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| Photo from sportinglife.com |
Gerwyn Price lost a third straight televised match as his poor run of form continued against James Wade.
Since winning his first major title at the Grand Slam in November, the Iceman has suffered first round defeats in the Players Championship Finals and the World Championship before going 10-7 to the Machine.
Both players are far from fan favourites at present, with Price being fined £21,500 and handed a three-month suspended ban after his altercations with Gary Anderson in the Grand Slam final, while Wade's behaviour during his World Championship match and comments after his encounter with Seigo Asada - still awaiting sanction from the Darts Regulatory Authority - leaves him far from first choice either.
That said, the Aldershot thrower is seeking a third major title in four months after his successes in the European Championship and World Series Finals, but averaged only 87 To Price's 94, while both hit 33.33% of double attempts.
But Wade typically hit his 10 out of 30 doubles at key times in a largely mediocre affair.
Wade stormed into a 6-1 lead before Price came back with finishes of 90, 100 and 73 to take three of the next five legs, but Wade took the next to go one away.
Price won the next three on the bounce but it was too little too late as Wade saw out the win.
(2) Rob Cross 6-10 (15) Joe Cullen
Joe Cullen made a winning start on his Master debut as he triumphed over Rob Cross 10-6.
The Rockstar blasted into leads of 2-0 and 4-1 before Voltage landed a 124 checkout.
The World Matchplay champion took the next leg but spurned two darts at double to level as Cullen landed a 14-darter.
Cross, who suffered an upset at the hands of Luke Humphries at the World Championship, closed to within one at 7-6 thanks to back-to-back 13-darters.
But Cullen averaged 108 in the next three legs - including a 107 checkout - to see him into the last eight.
Cullen's average of 95 was inferior to Cross' 98, but hit six 180s and hit 10 of 21 darts at double - much more clinical than his first round exit at the World Championship when he won only one leg against Brendan Dolan and missed 16 darts at doubles.
(6) Michael Smith 10-5 (11) Ian White
Michael Smith looked in good form as he beat his close friend and practice partner Ian White 10-5.
The World Championship runner-up had admitted before this tournament that he had hardly practiced since the New Year's Day showpiece due to his wedding and honeymoon in January, but any cobwebs were well gone by the time he went up on stage tonight.
Diamond fought back from 3-1 to 5-5 with the help of an 11-dart leg, before Smith hit two 14-darters and one 13 to see out the match.
Bully Boy hit four 180s to White's one, and hit 10 out of 18 darts at double to White's 5/21, with the man from Stoke losing in the first round of the Masters for the fifth year in a row.
(3) Peter Wright 10-9 (14) Adrian Lewis
Peter Wright survived two match darts in a deciding leg to come through a scrappy match against Adrian Lewis.
Snakebite was 3-0, 7-4 and 8-6 behind but produced a gutsy display to book his place in the quarter-finals.
But he'll need to improve on his 89 average if he is to beat Michael Smith in the quarter-finals.
After opening with an 11-dart leg, Jackpot saw his 3-0 lead erased when the Scot won four legs on the trot, before the two-time world champion took the next four including a 101 checkout.
Wright took out 120 to reduce the deficit to 8-7 and took the next two legs to go one away, before Lewis forced a decider.
With the advantage of throwing first, Wright got down to a finish first but strayed into single one when requiring 60 with two darts in hand.
Lewis then had a chance to win the match, needing 97, he found the treble 19 with his first dart but couldn't find double top or double 10 with either of the following darts, with Wright returning to seal the win.
Lewis averaged slightly better with 92 and hit two more 180 with three but his 19 missed doubles - compared to Wright's 16 - proved costly.
Sunday Order of Play
(12) Dave Chisnall (ENG) v Stephen Bunting (ENG)
(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) v (8) Mensur Suljovic (AUT)
(15) Joe Cullen (ENG) v (10) James Wade (ENG)
(6) Michael Smith (ENG) v (3) Peter Wright (SCO)
Draw
Section One
(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) 10-5
(8) Mensur Suljovic (AUT) 10-1
Stephen Bunting (ENG)* 10-9
=
(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) v (8) Mensur Suljovic (AUT)
(12) Dave Chisnall (ENG) v Stephen Bunting (ENG)
Section Two
(6) Michael Smith (ENG) 10-5
(3) Peter Wright (SCO) 10-9
=
(15) Joe Cullen (ENG) v (10) James Wade (ENG)
(6) Michael Smith (ENG) v (3) Peter Wright (SCO)
Day One Results and Report
(5) Daryl Gurney 8-10 (12) Dave Chisnall
(8) Mensur Suljovic 10-1 (9) Simon Whitlock
Stephen Bunting 10-9 (13) Darren Webster
(1) Michael van Gerwen 10-5 (16) Jonny Clayton
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