Lewis beats Taylor to win UK Open Qualifier One!

Adrian Lewis secured victory in the first UK Open qualifier of 2016, thanks to an emphatic 6-2 victory over 16-time world champion Phil Taylor in the final. Lewis was in tremendous form throughout the day, to scoop the £10,000 winner’s cheque at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan.

Lewis kicked off his qualification campaign with emphatic 6-1 victories over Joey Palfreyman and Ted Evetts respectively, before easing into the last 16 with a whitewash victory against Mervyn King.

‘Jackpot’ edged through a deciding leg clash against World Championship quarter-finalist Alan Norris to reach the last eight, where he dismantled Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-1. Adrian then repeated the feat in the semi-finals, thrashing Peter Wright by the same scoreline to reach the final.

Taylor had dropped just seven legs throughout the entire day’s play, but he came up against an inspired Lewis, who recorded his six winning legs in 15,14, 12, 11, 13 and 14 darts respectively. This guarantees that Adrian will enter the UK Open at the third-round stage, when the tournament kicks off in March.

Whilst Taylor will be disappointed to fall at the final hurdle, he performed superbly well throughout the day, easing into the last 16 with successive 6-1 triumphs against Antonio Alcinas, Kirk Shepherd and Stephen Bunting.

Taylor then cruised to a semi-final spot with consecutive 6-2 victories over fellow Premier League star Robert Thornton, and emerging youngster David Pallett, to set up a last-four clash against John Henderson. Taylor whitewashed ‘Big John’ 6-0 to reach the final, to collect £5,000 on the UK Open Order of Merit.

However, the Scottish duo of John Henderson and Peter Wright will be mightily satisfied with their afternoon’s work. Henderson defeated Matthew Dennant, Christian Kist, Jeffrey de Zwaan, Jason Marriot and Michael Smith to reach the semis.

Meanwhile, Peter Wright followed up his impressive Premier League victory over Michael Smith with a productive day’s work in Wigan. Wright defeated the likes of Brendan Dolan, Terry Jenkins and Raymond van Barneveld, before his charge was ended by the eventual winner Lewis.

Michael Smith recovered from his chastening Premier League debut by reaching the quarter-finals today. ‘Bully-Boy’ was in fine form throughout the day, dropping just three legs in dispatching Paul Osmotherley and Jermaine Wattimena to reach the last 32.

Smith eased past Spanish star Cristo Reyes in the last 32, before clinching his last eight berth with a comprehensive 6-1 rout of Mensur Suljovic. Nevertheless, the St Helen’s star was beaten 6-2 by an inspired John Henderson in the next-round.

Elsewhere, David Pallett replicated his World Championship victory over Kim Huybrechts, by defeating the Belgian 6-4 in the last 128 stage today. Pallett essentially secured his UK Open spot by reaching the last eight today, where he was beaten by Taylor. However, Pallett also defeated world number 12 Ian White in reaching the quarter-finals.

Pallett’s fellow youngster Rowby-John Rodriguez also kicked off his 2016 season in fine style by reaching the quarter-finals in Wigan. The young Austrian claimed a number of notable scalps, beating Jamie Caven and Kevin Painter en route to the last 32.

Rodriguez would then face Dave Chisnall in the last 16, after Chizzy had just prevailed 6-4 against Michael van Gerwen. The St Helen’s star beat Rowby-John 3-0 in December’s World Championships, but ‘Little John’ exacted revenge, with a 6-3 victory over ‘The Yellow Peril’, before his fairytale run was ended by Lewis.

Five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld also enjoyed a fine run, eventually losing in a deciding leg against Peter Wright in the quarter-finals.

Van Barneveld defeated his compatriot Jan Dekker, former world finalist Andy Hamilton and the veteran Steve Beaton en route to reaching the last eight, where he was edged out by Snakebite, who he faces in next week’s Betway Premier League.

However, it was a disappointing day for the majority of the Dutch contingent. World number one Michael van Gerwen, who was beaten 7-4 by James Wade in last night’s Premier League opener, was beaten 6-4 in the last 32 by fellow Premier League star Dave Chisnall.

Elsewhere, World Championship semi-finalist Jelle Klaasen was also beaten in the last 32, losing 6-4 to Robert Thornton, whilst Vincent van der Voort suffered a shock whitewash against ‘The Undertaker’ Kevin Thomas in the last 128 stage. It’s safe to say Vincent was dead and buried in that contest!

Eight-time major winner James Wade suffered a disappointing early exit against ‘Flash’ Mark Dudbridge. Wade, who defeated MvG in his Premier League opener last night, was beaten 6-5 by Dudbridge; a World Championship finalist back in 2005.

Dudbridge continued to roll back the years by posting an exquisite 9-darter during his emphatic 6-2 victory against fellow veteran Andy Jenkins, but Mark’s resistance was eventually broken in the last 32, where he suffered an agonising 6-5 defeat to Jason Marriot.

World champion Gary Anderson wasn’t present in Wigan, as he continues his recovery from a viral infection, which kept him out of last night’s Premier League opener in Leeds. However, the ‘Flying Scotsman’ will compete in the next three UK Open qualifiers in a fortnight’s time.

The full results from today’s opening UK Open qualifier can be found below.