Dennis Nilsson produced a scintillating performance as the first four semi-finalists for the 2023 CT1 WDF Lakeside World Championships were confirmed on Friday afternoon.
Sensational Nilsson eliminates World Master Plaisier
Dennis Nilsson produced the performance of a lifetime to beat the reigning World Master Wesley Plaisier 4-1 and become the first Swedish man in 29 years to reach the Lakeside semi-finals.
Plaisier broke the Nilsson throw in the first leg of the match but big finishes of 121 and 100 saw ‘Strongman’ take the first set 3-2. Nilsson then won the second by the same margin, rallying from 2-1 down to seal the set with legs in 18 and 14 darts.
The big Dutchman starred after the break, taking the third set 3-0 with legs in 11, 15 and 14 darts – a running average of 112.7.
He also had a dart at double 16 for a 103 checkout to win the fourth set but Nilsson didn’t wilt, taking out 41 in two darts to move 3-1 up.
The fifth set capped off what had been a high-quality affair, with Plaisier taking out finishes of 82 and 76 but Nilsson sealing his spot in the last four with legs in 13, 13 and 15 darts.
Plaisier threw six 180s and averaged just over 96 but in the end it was the big Swede that starred and will face Andy Baetens tomorrow afternoon.
Baetens beats brave Tata
Facing Nilsson in the last four will be the top seed and tournament favourite Andy Baetens, who had to work hard to see off the impressive Kiwi debutant Jonny Tata 4-2.
Tata had darts to win each of the three first sets but came up dry each time. He led 2-0 in the first but successive finishes of 101, 68 and 56 gave Baetens the opener.
Baetens pinned tops to take the second and take a 2-0 lead going into the break and then capitalised on Tata’s wayward doubling in the third set by going out in 14 and 16 darts to make it 3-0.
Tata, who threw seven 180s in the match, was able to get over the hump in the fourth set, taking out 76 to win it 3-2, and he then closed the gap even further by winning the fifth set.
In the fifth Baetens missed two match darts, with Tata taking out 76 and 56 and then sealing it with a match-best 11-darter.
Set six was entirely one way traffic though, with Baetens matching his previous tournament-best finish of 160 before taking it 3-0 and the match 4-2 by pinning 76 in two darts.
Clinical O’Sullivan dispatches Hedman in straight sets
Rhian O’Sullivan produced a superb display of combination finishing to beat Deta Hedman in straight sets and advance to the Women’s World Championship semi-finals.
The Wales captain took the first set 3-0, producing checkouts of 77, 68 and 70 as Hedman struggled to find her rhythm in the opening match of the afternoon.
Hedman got on the board in the second with a 54 out and also led 2-1 after pinning 98. ‘The Heart of Darts’ missed three darts to take the set and she was duly punished, O’Sullivan taking out 76 before sealing a 2-0 victory on tops.
O’Sullivan finished with an 80.43 average and she now awaits the winner of tonight’s opening game between Beau Greaves and Paula Murphy.
De Graaf eases into the last four
Aileen de Graaf is into her first Lakeside semi-final in six years after a relatively routine victory over Lorraine Winstanley.
The Dutch ace kicked off the match with a 15-darter but actually found herself 2-1 down as Winstanley found her footing. Winstanley was unable to see out the set though, missing set darts in the fourth and fifth legs as she went into the break 1-0 down.
The second set was much more one-way traffic, with de Graaf kicking off with a 15-darter and then sealing victory with a 64 checkout.
In the semi-finals, she will face either four-time World Champion Lisa Ashton or the 2022 finalist Kirsty Hutchinson.
8th December Afternoon Session Results
Rhian O’Sullivan 2-0 Deta Hedman
Dennis Nilsson 4-1 Wesley Plaisier
Aileen de Graaf 2-0 Lorraine Winstanley
Andy Baetens 4-2 Jonny Tata
All photo credit goes to Chris Sargeant / Tip Top Pics
