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Matchstick strikes in Halle

Taylor fails to retain his German Darts Championship

Last updated: 5th December 2008

Stompe: Success

Results:
Quarter-Finals:
P Taylor (Eng) bt W Jones (Eng) 3-0
J Part (Can) bt M Dudbridge (Eng) 3-2
A Hamilton (Eng) bt D Ovens (Eng) 3-1
C Stompe (Ned) bt S Hine (Eng) 3-0
Semi-Finals:
P Taylor (Eng) bt J Part (Can) 4-0
C Stompe (Ned) bt A Hamilton (Eng) 4-2
Final:
C Stompe (Ned) bt P Taylor (Eng) 4-2

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Co Stompe upset Phil Taylor on Sunday to claim his first PDC title at the German Darts Championship in Halle.

Taylor had earlier breezed into the final without dropping a set in his quarter-final and semi-final encounters against Wayne Jones and John Part respectively.

But Dutchman Stompe, who defeated Steve Hine 3-0 and Andy Hamilton 4-2 en route to the final, came from 2-1 down to defeat the 13-time world champion 4-2 to lift the title.

'The Power' hit a pair of 12-darters to take the first set, but undeterred Stompe landed double 10 to level the match at 1-1.

A 13-darter then handed the Grand Slam of Darts champion a 2-1 lead in the match, but Stompe again fought back only to wire double 18 to narrowly miss out on a nine-darter.

Double nine secured the set for the Dutchman though and a missed double top from the world number one was punished by Stompe in the fifth set.

And Taylor's finishing continued to prove costly for last year's winner as Stompe was allowed to seal a remarkable victory on double 16.

The new champion closed with an average of 107, while Taylor finished on 108 and is left to rue what might have been.