HETA KO's MvG! Damon Heta holds his nerve to wrap up a huge victory over Michael van Gerwen! The Aussie is into the quarter-finals! 📺 bit.ly/GSODLive #GSOD | L16
Doubling dominance from Damon Heta dumps out Michael van Gerwen at the Grand Slam of Darts
PDCThursday, 16 November 2023 at 23:12
As the second round of the 2023 Grand Slam of Darts nears its close, Michael van Gerwen has joined the likes of Michael Smith, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price in departing after a brilliant display of finishing from Damon Heta.
After his heroics in emerging victorious over Beau Greaves in his group game, it as a different kind of challenge for Damon Heta in this one as he faced Michael van Gerwen. Things started positively for the Australian though, as he held throw in the opening leg. Despite not being at his best, it was van Gerwen who headed off stage in front however, breaking throw in the final leg of the session with a ruthless 96 to edge into a 3-2 advantage.
Despite a few missed darts, van Gerwen made it three legs in a row after the break. A 76 checkout then stopped the rot for the Aussie, before a stunning 112 punished more van Gerwen misses to get that break back and level at 4-4. A 92 finish in the following leg then saw Heta take his third straight and after van Gerwen was unable to punish when Heta missed double 14 for a 121, the Australian returned to seal the break of throw and head of stage 6-4 in front.
With Heta making it five legs on the spin after the break courtesy of double 16, the former three-time Grand Slam of Darts champion was bang in trouble. Checking out 92 in two darts, stopped the rot for van Gerwen, taking a much-needed hold of throw in leg 12. But when two darts for leg 13 came and went for 'Mighty Mike' it was another missed opportunity for the Dutchman, Heta moving just two legs away from the match.
Van Gerwen held somewhat comfortably in leg 14 on tops but it was on the Heta throw where he needed to perform and time was running out for the Dutchman. Taking out 56 in two darts, Heta moved to one leg from one of the biggest wins of his career, putting van Gerwen's back firmly against the wall in the process.
The first of the required legs would come relatively easily for van Gerwen, a comfortable hold finished on double 12 made it 9-7. That was all the Dutchman could muster as far as a comeback was concerned however, Heta cleaning up 80 to take victory at the first time of asking.
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- Oh, dear... how will we cope now?MrYnyslas197122-11-2024
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- Well done Mike – good to move on and look to the future. With his talent, and increasing confidence on stage, he'll be a force to be reckoned with in the month ahead.
UndartedWaters22-11-2024 - It's called talent and good on him.medinabello21-11-2024
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