TaylorWade For A Semi-Final

The first two quarter finals of the 2013 World Matchplay Darts were completed today, meaning that the first of Saturday's semi-finals has now been confirmed. The reigning champion, Phil Taylor, will meet James Wade after both players managed to get through against tough opposition in their quarter finals.

Taylor booked his place in the top four with victory over a Justin Pipe that looked to tire towards the end. Taylor began the night with a 122-checkout to level the match in the second leg before going 3-1 in front. The score would be 3-2 going in to the first break but Pipe soon retaliated. Pipe would hit a fantastic 136-checkout to level the match at 4-4. Taylor needed to make it 5-5 at the second break before Pipe levelled the match in the 12th leg. Taylor finally found a break and won three consecutive legs to lead 9-6 at the third break. That became 9-7 before Taylor again stepped up a gear, reeling off the remaining four legs of the fourth session, including a 100-checkout in leg-19, to make it 13-7. The five legs of the fifth session all went with throw, meaning that Pipe won it 3-2 and did hit a 104-checkout in leg-23, this meant Taylor was 15-9 in front before Pipe prolonged the defeat until after the break. The 26th leg was completed with an 18-checkout, giving Taylor the 16-10 victory.


Wade needed extra time to battle back and overcome Simon Whitlock in his quarter final. The match see-sawed throughout and it began with Whitlock winning the opening leg against the throw. Wade retaliated and took out 120 to move 2-1 in front before leading 3-2 at the first break. After sharing the first two legs, Whitlock responded with the following three legs to turn it around and lead 6-4 at the second, Wade did miss two darts to make it 5-5. The third session saw Wade turn it around again, taking the first four legs of the session to end up going 8-7 ahead. Whitlock had missed two darts in leg-12 to make it 7-5 but he soon made it 8-8 with a stunning 130-checkout. The Aussie did go 9-8 ahead only for Wade to make it 10-9 before Whitlock levelled the match going in to the fourth break. A 124-checkout from Whitlock was the second of three consecutive legs to move ahead once again at 13-10, only for Wade to take the remaining two legs of the session to reduce the arrears to 13-12 at the final interval. Whitlock then managed to move 14-12 in front only for Wade to hit a 135-checkout to level before Whitlock needed make it 15-15 to force a tie break. That became 16-16 before Wade finally managed to see off the Aussie and win 18-16.