Darts results: Michael van Gerwen thrashes Peter Wright; Nathan Aspinall awaits in World Grand Prix final

Michael van Gerwen destroyed an out-of-sorts Peter Wright 4-0 to reach the World Grand Prix final, where he’ll face Nathan Aspinall.

A match many had expected to last long into the night was over quickly, van Gerwen dropping just a solitary leg as he ransacked his opponent with a display of front-running dominance.

Right from the 167 checkout he hit in the opening leg to the tops he pinned for the match, van Gerwen was far superior to Wright in every department and came close to what would’ve been a remarkable 12-leg whitewash.

Having lost the opening eight legs of the match, Wright did get off the mark in the middle of the third set but his night was summed up when he immediately gifted van Gerwen the following leg with a pair of missed darts at double.

And just to cap things off, Wright misses nine darts to hold throw in the third leg of set four, van Gerwen gratefully stepping in to complete the job, his 63% checkout rate in stark contrast to Wright’s one-in-20 return.

Not that Wright’s struggles should undermine what was a high-class display from van Gerwen, who in supplemented those opening fireworks with finishes of 94 and 98 in set two and added a 124 checkout in the final set.

On this form he’ll take some stopping as he seeks a sixth World Grand Prix title in what’s his seventh final appearance.

“With my performance in the last few days I expected to win, but you still have to do it against a guy like Peter Wright,” said van Gerwen, who has also seen off Gary Anderson, Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey in Leicester this week.

“He didn’t look well and I don’t know what happened there, but you need to take advantage of that.

“He’s a phenomenal player but he didn’t turn up tonight and I did the right things for myself at the right moment. Early doors I played well and that gave me confidence.”

Aspinall secures emotional win

An emotional Nathan Aspinall knocked out Gerwyn Price with a superb 4-2 semi-final success to reach his first World Grand Prix final with a memorable triumph.

Aspinall took a six-week break from the sport following the World Championship last December to undergo treatment for a serious wrist injury.

He has won two ranking events since returning to action in February, but has hit top form during the double-start World Grand Prix in Leicester this week.

Following victories over Michael Smith, Danny Noppert and Martin Lukeman, he ended world number one Price’s bid to reach a third successive World Grand Prix final in sensational fashion.

Aspinall started the brighter and landed a 14-darter and a 113 finish as he claimed the opening set 3-1 in front of a sellout crowd at the Morningside Arena.

Price finished 121 for a 12-darter on his way to the second set, but lost the third as Aspinall fired in a 13-dart leg as he moved ahead again in the match.

The fourth set was the first to go to a deciding leg as the opening four legs went with throw, but two missed darts at double 16 from Price allowed Aspinall in to land double five as took a 3-1 lead.

Aspinall then moved to the brink of victory in set five, leading 2-1 before Price levelled, and when the Stockport ace missed a match dart at double 16, Price pounced with a 117 checkout to snatch the set and keep his hopes alive.

Price then took out 107 and 127 in successive legs to come from behind to lead in the sixth set as a comeback appeared on the cards, but more missed doubles allowed Aspinall to level before a 13-darter saw him clinically close out the win.

“To be in the BoyleSports World Grand Prix final, I’m absolutely on cloud nine,” said Aspinall, who landed 56% of his finishing doubles.

“It means so much. I’ve put so much work in since my injury and worked so hard. Finally, I’m back in the final of a major and I’m buzzing.

“I think I should have won the game 4-1 but it wasn’t to be, nerves took their toll on me and Gezzy, when he needed to, took some amazing shots out.

“I thought he was going to kick on and his double tops were going to start going, but it just didn’t happen; I have no idea why and I’m thankful that I won.”

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