Simon Whitlock beats Michael van Gerwen in Grand Slam of Darts
- Published
Whitlock had beaten another qualifier Adam Hunt in the previous round
Simon Whitlock threw a tournament record 20 180's as he recorded an enthralling 16-15 win over Michael van Gerwen in the Grand Slam of Darts.
The 51-year-old Australian survived eight match darts against the world number one.
He had never been ahead in the match but recorded double eight to advance to the semi-finals in Coventry.
Qualifier Whitlock, who won the 2012 European Championship, plays Jose de Sousa in the last four on Monday.
For Whitlock, the world number 20, it was a third successive televised win over Van Gerwen this year and he enthused: "It's incredible - I think this is my best victory I've ever had in darts."
The other semi-final sees English left-hander James Wade, the seventh seed, take on Belgium's Dimitri Van den Bergh, himself a final-leg winner in a 16-15 win against Nathan Aspinall.
The elimination of Van Gerwen, a three-time former winner, ensures there will be a new champion this year while Wade, twice a runner-up, is the only remaining player to have previously made a final.