"This time we go all the way" - Andy Baetens confident of taking Lakeside crown after breaking quarter-final hoodoo

Although he was made to work for it by Jonny Tata, number one seed Andy Baetens is into the semi-finals at Lakeside for the first time in his career.

"I played very well," assesses the Belgian post-match, having finished off the 4-2 win with a 93.27 average, compared to his opponent's 91.64. "Johnny also played very well. I think it was a good game for the spectators."

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Although Baetens raced into a 3-0 set lead, every set went the full distance and could easily have gone the other way. After match darts had come and gone and Tata pulled back to 3-2, Baetens admits he began to feel the pressure.

"I was feeling nervous. Jonny was hitting 180 after 180, his checkouts were good, but I hid my nerves and I win the game,'' says the pre-tournament favourites. "Now I play a semi-final, here on the Lakeside stage. Three times I've come here, two times it's been a quarter-final, this time we go all the way."

In the semi-final, Baetens faces the Swedish Strongman, Dennis Nilsson after the Swede knocked out Wesley Plaisier with a tournament high average of 97.44. "He's a very good player so we'll see," Baetens previews.

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