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- Englishman whitewashes world No 1 5-0
- Chisnall meets Gary Anderson in last four
Dave Chisnall celebrates after beating Michael van Gerwen.
Photograph: Shane Healey/ProSports/Shutterstock
Dave Chisnall sent Michael van Gerwen crashing out of the PDC World Championship with a shock 5-0 victory over the world No 1 in Friday night’s quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace.
In a superb display Chisnall averaged 107.34 and hit 14 180s as the world No 8 whitewashed the three-times champion Van Gerwen and moved into the semi-finals of the competition for the first time.
Chisnall’s last-four opponent will be the two-times winner Gary Anderson, while the other semi-final will be between Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting. The emphatic win by Chisnall – who almost registered a nine-dart leg, missing a double 12 – ended a run of 27 matches without a victory over Van Gerwen.
The 40-year-old Englishman told Sky Sports: “I’m so proud. I’ve been practising well, I’ve been playing well I’d say for the last three, four weeks. I have put the effort in. I changed my points to a little bit smaller.
“I was confident against Dimitri [Van den Burgh in the previous round] and this morning when I woke up I was confident again, just sitting in my hotel room watching the TV.
“I want it [the world title] more than anybody else does. I know my own ability, I know I’m playing well. I can win this.”
Defeat left Van Gerwen “absolutely devastated”. He added on Twitter: “I didn’t show up at all this evening and let myself down. For some reason it just never happened up there.
“Full credit to @ChizzyChisnall who was outstanding all game, and wish him luck for the rest of the tournament. Thank you for the support.”
‘What a numpty’: Anderson takes aim at darts commentator after PDC worlds cruise – video
Anderson earlier defeated Dirk Van Duijvenbode, losing the opening set before surging to a 5-1 triumph. The Scot, who averaged 101.07, said: “That was good. First set Dirk went off like he did and I played actually all right – I went: ’Here we go.’ But I stuck in.”
Asked if we were seeing the Anderson of 2015 and 2016, the years he won the title, the 50-year-old said: “Not quite yet. It’s getting there.
“The 140s are coming good now. Still a few mistakes, but happy.”
He added: “If I wasn’t to win this title I’d love to see Chizzy [Chisnall] win it. He’s been on the go for years and he is a phenomenal darts player.”
Price reached his second successive semi-final as the Welsh world No 3 beat Daryl Gurney 5-4. Bunting secured a maiden last-four appearance via a 5-3 win against Krzysztof Ratajski.
