What are the talking points from the World Grand Prix?
Friday 16 October 2015 11:10, UK
Robert Thornton won the World Grand Prix against Michael van Gerwen on Saturday night, but what did we learn from his victory?
With the Grand Slam of Darts just around the corner, we ponder five talking points.
The Thorn can hurt you
It was just the second major PDC title of Thornton's career so arrows fans could be forgiven for not backing the Scotland thrower from the outset. Come the Grand Slam of Darts next month, that might change.
Sky Sports expert Wayne Mardle had to remind us all that Thornton is actually the world No 7, such was the shock after he defeated Van Gerwen in the World Grand Prix final. His lack of titles perhaps shields the truth that Thornton is much more than an ordinary darts player.
His victory over Van Gerwen owed much to the Dutchman's misses but it was notable that Thornton won the mind-games, as well as on the dartboard. He kept his composure and concentration better than the world No 1 and should never be overlooked again.
Top seeds left upset
The World Grand Prix is likely to be remembered as a tournament of shock results, so it was fitting that the trophy ended up in Thornton's hands after much more fancied throwers had already crashed out.
Phil 'The Power' Taylor set the trend with a first-round exit, before Adrian Lewis followed him and held the door ajar for Gary Anderson to disappear without trace, too. Rather than own shortcomings, the surprise results owed to a growing list of contenders not willing to idly sit back and drift into the background.
The likes of Taylor, Anderson and Van Gerwen will now have less than a month to heal up and practice before battle commences at the Grand Slam of Darts.
Old-timers humble the kids
But those upsets weren't being dished out exclusively by the young generation, including Michael Smith and Keegan Brown, that are so often feted as the sport's bright future.
It was a group of veterans who rolled the years back - or simply defied the notion that younger players should have an advantage over them - to stun the World Grand Prix. The 48-year-old Thornton had the last laugh but it was impossible to ignore the rise of 43-year-old Mensur Suljovic or Vincent van der Voort, 39, sending Taylor packing.
While the prodigious youngsters, represented by the world No 1 Van Gerwen who is still only 26, will ultimately take over at the oche it appears their time hasn't necessarily arrived yet.
Plenty for 'The Power' to prove
It will not have been a week to remember for Taylor, who must have lost his four-leaf clover on the opening night in Dublin as he fell to Van der Voort at the opening hurdle. The all-time legend will have crossed the Irish Sea with more questions than perhaps ever before.
His early demise was partly predicted by Wayne Mardle, who correctly stated that Taylor's inability to frequently hit doubles would cause him problems in a tournament structured around those particular shots. Doubling has emerged as a glaring hole in his game.
While he is down, it would be foolish to claim he is out. Taylor has been written off before, and made a mockery of those accusations over his two-decade long spell at the pinnacle of darts. Expect him to power into Wolverhampton with renewed vigour for the next tournament…
But MvG is still the dangerman
The biggest ace in the pack at the Grand Slam of Darts will still be Van Gerwen, despite his eyes looking an envious green to match his shirt when Thornton lifted the winner's prize on Saturday night.
The Dutchman is still the man to beat, the scalp that other players will value the highest and the seed that the rest of the field will hope to avoid unless absolutely necessary. Van Gerwen, like anyone, has flaws to his game which Thornton was able to capitalise upon but a repeat performance may not be fancied in Wolverhampton next month.
Or would it? The World Grand Prix, more than anything, has taught us that darts is more competitive and exciting than ever before so enjoy the short break before those arrows start flying again.
Watch the Grand Slam of Darts from November 7 live on Sky Sports.
