle.

“I expected it to be a long game but the way I played tonight I won’t win the tournament.”

Van Barneveld defeated Taylor in a sudden-death leg two years ago, but believes he is facing a different Taylor this time around.

He said: “Getting into the final was my target now but am I good enough to beat Phil Taylor? I have to dig deep to give him a game.

“He is so complete this year, so focused and I have to go into myself tomorrow, maybe do some meditating and I hope it’s going to be a good final.

“Phil is killing everyone at the moment, big time, and everything has to be okay.

“If not, he is good enough to beat me 7-0. But I am good enough to beat him 7-0 and you never know.

“I am hoping I can dream of a new World Championship, but if I’m not I’m very pleased to be in the final.”

Wade said: “In the first four sets I played well and pushed Barney, and that’s a positive and I can take some confidence from this.

“I’ve gone back to my old darts and my old routines and rhythms and unfortunately it took me five games to realise what I needed to do.”

PHIL TAYLOR 6-2 MERVYN KING
(3-1, 3-1, 3-0, 2-3, 2-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-1)
PHIL TAYLOR set up a final with Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld at the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship after defeating Mervyn King 6-2 in the semi-finals.

The final will be a repeat of their classic 2007 encounter, which van Barneveld won in a sudden-death decider at the Circus Tavern to deny the Stoke legend a 14th title.

However, Taylor’s determined charge towards regaining the trophy continued at Alexandra Palace with another powerful performance.

He led 3-0 before being pegged back to 3-2 by King, but Taylor raced to victory and ended the match with an average of 103.94.

King won the first leg of the match but Taylor took the next three, hitting a 131 checkout to break throw in the third leg and converting a 76 finish in the fourth to open up an early lead.

The opening two legs of the second set were shared before Taylor hit a maximum in the third, and landed double eight to take a 2-1 lead.

Taylor was on course for a nine-dart finish in the fourth leg, but the seventh treble 20 was off-target - ending his hopes of matching van Barneveld’s feat in the quarter-finals.

However, he completed the leg in 11 darts to go 2-0 up, before breaking throw at the start of set three with a 13-dart finish.

Taylor continued to dominate as he took the second leg with a 14-darter, and he broke King’s throw for the second time in the set in the third to increase his lead.

King stemmed the tide in the fourth set by winning the first leg, before breaking Taylor’s throw after the world number one missed three darts to lead.

Taylor won the third leg despite King hitting his second maximum of the game, but King took the set in the fourth leg in fine style with a 112 checkout to reduce the deficit to 3-1.

After both players held their throws at the start of the fifth set Taylor missed three opportunities to break in the third leg and King landed double top to lead 2-1.

Taylor levelled, but King won a pressure deciding leg in 13 darts to pull back to 3-2 in the game.

However, after King had won the fourth and fifth sets he only managed one more leg in the match as Taylor took complete charge.

He won the sixth set without reply, with a 12-darter giving him the first leg, double eight the second and a 13-darter in the third to stop the comeback in its tracks.

Taylor continued on in similar fashion in the seventh, building up a 2-0 lead before registering his fifth maximum of the game in the third leg to move a set away from victory.

A 101 checkout put him in front in the next before two maximums from King helped him to the second leg.

Taylor opened the third leg with his eighth maximum, followed by a 177 to give himself a second opportunity of a nine-dart finish.

He hit the first treble 20, but was off-target with the second to end his hopes of taking out a 144 checkout and with it the nine-dart finish.

Taylor went on to win that leg in ten darts by landing double eight at the first time of asking, before wrapping up victory in the fourth leg by landing double top to seal his place in the final.

“I’m over the moon to be in the final but it wasn’t as easy as it could have been,” said Taylor. “I went 3-0 up and started thinking about what I was doing.

“I thought I was going to be in the final and then started missing, and that was my mistake.

“I can just concentrate on winning on Sunday and I think it’s the final everybody wanted to watch.

“I think I’ve earned my place in the final, Barney has done well but had a little bit of luck and I think tomorrow his luck will run out!”

King - who pockets £30,000 as a semi-final loser - admitted: “You don’t expect to beat Phil Taylor when you play like that and it wasn’t good enough.

“It’s very frustrating. I felt good and thought I was going to push him all the way and maybe have a chance of nicking it, but I didn’t play well enough.

“I had my chance and blew it. I didn’t play anywhere near what I should have done - you’re not going to beat Phil Taylor with a 90 average and I got what I deserved.

“I had a slow start and you can’t afford that against Phil. I’m disappointed, but this will be gone on Sunday and I can look forward to the start of the new season.”

In the second leg of the sixth set ­"Barney", the world No2, hit 180s in his first two visits to the oche before ­hitting treble 20, treble 19 and double 12 to become the first player since Paul Lim to achieve a nine-dart finish at a world championship — the American having done so at the BDO event in 1990.

"These nine-darters are really special to do on TV" said Van Barneveld. "Darts on TV makes me a darts hero. If darts was never on TV, I would still work as a postman."

Van Barneveld considered retirement earlier this year, during a slump in form, but he has cast aside those doubts now. "I went out for two months, " he said. "It wasn't my best year this year and I believe strongly I am back now. I believe in myself and, if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything."

The five-time world champion (with four BDO titles and one here in the PDC) dropped the first set to the 24-year-old Klaasen but took the next two without dropping a leg, overpowering his ­opponent with a three-dart average of over 110 and a checkout average of 64%. These dropped a little as he took the next two sets 3–1 and 3–2.

After the nine-dart finish Van Barneveld carried his hot hand into the final leg of the final set and secured his semi-final place with a 161 checkout. He will face the world No3, James Wade, who came through a match against Paul Nicholson that seemed underwhelming even before it was overshadowed by Van Barneveld's historic performance.

Wade, the third seed, won 5–3 against the Australian No1, who emigrated from Newcastle three years ago, in a poor match. At least six of Wade's darts failed to stick in the board and at one stage Nicholson, aiming for double 10, hit the zero of the number, several centimetres outside his intended target.

Wade, known as "the Machine", was running reasonably smoothly early on and he took the first two sets 3–2. He allowed Nicholson to take the third 3–1 before hitting back with another 3–2 in the fourth.

Nicholson, something of pantomine villain here, took the next two sets without dropping a leg but the crowd were too disappointed to boo and hiss "the Asset".

As both players' three-dart ­averages and checkout success rates fell the announcer, John McDonald, began to sound more like a bingo caller than a darts MC. Unconventional scores such as 43, 26 and 28 became all too common. Wade won the final two sets, dropping only one leg. With an ­­average of 81.75 and a 30% checkout rate, ­however, the world No3 will know better than anyone that his game will have to improve exponentially if he is to defeat Van Barneveld.

Taylor's 5-0 thrashing of Stompe takes him through to face Mervyn King in the semi-finals of the PDC Ladbrokes.com world championship.

He finished with a three-dart average of 108.80, the third highest in the tournament's 15-year history.

Stompe won only three legs in the match as Taylor comprehensively avenged the defeat he suffered in the final of the PartyPoker.net German championships in November.

Taylor oozed confidence from the start last night. He gave away the advantage of the throw after winning the pre-match nearest the bulls eye and that decision was soon vindicated.

Stompe started the match with only 59, Taylor replied with 177 and went on to take the opening leg in 14 darts.

Taylor then held his throw and wrapped up the set with an 11 darter.

He handed Stompe a lifeline in the second leg of the second set when three missed darts on a double gave the Dutchman the chance to win his first leg, but a 120 check out put Taylor back on course and he won the set in the deciding leg.

Taylor piled on the misery at the start of the third set – winning the opening leg against the throw, despite Stompe starting with 180 and then hitting two maximums on his way to taking the next leg. There was no way back for Stompe, who won only one more leg.

King, twice a beaten finalist in the BDO world championship, had earlier beaten Barrie Bates 5-2 to set up his last four clash with Taylor.

Bates battled back to level after going 2-0 behind, but then King stepped up a gear.

"I'm happy with the win and my performance was better," said King. "I did enough to get the victory, but I can still improve.

"I should have been 4-0 up really, or at least 3-1, and at two-all I had to find something, and I did that.

"I'm nowhere near my best, but it's there in flashes. I have peaks and troughs in my game anyway and I'm not as consistent as some players, but when I'm at the top of my game I'll beat anybody."

And looking ahead to the Taylor clash, KIng added: "I'm not here to lose in the semi-final, I'm here to win it. I've got it in me and it's got to come out at the right time."

Meanwhile, in tonight's remaining quarter-finals, James Wade takes on Paul Nicholson, while five times world champion Ray van Barneveld goes head-to-head with fellow Dutchman Jelle Klaasen in a repeat of the 2006 BDO world championship final.

"I've never beaten him on TV, but I know if I play my normal game I can beat anyone," said van Barneveld.

"However, Jelle is in good form and I think it will be a good match."

WELSHMAN Barrie Bates stormed into the quarter-finals of the Ladbrokes.com World Championship at Alexandra Palace with a stunning victory over Mark Dudbridge.

Bates followed Phil ’The Power’ Taylor – a 4-1 winner over Kevin Painter – into the last eight with a crushing 4-0 success over his English opponent.

The Bedlinog man, who is enjoying his best run in the Worlds after shaking off a nagging foot injury, was always in control against Dudbridge and afterwards thanked the crowd for supporting him.

“The English fans have been great. I’m the only Welshman up there, but they have stood by me. I wasn’t fancied to get this far, but I know I’ve got the game in me and I’m getting better and better,” said the former lorry driver, who will next meet the winner of the third round clash between Dennis Smith and Mervyn King.

As for Taylor and Painter, the duo memorably met in one of the most enthralling finals of this tournament in 2004, when Taylor won in sudden death, but there was no repeat of that drama as ‘The Power’ ominously swept a nervy-looking 17th seed aside.

Taylor broke the match open with a run of 10 consecutive legs after Painter had won the opening set.

It was a performance to give Taylor hope of claiming his first title at this tournament since 2006 and add to his record tally of 11 PDC crowns.

Taylor will meet the winner of this afternoon’s match between eighth seed Wayne Mardle and Co Stompe in the quarter-finals.

James Wade progressed to the third round with a 4-2 win against Tony Eccles, although it was not a convincing display from the world number three.

Wade struggled for consistency throughout, but held his nerve at the key moments to hold off the challenge of his Hartlepool rival.

Next up for Wade will be Dutchman Vincent van der Voort after he beat Colin Osborne 4-1 in yesterday’s afternoon session.

Paul Nicholson caused a shock when he ousted sixth seed Adrian Lewis 4-3 in their second-round match.

Andy Hamilton overcame a scare against qualifier Tony Ayres before keeping his world championship bid on track.

The No.7 seed from Stoke trailed 2-1 against the newcomer from Sussex, only to reel off three straight sets to book his place in the last 16 at London's Alexandra Palace.

He will now face the young Dutch ace Jelle Klaasen, who later whitewashed his compatriot Jan vander Rassel.

Hamilton struggled early on, but found some fine form as the contest progressed to land eight 180s and an impressive six ton-plus finishes, including the highest possible checkout of 170.

"I finished well and that's what won me the game," said Hamilton. "Some of the finishes hurt him but I need to get the whole package together now."

Barrie Bates and Ronnie Baxter also booked their last-16 spots. Bates matched Hamilton's six ton-plus finishes in ending the hopes of American Bill Davis, who had knocked out defending champion John Part last week but went down to a 4-2 loss.

Baxter took an impressive 4-1 win over Denis Ovens, coming from a set down to set up a third round meeting with world No.2 Raymond van Barneveld.

Ovens ultimately paid the price for six missed darts for the fourth set, which would have levelled the game but saw him fall 3-1 down as Baxter pulled through for victory.

"It was very much a case of job done," said Baxter. "I gave away the first set, which was a bit unlike me but I relaxed as the game went on.

"The fourth set was important and in the last set I played how I would like to all the time.

"It's been a long time since I've done that on stage and I can go a long way if I stay relaxed and do that again."

I reckon it's all down to ice skates...

Barney is apparently a keen ice skater and he has been studying speed skating to improve his darts technique. He's looked at the way that speed skaters lean forward and allow their foot to leave the skate and he's applied that to the art of releasing a dart.

As the Sky Sports flight cam shows, if you release the dart too early then the parabola will be too high - but if you take your hand off too early and "push the dart" then it will fly lower.

But a bit like Robert Stephenson watching a kettle, Barney has figured out how a skate can stay on the ice while the ankle flexes. He's applied that technology to darts and his release is now better than ever before.

Now that his release is perfect, the other things that use to faze him - like the crowd and the venue - don't bother him. He needed a Zen Master to win two years ago, but he looks as cool as anything right now.
Top of the Klaas
The man that looks the most inspired up there is another Dutchman, Jelle Klaasen.

This Cristiano Ronaldo look-a-like is a very cool dude who was world champion at the age of 21. I sometimes wonder how his darts go in because he lifts his back leg up like a ballet dancer and twists his shoulder as he throws - yet on Sunday night he had about nine 180s and he's been very, very impressive.

One has to say Wayne Mardle is looking strong. He shared twenty 180s with Robert Thornton on Saturday night which is remarkable when you consider that in the first world championship in 1978 there were only 37 in the entire tournament.

Wayne has shaken off his show-pony image once and for all and has proved he is a battler. Not only that, but he's worked out the equation to balance show business and efficient darts.

As for Phil Taylor, I still think he throws his new shorter darts slightly wrong when he's under pressure, causing it to dip around the double 16.

His muscle memory seems to be troubling him and we haven't seen the best of him yet. Maybe we'll see it against Kevin Painter, who is notorious for his verbals on stage.

The problem is he sometimes puts himself off as much as the other player, but he seems to have refined that in this tournament. Taylor v Painter should be a classic on Monday night.

Taylor, the world No. 1 and 13-time World Champion, dropped just three legs and averaged 102.5 against a helpless van Gerwen.

"I'm very pleased," said Taylor. "Every time he hit a big shot I wanted to match him and put him under pressure, and I did that.

"He's got a lot to learn yet but he was playing the Master. I'm here to win the World Championship and I really want this title."

Taylor now meets fellow Englishman Kevin Painter on Monday night in a repeat of the 2004 World Championship final, which the Stoke legend won in a sudden-death leg.

Painter booked his place in the last 16 with a 4-1 defeat of Spain's Carlos Rodriguez, while another former finalist, Mark Dudbridge of England, saw off Austrian Mensur Suljovic in straight sets.

Dennis Smith of England earned a spot in the third round by coming from 3-0 down to win 4-3 against 23-year-old Englishman Kevin McDine, while Holland's Co Stompe defeated number nine seed England's Alan Tabern 4-1.

England's Wayne Mardle - a five-time World Championship semi-finalist - set up a third round clash with Stompe after edging past Robert Thornton in a seven-set thriller.

Mardle led 3-1 before Thornton hit back to level, but the Romford ace who hit four ton-plus finishes in the game - delighted the 2,500 crowd at Alexandra Palace by winning the deciding set 3-1 to progress.

"I should have won 4-1 but Robert was great and came back strongly," said Mardle. "I was just relieved to get through at the end but the crowd were amazing and I couldn't have won without them."
Mark Dudbridge completed a 4-0 victory over Mensur Suljovic although the scoreline did not do justice to the Austrian.

Suljovic, who beat three-time finalist Peter Manley in the previous round, pushed his opponent all the way but it was by delivering on the big darts that the 20th seed went through.

Eccles scraped past Remco van Eijden 3-2, having lost the plot at the halfway point after initially powering into a 2-0 lead.

But it was easy street for Osborne, who took out a tournament-high 167 finish on the way to demolishing van Eijden’s fellow qualifier Charles Losper 3-0.

These two will meet in the third round if they win their next matches on Monday, when Eccles faces James Wade and Osborne tackles Vincent van der Voort.

Kirk Shepherd was threatening to quit darts and go back to his old day job after his shock first-round defeat.

Shepherd, the £5.25-an-hour sheet metal worker who reached last year's final at the Ladbrokes.com world championship, was hammered 3-2 by Dutchman Jan van der Rassel.

Never reaching the standards which catapulted an unseeded 21-year-old into the final against John Part 12 months ago, Shepherd admitted: "I am sick. I had a couple of chances to get myself into the match but I blew it.

"I think I'm going to go back to work - I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I've had so many ups and downs over the last year and it hasn't done me any favours. I've earned about £15,000 in prize money on the circuit since I joined the PDC full-time, and I won £50,000 for reaching the final - but you soon go through it."

Shepherd has struggled to land the arrows on target, and was always behind against qualifier van der Rassel.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

Tony Ayres (Eng) bt Andy Smith (Eng) 3-2,

Paul Nicholson (Aus) bt Adrian Gray (Eng) 3-0,

Jan van der Rassel (Ned) bt Kirk Shepherd (Eng) 3-2,

Tony Eccles (Eng) bt Remco Van Eijden (Ned) 3-2,

Ronnie Baxter (Eng) bt Marko Kantele (Fin) 3-1.

Jelle Klaasen condemned Colin Lloyd to his third first round exit in four years at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a comfortable straight sets triumph.

Klaasen powered to an impressive victory on Monday by winning eight straight legs to romp to victory.

The Dutchman took the opening leg before Colchester-born Lloyd landed a maximum on his way to levelling – and hit another in the next only for Klaasen to reply in kind with a 180 of his own to edge in front.

Klaasen then took the fourth leg against the darts to grab the first set and a 1-0 lead.

Klaasen, who suffered a sudden-death first round defeat to fellow Dutchman Vincent van der Voort last year, won the opening leg of the second set against the darts with a 70 finish.

He then doubled his lead after Lloyd missed two darts at double top, and a 14-darter gave him set two and a commanding lead.

Klaasen – a victor against Lloyd in the recent European Championship – won the first two legs of set three in convincing fashion to punish Lloyd further, hitting a 13 darter in the second.

And the end was swift as Klaasen landed double eight.