TOP SEEDS Michael van Gerwen and Simon Whitlock were knocked out of the German Darts Championship in the third round on Sunday afternoon by comeback victories for Andy Hamilton and Daryl Gurney in Hildesheim.
Van Gerwen's bid to win a third European Tour title of the year was derailed as he saw Hamilton come from 3-0 down to claim a 6-4 triumph.
The Dutch ace had opened the game in the same form which had seen him whitewash Colin Osborne in round two, finishing 78, 110 and double 12 to win the game's opening three legs.
Hamilton, though, kick-started his challenge with a brilliant 146 finish in the fourth leg, before scoring 167 to set up 40 as he won a second leg with a 14-darter, and he then hit a 180 in another 14-dart finish as he levelled the game.
Van Gerwen broke back in leg seven to move 4-3 up, but Hamilton replied superbly with a maximum in an 11-darter to level once more, and he then added another 180 in a 14-darter to lead for the first time at 5-4.
The pair traded 180s in the next as van Gerwen fought to force a decider, but the Dutchman missed double seven for a 122 finish and three further darts at the bed to allow Hamilton in on double ten for a gritty win.
"Sometimes you play the player, and I upped my game tremendously against a player who's in great form," said Hamilton. "I was in the zone, my finishes were good and I took my chances."
Number two seed Simon Whitlock joined van Gerwen in being knocked out as he went down in a dramatic deciding leg against Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney.
The pair enjoyed a tight battle, with Whitlock coming from 4-3 down to move 5-4 up with an 11-darter, but Gurney forced a decided and pounced when the Australian missed the bull and two darts at double 16 for the win by landing double 18 to claim victory.
Gurney, who won a PDC Tour Card in January and is appearing in his first European Tour event, now plays Peter Wright in the quarter-finals on Sunday evening, and admitted: "I'm very proud to have won this game.
"I've beaten a Premier League player, one of the best in the world, and I feel really good after that. I thought Simon was going to win in the last leg, but I had a bit of luck."
Wright, a semi-finalist in June's UK Open, booked his place in the last eight with a 6-3 win over Jelle Klaasen, despite the Dutch ace finishing 144 as he shared the game's opening four legs.
Hamilton now plays Steve Beaton in the quarter-finals, after the former World Champion reached the last eight for the third successive European Tour event with a dramatic 6-5 win over Andy Smith, who was left waiting on 40 in the deciding leg of a tight game.
Dave Chisnall was another 6-5 winner - for the third successive game this weekend - as he edged out Paul Nicholson, who missed the bull for a 124 checkout in the deciding leg of their clash.
Chisnall's quarter-final opponent will be Kevin Painter, who came from 2-0 down to defeat Justin Pipe 6-4.
Jamie Caven and Richie Burnett will meet in the other quarter-final following their respective wins over Vincent van der Voort and Steve Brown.
Caven dropped only one leg as he defeated van der Voort 6-1, while Burnett averaged 101.85 in his 6-2 defeat of resurgent Brown.
The £100,000 European Tour event will conclude on Sunday evening, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final being held at Halle 39 in Hildeshiem - and with no former European Tour winner remaining in the field, there is guaranteed to be a new winner in the series of events.
German Darts Championship - European Tour Event Six
Sunday September 8
Afternoon Session
Third Round
Michael van Gerwen 4-6 Andy Hamilton
Andy Smith 5-6 Steve Beaton
Kevin Painter 6-4 Justin Pipe
Dave Chisnall 6-5 Paul Nicholson
Simon Whitlock 5-6 Daryl Gurney
Jelle Klaasen 3-6 Peter Wright
Jamie Caven 6-1 Vincent van der Voort
Richie Burnett 6-2 Steve Brown
DAVE CHISNALL claimed the biggest victory of his career as he defeated Peter Wright 6-2 in the German Darts Championship final on Sunday night, scooping the £20,000 first prize and moving up to seventh in the PDC Order of Merit.
The St Helens ace had reached two European Tour finals in 2012, losing out to Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld, but finally went one better as he won his first title since last November.
Chisnall had continued his fine weekend's form at Halle 39 in Hildesheim as he defeated Paul Nicholson and Kevin Painter in deciding legs earlier on Sunday, before sealing a 6-4 semi-final win over Steve Beaton with a spectacular 170 checkout.
He enjoyed his most comprehensive win in the final as he dropped only two legs and averaged almost 100 in seeing off Wright 6-2 to claim glory in front of a sell-out German crowd.
After edging a nervy opening leg, Chisnall doubled his lead with a 13-dart leg and, after Wright got off the mark with a 14-dart finish, he then took out 130 for a 12-darter to lead 3-1.
Chisnall then punished a missed double 18 from Wright by landing double nine to move 4-1 up, and took out tops to move to the brink of victory at 5-1.
He landed a 180 to leave 73 in the seventh leg as he closed on the winning line, only for Wright to finish 106 in keeping his hopes alive - but the fightback was to be short-lived as Chisnall hit another 180 to set up double 18 as he secured the triumph with a 13-dart leg.
"It's the highlight of my career," said Chisnall. "It feels great and I'm delighted because I played well throughout the tournament.
"I was a bit nervous against Kevin Painter in the quarter-finals and I missed a few doubles, but once I came through that I played the darts that I know I can play, especially against Steve in the semis.
"I had four 6-5 results in my first four games but some of those probably shouldn't have been 6-5, but that's darts and I don't mind as long as I win them! If I'd hit my doubles a bit better then it might have been easier for me."
Chisnall added: "I had two good events last year where I got to the final but played Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld, but this was my time.
"My form wasn't that good earlier in the year but I've got it back now, so I'm very happy."
Wright had to settle for the £10,000 runner-up prize as he was denied a third ranking title which would have been the biggest win of his career.
The Lowestoft ace, a semi-finalist in the UK Open earlier this year, had seen off World Youth Championship finalist Ricky Evans, German qualifier Michael Hurtz, Jelle Klaasen and Daryl Gurney on his way to the last four.
There, he overcame Richie Burnett 6-5 in an epic clash, with the colourful Welsh ace taking out an 11-darter and a 121 finish as he moved 4-2 up, only to miss one dart for victory as Wright forced a deciding leg, which he won in 12 darts.
"I'm pleased to have reached the final but it's disappointing to lose," said Wright, who continues to climb towards a place in the world's top 16.
"I think the semi-final took a lot out of me, and fair play to Dave because in the final he seemed to hit everything. I just wanted him to give me a chance but he didn't, and he played well."
Burnett's run to the semis improves his chances of qualifying for next month's partypoker.com World Grand Prix in Ireland, while Beaton also picked up £5,000 prize money as he reached the last four in a European Tour event for the second time this year.
Emerging Northern Irish ace Gurney celebrated his European Tour debut by knocking out world number four Simon Whitlock on his way to the last eight, while Andy Hamilton had come from 3-0 down to end Michael van Gerwen's hopes of a third European Tour win of the year in their last 16 clash.
Hamilton went on to lose to Beaton, while Painter was edged out by Chisnall and Jamie Caven went down 6-4 to Burnett as the Welshman hit back from 3-1 down to claim victory.
The next European Tour event will be the German Darts Masters at the Glaspalast in Sindelfingen from September 20-22, as Adrian Lewis defends the title he won 12 months ago.
German Darts Championship - European Tour Event Six
Quarter-Finals
Andy Hamilton 3-6 Steve Beaton
Kevin Painter 5-6 Dave Chisnall
Daryl Gurney 2-6 Peter Wright
Jamie Caven 4-6 Richie Burnett
Semi-Finals
Steve Beaton 4-6 Dave Chisnall
Peter Wright 6-5 Richie Burnett
Final
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Peter Wright
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