Sky Live: World Matchplay final between Gary Anderson and Mensur Suljovic

By Raz Mirza at The Winter Gardens, Blackpool

Wayne Mardle says you can't write off Mensur Suljovic ahead of his World Matchplay final against Gary Anderson

Gary Anderson takes on Mensur Suljovic in the World Matchplay final on Sunday night - live on Sky Sports Action from 7pm - with both players aiming to win their maiden title in Blackpool.

Scottish star Anderson will be bidding to claim the Triple Crown, having already won the World Championship and Premier League twice.

World Matchplay Darts - Sunday July 29 (Best of 35 legs)

Gary Anderson v Mensur Suljovic

Anderson showed his class with a heavy-scoring display to back up the nine-darter he landed in the quarter-finals as he won through to his first Blackpool final with a 17-12 success against young Dutchman Jeffrey de Zwaan.

Here's another excuse to show Anderson's stunning nine-darter

The 47-year-old, who has already won the UK Open and US Darts Masters title so far in 2018, lost out to Suljovic in the Champions League of Darts final last September, but believes that he can overcome the tricky Austrian in Sunday's decider.

"I love Mensur to bits and he's a gentleman, but I hate playing him!" admitted Anderson. "Jeffrey's style suits me but I've been fighting hard in the last few weeks and I feel I can win whether I play fast or slow.

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"I'm just going to get on with it. I think we will see a different Mensur tomorrow - I've got a different head on than when I used to play him so we'll see what happens.

"He might kick off quick and run away with it, I might do the same or it might be another tight one. The way I am playing at the moment, I'm comfy. Nobody is untouchable, nobody is unbeatable. We'll see what happens. If I win, I win, if I lose, I lose.

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"It would be nice to add this title, but I'm a great believer in if it's meant to be, it's meant to be."

Suljovic showed his cheeky side during his semi-final win against Peter Wright

Suljovic booked his spot in the final with a 17-13 defeat of 2017 finalist Wright to continue his bid to win The Phil Taylor Trophy and the £115,000 top prize.

"I have already reached my goal, anything else is a bonus but I will give it 100 per cent," said the Austrian.

Sky Sports' expert Wayne Mardle believes Suljovic is a real dangerman for Anderson, with the Scot having problems against him in the past.

If I was going to be either player I would want to be Gary Anderson right now.
Wayne Mardle

"Gary struggles against him sometimes, but I've got to say there's normally a Gary that turns up that says if I win, I win. If I lose, I lose. I just don't see that in his make up this week," said Hawaii 501. "There was that determination and that will to win when he came back to beat Raymond van Barneveld earlier in the week and he's just not buckled.

"He got fortunate against Joe Cullen, but he hung in there and won. You have got to perform under pressure and he has done. When he's playing like this then he expects to play like this again and again.

"If I was going to be either player I would want to be Gary Anderson right now."

Gary Anderson v Mensur Suljovic: Previous meetings

Premier League 2018 Anderson 7-5 Suljovic
Grand Slam Of Darts Q-F 2017 Anderson 16-12 Suljovic
Champions League of Darts Final 2017 Suljovic 11-9 Anderson
Champions League of Darts 2017 Suljovic 10-3 Anderson
Players Championship Milton Keynes 2017 Suljovic 6-4 Anderson
Players Championship Barnsley 2017 Anderson 6-5 Suljovic
Players Championship Barnsley 2016 Anderson 6-5 Suljovic
World Matchplay Q-F 2015 Suljovic 13-9 Anderson

Join us for coverage of the World Matchplay final on Sunday, July 29 at 7pm on Sky Sports Action and from 7.15pm on Sky Sports Main Event.

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