Van Gerwen seals Dubai Masters hat-trick with win over Taylor

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  • Champion again: Van Gerwen.

    World No1 against World No 2. Darting royalty against the challenger to the throne.

    The third running of the Dubai Duty Free Masters could not have wished for a more box-office finale, usurper Michael van Gerwen maintaining his iron grip on the tournament thanks to a pulsating 11-8 triumph as iconic 16-time PDC World Darts Championship winner Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor wilted.

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    ‘Mighty Mike’ cranked up the pressure by taking the last five legs to make it a hat-trick, both combatants averaging 107 in a relentless contest. His famous opponent will wonder how he let it go, falling behind for the first time in the 17th.

    Van Gerwen’s reward for heading the elite field for the two-day event which contained the top-six ranked players and two wildcards was a $50,000 (Dh183,500) prize.

    But this was an achievement beyond money, showing character by coming from behind in all three matches during this stay in the UAE. The memory of being reduced to tears against the old hand when crushed 18-9 in the 2014 World Matchplay decider can be consigned to the past.

    Taylor – who won his first-ever match in Dubai against Peter Wright on Thursday – was brutal in the semi-final which kicked off a spirited night in front of 3,000 fans at Dubai Tennis Stadium, bringing ‘Flying Scotsman’ Gary Anderson down to earth with an 11-3 defeat.

    This was a turn-up for the form books, Anderson heading to Dubai a week after lifting the £200,000 (Dh1.12m) 2015 Premier League Darts crown. There was never any sign of the Scot being able to repeat his 2015 World Championship final victory when the pair clashed in January, Taylor laying down a marker of what was to come with a first-throw 180.

    In contrast, Dubai king and World No 1 Van Gerwen’s crown appeared to be slipping in his lastfour match-up against World No 4 Adrian Lewis – having to fight back from 4-1 down.

    A break in the 17th put the 26-year-old ahead for the first time, beginning with his fifth 180 of a rollercoaster contest in the next leg to set up an 11-9 triumph.

    He also began slowly against countryman Raymond van Barneveld in Thursday’s quarter-final, but there was a lightning start to the decider. Both combatants began at a punishing pace, averaging more than 110 per trip to the board as the opening legs were shared.

    But a relentless four-leg spree pushed ‘The Power’ 6-4 clear before the second break. The 54-year-old then had darts to break in the 13th, 14th and 15th, letting Van Gerwen off the hook in each one to only lead 8-7.

    Two crucial missed double 16s allowed the Dutchman to level at 8-8, breezing past Taylor in the next to go 9-8 ahead. A classic battle was soon edged by the 2014 World Championship winner to move to within one of victory.

    His British opponent’s 171 left him with 72 to close, Van Gerwen responding with a 180. Taylor missed tops, his rival finding double 10 to close on glory. Van Gerwen smelled blood and a clinical 68 finish followed in the 19th to maintain his Dubai domination.

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