Yesterday the semi-finals were played and today it is time for the very big final.
The semifinals have been decided yesterday and it was two semi-finals of two different worlds.
The first between Mensur Suljovic and Peter Wright was characterized by slow play and a barely high level. Both players, but Peter Wright in particular, had difficulty finding the rhythm and resulted in very doubtful scores.
Despite a very even start of the match, Suljovic got in front by 9-6. However, Peter Wright just found that extra level required and got up 10-10. Here, it seemed that Wright had found the level that was necessary to win the match. However, after the break, he came back in an even more bad shape than before in the match and therefore it was not a problem for Suljovic to get in front and winning the match by 13-17. Certainly not a match that will be remembered for its level.
There is, on the other hand, a chance for that about the second semi-final between Gary Anderson and Jeffrey de Zwaan. Entertainingly, the match between Gary and Joe Cullen was probably a notch better, but this semi-final was a powerful competitor.
Both players started out with a fantastic high level and followed each other for a long time. As in the rest of the tournament, Jeffrey de Zwaan played his own cool game, while Gary also continued to throw in the big scores. At 10-9, in Gary’s favor, Jeffrey broke a bit and did not quite play by the average and the coolness we have seen from him in the rest of the tournament. A great-playing Gary Anderson took advantage of that and came in front by 14-9. Therefore, there was not much to do for the Dutchman, even though he found the rhythm again. It was too late. Gary Anderson won the match 17-12 in a game where there was no less than 25 180s, a 99-average for Jeffrey and a 106-averrage for Anderson, who also had a nice 152-checkout along the way.
Today the final is between Mensur Suljovic and Gary Anderson. A match that can be settled on the psychological game.
If Gary hits the level from yesterday, it’s hard to see that Mensur should have the big chances in the match. Mensur has the advantage that he throws relatively slowly and it may break Anderson’s rhythm in that he throws relatively quickly.
The two players have met each other eight times and here there have been four victories to each. Mensur has not won since he beat Anderson in last year’s Champions League final.
But if the final lives up to the level we’ve seen throughout the tournament, we can expect a brag of a match.
The final will be decided in the format of best of 35 legs.