The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsKim Huybrechts has won the European Darts Grand Prix, following a high-quality win in the final over Peter Wright 6-5, after trailing 5-2. The Belgian saw off Steve Beaton, Michael Smith and James on his way to the final where he beat the World number four.
Huybrechts won the opening leg, taking out 103, before Wright hit straight back with a hold. The Belgian followed suit and opened up a 2-1 lead before the former World finalist turned the game on its head, with the help of some missed doubles from Huybrechts.
Wright levelled at 2-2 when Huybrechts hit D11 and D16 rather than the D8 he was aiming for, and then went 3-2 up after taking out 116. His lead was extended with D16 before a magical 161 sent up 5-2 up.
The Scot struggled to get over the line as Huybrechts nailed a 140 checkout to close the gap, and then hit D16 to move within one leg. A sensational 157 put ‘The Hurricane’ level before he closed out the match on D8, taking out 64.
The Belgian has also claimed his place at the Grand Slam in early November following his win in Germany, taking the pressure off him to qualify for the tournament in the qualifiers next week or at the European Championship a couple of weeks.
Joe Cullen made inroads into this tournament, and made the evening session in the quarter-finals, where he was knocked out by an in-form Mensur Suljovic, who was later knocked out by finalist Peter Wright in the semi-finals. Cullen’s run was brought to an end after he averaged a magnificent 110 to beat Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 earlier on in the day, who averaged 111 himself.
Newly-crowned World Grand Prix Champion Robert Thornton was left disappointed this week, and ironically it was his doubling that let him down in his match against Jelle Klaasen, that he lost 6-4.
That concludes the European Tour for 2015, and here are the results from finals day in Germany.
Third Round
James Wade 6-5 Simon Whitlock
Robert Thornton 4-6 Jelle Klaasen
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Steve Beaton
Michael Smith 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Ian White 6-3 Lee Evans
Raymond van Barneveld 2-6 Joe Cullen
Mensur Suljovic 6-5 Mervyn King
Quarter-Finals
James Wade 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Michael Smith
Peter Wright 6-5 Ian White
Joe Cullen 4-6 Mensur Suljovic
Semi-Finals
James Wade 4-6 Kim Huybrechts
Peter Wright 6-5 Mensur Suljovic
Final
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Peter Wright
