Jonny Clayton is the final player through to the semi-finals of The Masters where he will play Peter Wright later on in Milton Keynes after a mesmeric display of finishing to down James Wade.
ADVERTISEMENT
Clayton came from 7-3 and 9-6 down to defeat Wade 10-9 winning it in style with a 126 checkout on the bull holding an astonishing 10/11 on the doubles as he breaks the curse of Michael van Gerwen in the process.
As well as potentially gatecrashing the tenth Premier League spot conversation by taking out Wade who was seemingly in the running.
Wade took out 99 for the opening leg to begin with an opening break against Clayton but this didn't last long as 'The Ferret' returned with a brilliant response in the form of a 160 checkout for 1-1.
Wade returned though with a ton plus foray of his own in the form of a 121 checkout to make it 2-1 before putting some breathing space between the duo at 4-1 up with the same blockbuster checkout.
Clayton showed tenacity though and hit back-to-back 11 darters to close the gap to 4-3 averaging 109.
Despite the massive average from Clayton, it was Wade's exquisite finishing that was giving him the edge as he went 5-3 up with 5/7 on the doubles alongside a 105.7 average of his own.
ADVERTISEMENT
This control was extended as he went 7-3 up to make it three consecutive legs. The tie though took another turn as Clayton took out 100 on two double 20's which proved to be a catalyst for a revival.
He broke with a 68 checkout to make it 7-5 and was only one behind at 7-6 from there. But again when Clayton found his way back in, Wade was there to test his resolve.
Wade went one away suddenly at 9-6 after stopping the rot with 53% on the doubles. Again though, Clayton stayed alive with a 121 checkout on the bull followed by a 62 checkout to make it 9-8.
Wade had the darts to prevent Clayton taking it to a decider. But Clayton was down to 98 after a 180 and was given a shot when Wade couldn't take out 161.
'The Ferret' pinned it with an 11-darter to send it all the way where he would have the darts. He completed it in style with a 126 checkout on the bull with Wade sat on 121 for the win.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔 𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗢 𝗪𝗜𝗡 𝗜𝗧!!! 🤩
Absolutely sensational from Jonny Clayton, completing an epic fightback, capped off with a stunning 126 on the bull in the deciding leg!
The Welshman hit over 90% of his attempted doubles in that match 🤯🔥
Wow.