World Grand Prix: Michael van Gerwen to face Peter Wright in semi-finals; Gerwyn Price vs Nathan Aspinall
Vintage Michael van Gerwen produced the performance of this year's World Grand Prix to defeat Chris Dobey in the quarter-finals, with Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright and Nathan Aspinall also enjoying wins on a dramatic Friday night of tungsten action in Leicester
Saturday 8 October 2022 22:30, UK
Michael van Gerwen lit the blue touch paper after setting up a mouth-watering semi-final meeting with his great rival Peter Wright at the World Grand Prix.
Van Gerwen produced the performance of this year's tournament to dispatch Chris Dobey in the quarter-finals, with Wright, Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall also enjoying wins on Friday night in Leicester.
The Dutch ace averaged 99.30 and landed five ton-plus finishes to continue his bid for a sixth double-start title, setting up a blockbuster semi-final showdown against world champion Wright.
Saturday's mouth-watering semi-final line-up in Leicester will feature three of the world's top four, with 2020 champion Price set to take on Aspinall in the other semi-final.
- As it happened on quarter-finals night at the World Grand Prix
- Aspinall and Noppert exchange heated words after tense finish!
- World Grand Prix moments | Dolan's nine-darter, MVG's first TV title win and more!
"I think I'm playing really well in this tournament," said Van Gerwen, who defeated Gary Anderson and Stephen Bunting in reaching the quarter-finals.
"My tops is going in really smoothly and that gives you a lot of confidence. I feel phenomenal but you have to keep doing it.
"I've been working really hard so I'm over the moon. If Peter continues to play like he did tonight it will be a walkover, but we all know that Peter won't play like that. Those darts look great on him."
Van Gerwen began in blistering fashion with 13 and 12-dart legs, but Dobey fought back before the Dutchman closed out the opening set 3-2.
Dobey had never beaten Van Gerwen in nine previous attempts, but a superb 122 checkout saw him take the second set 3-2.
'Mighty Mike' regained the lead in sensational style, following up an 11-darter with 118 and 109 checkouts to wrap up set three with a remarkable 112.30 average.
The three-time world champion was relentless on the outer ring throughout the contest, and he capped off a dominant display with a show-stopping 105 checkout, sealed with two double tops.
Van Gerwen will now renew his rivalry with Wright in a repeat of the 2018 final, after the Scot survived three match darts in a gripping sudden-death decider to edge out Dimitri Van den Bergh in an epic contest.
Wright squandered seven match darts of his own in an incredible climax, but he was handed a reprieve when Van den Bergh wired three match darts at double 12, before eventually pinning double 10 to prevail with his eighth match dart.
Wright said: "I missed and Dimi came in and punished me lots of times. He had three darts (to win) and I didn't think he was going to miss to be honest.
"For me to get another three darts at a double, I'm thankful."
Wright said he watched Van den Bergh's final throw on the big screen, joking: "How did he miss it? The double looks huge. But it's obviously pressure, there were nerves from both of us."
World No 1 Price set up a semi-final meeting with Aspinall by blitzing Madars Razma 3-0.
Welshman Price lost only two legs as the overawed Razma, who was unable to replicate the impressive performance he produced in dumping out 2017 champion Daryl Gurney.
Price duly profited to breeze through to the last four for a third straight year, producing 107 and 116 finishes in consecutive legs to complete the whitewash.
"I wasn't at my best, but Madars was way off the pace," said the 2020 champion.
"Some of his darts he was throwing away, legs as well, and that's hard for me to keep playing. It was a decent game from me, but I need to improve in the next game."
On facing Aspinall, Price said: "We're probably similar players, we play better with a bit of aggression. It might get a little bit fiery, but I'll try and compose myself as much as I can."
Live World Grand Prix Darts
Aspinall secured a spot in his maiden World Grand Prix semi-final with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over debutant Martin Lukeman in the evening's opener with his highlight being a third-set 138 checkout.
"I'm in the semi-finals for the first time - it's absolutely brilliant. Fair play to Martin - considering he is new to the scene, he doesn't feel the pressure, and I knew I had to play well tonight," said Aspinall.
Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. You can watch the 25th staging of the World Grand Prix 'Double-in, Double-out' set format on Sky Sports all the way through to the final on Sunday, October 9 in Leicester.
