MvG too good for Taylor after Snakebite fightback stuns Gary Anderson
Sunday 19 November 2017 18:35, UK
Michael van Gerwen ended Phil Taylor's hope of Grand Slam glory and will face Peter Wright in Sunday night's final at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.
Van Gerwen's scoring and brilliant combination finishing gave him a 16-8 victory over the Power and halted Taylor's hopes of a seventh Grand Slam victory in his farewell appearance at the tournament while keeping his own hopes alive of a third consecutive title.
MvG averaged more than 106 and fired three 100+ finishes to avenge his World Matchplay quarter-final defeat to Taylor earlier this year.
Having beaten Taylor in the 2015 final and James Wade in the 2016 final, Van Gerwen will face a third different opponent in the final after Snakebite produced a sensational comeback to win eight of the last nine legs against Gary Anderson, turning a 14-8 deficit into a sensational 16-15 victory.
Wright, who did not lead at any stage of the match, pinned double 16 to complete a spectacular turnaround that began when he switched his darts at the interval when trailing 13-7.
Anderson will rue missed doubles, although Wright's early sloppiness had allowed the Scot to forge ahead. However, Snakebite's thrilling fightback saw him advance into a first Grand Slam final and leave him one win away from his second major televised title after his breakthrough at the UK Open earlier this year.
Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
It was 2011 runner-up Anderson who made the early running, despite never being at his best a couple of 11-dart legs ensured he had an early 6-4 lead that could have been more if he had taken his chances.
119 and 110 check-outs from Anderson took him 13-7 in front and when Wright missed darts for 13-9 it was the two-time world champion who re-established a six leg advantage.
A bullseye finish from 84 gave Wright a break and back to back legs to close within four before double 16 gave Wright another to close within three.
Snakebite took out 25 to break again and then held with a brilliant 12-darter to close within one.
Anderson pinned double five to move within one leg of the match and then, at 15-14, missed a dart at double seven for victory. He would rue that as Wright took out a second consecutive 11-darter before his final leg heroics set up a shoot-out between the world's top two in Sunday evening's final.
The Grand Slam of Darts concludes on Sunday evening with coverage of the final underway on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Main Event from 6.30pm
Keep up to date with the news as the tungsten enters its busiest time of year with the PDC World Championships just around the corner get all the latest at www.skysports.com/darts and join in the conversation @SkySportsDarts.
