Phil Taylor hits Nine-Dart finish at Sydney Masters
Saturday 22 August 2015 13:52, UK
Phil Taylor created history on Saturday night by hitting the first televised nine-dart finish in Australia during his 10-7 semi-final win over Peter Wright at the Coral Sydney Darts Masters.
Taylor's perfect leg was the first since the PDC's World Series of Darts was introduced in 2013, and also his 11th in a televised game as he secured another slice of glory to add to his glittering roll of honour.
While players on Australia's domestic circuit, including Kyle Anderson, have achieved nine-dart finishes previously, Taylor's minute of brilliance was the first on TV in the country as he delighted the Qantas Credit Union Arena crowd.
The nine-darter also came as Taylor booked his place in the final of the Sydney Darts Masters, seeing off Wright in fine style to remain on course for a third successive title.
"It's a wonderful achievement and I'm always proud to hit a nine-darter – but I've also got to remember that it's just one leg and it didn't win me the match," said Taylor.
"Peter came back at me after that so I couldn't celebrate for too long, but it's great to have hit another nine-dart finish, especially for it to be the first on TV in Australia."
Despite a Taylor 180 in the opening leg, Wright finished 62 to break and then landed double two to move 2-0 up in a fine start.
The game, though, turned in the next two legs as Wright twice missed the bullseye, seeing a potential 4-0 lead disappear as Taylor landed a pair of double top finishes to level the game.
A fourth 180 of the game from Taylor helped him to hit the front as he won leg five on double 12, before taking out 95 and 130 in the next two legs to suddenly pull clear at 5-2.
Taylor then set up a slice of history by opening leg eight with two 180s before finishing 141 with another treble 20, treble 19 and double 12 to complete his perfect leg.
Having celebrated the achievement, Taylor then took out 84 on double six to move 7-2 up, only for Wright to finish 80 on tops to win his first leg in eight and then take out double six and tops once more to reduce the gap to 7-5.
Taylor edged towards victory by sharing the next four legs, with Wright posting a pair of double 18 finishes to stay in the hunt at 9-7, but the 16-time World Champion was too strong in the next as double ten sealed his spot in the final.
