Super PDC Series: Raymond van Barneveld retains first PDC ranking title in eight years with victory over Joe Cullen | Darts News

Barney pleads for a return to the top

Raymond van Barneveld showed his first PDC ranking title since 2013 just three days into his ProTour goal when he defeated Joe Cullen 8-6 in an exciting final at the Players Championship event on Saturday.

The Dutchman finished off 12 with a clutch final shot that came from 3-1 and 4-2 down against a red-hot Cullen, who had looked on course to continue a separate week after the case was over. Jonny Clayton in the final on Thursday.

Van Barneveld solidified his class with a 144-pointer to break back and tie the game at 5-5 before punishing three missed darts for the break from Cullen to move within two of the win.

Barney then invited his opponent to draw a level with two breakouts for himself, but kept calm to cover it over the next two legs and ended a short wait for success since he decided to come. out of retirement.

The 53-year-old opened the way to the final with a 6-3 win over Krzysztof Kciuk, followed by a tight game by Rob Cross as he came from 5-4 down and survived from a maids shot to Voltage Beat 6-5. An average of 105.7 led him to a 6-1 victory over Darius Labanauskas in the last 16, before signing a tackle against Alan Soutar and Ian White against Cullen Mara.

After being blessed in round one, Cullen started his day with a win over Rowby-John Rodriguez before beating Ricky Evans and Daryl Gurney to reach the semi-finals.

A 6-2 win over dangerous Krzysztof Ratajski led the way to the last four, where he took control of Danny Noppert 7-3 to put on an exciting show with the former world champion.

“Without winning last week’s competition in Germany, it was too early for me, all the arrangements, I got my tour card and then a lot of pressure to come over here, planning , designing, designing, “said Van Barneveld.” The first day I played Stephen Bunting, a semi – finalist at the World Championships, I think ‘come on PDC’, yesterday one game well and I lost to Danny Noppert who hit a 15-darter and today everything went well.

“I had the focus that I never had for the last two or three years. Joe played amazingly and I took my chances and I’m so happy.

“I was focusing on that tour card and then all of a sudden I came here and I was like‘ wow, this is another level ’and I’m wondering‘ can I do this? -again? ‘. Believe? Of course I believe. I can’t .shine how happy I am.

“Last year I went ‘Raymond, can I do this?’ and I can do this.It all starts with credit.You have to start from the beginning.I was an amateur last week, it’s so weird.Then a week later I Winning the pro tour is what you can do if you believe in yourself. “

Mensur Suljovic followed the nine-dart streak this week as he made three straight days of perfect legs to continue with Adrian Lewis and Michael Smith on Thursday and Friday.

MVG drops out early

It was a poor start to the day for Michael van Gerwen with the former World No 1 losing 6-3 loss to Labanauskas in the opening round.

The Dutchman was beaten by Welshman Lewis Williams on the first day after wins over Matthew Edgar and Mark McGeeney, before losing 6-1 to Jonny Clayton in the last 16 on Friday.

There was also a loss of around one for Smith as he lost 6-5 to Eddie Lovely, and Nathan Aspinall, who reached the semi-finals on the second day, was beaten by Soutar.

Meanwhile world champion Gerwyn Price was missing due to an 6-5 loss of ear disease to world No. 96 to Aaron Beeney on Thursday.

Wade with an amazing show

James Wade delivered one of the shows of the day early when he made Daniel Larsson 6-0 in round one with an impressive average of 114.

The former Premier League champion followed him with another 6-0 win in the last 64, this time against Luke Woodhouse, before defeating Bunting to reach the last 16, where he was defeated. beat by White at the end.

High average levels were not always the recipe to success, however, with Damon Heta losing to Ron Meulenkamp with a 109 display, Jermaine Wattimena eliminated by Keane Barry with an average of 104.47 and Dimitri van den Bergh losing to Bunting with an average of 111.

Follow Sky Sports Darts on Twitter!

Keep up to date with the latest news from around the world.

Rock Star Effects on Day One

Joe Cullen defeated form Jonny Clayton to lift the first Players Championship title of 2021, defeating the recently crowned Masters 8-7 champion in the final Thursday.

The two met on the night for the first time since the World Cup appeared in December, when Cullen had the upper hand in a decision leg and on Thursday Cullen was involved in shooting- another last leg.

Meanwhile, the Ferret had sealed their last place in the Premier League, thanks to his major win. But it was the Rockstar that emerged in the meeting of the two close friends. Cullen enjoyed an impressive day in the office, defeating Ryan Meikle, Ryan Murray, Scott Waites, Chris Dobey, Gabriel Clemens and Nathan Aspinall.

Raymond van Barneveld was beaten by Stephen Bunting in his first PDC appearance after the success of Q-School in Germany last week but the new season had a slow start to Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright.

Rydz is claiming the title of ProTour maiden

Callan Rydz defeated Jonny Clayton 8-7 in the final to finish his first PDC ProTour title at Friday’s Player of the Year event in Bolton.

The 22-year-old punished Clayton’s loss of a bullseye for the game by delivering a 127 check to make his leg decide he was 3-1 down early in the game and with his opponent threatening to run signals away with it.

First down to finish, Rydz maintained his awakening to double a pin nine and take out 87 assists to complete a memorable finish and secure his maiden ranking title.

For Clayton, who recently won a Masters award, he marked his second straight loss in the finals this week after Thursday’s 8-7 loss to Joe Cullen.

Managing world champion Gerwyn Price was a stunning setback in the final 64 when he fell to a 6-5 loss against world No. 96 Aaron Beeney, while Glen Durant was beaten 6-2 by Ian White and Peter Wright lost 6-2 to PDC entrant Alan Soutar.

Listen to The Darts Show podcast with Scott Mitchell and Nathan Aspinall

Subscribe now:

Watch a live broadcast of the 2021 Premier League on it Sky Sports, the action takes place on Monday 5 April with five consecutive nights of action from the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes