Peter Wright made a winning start to his reign as World Champion with a 10-7 victory over Joe Cullen on Night Two of the 2020 Ladbrokes Masters in Milton Keynes on Saturday.
Wright continued the form which saw him claim glory at Alexandra Palace on New Year’s Day with a 103.55 average, the highest of the tournament so far, to reach the Masters quarter-finals.
A high-quality contest featuring five ton-plus checkouts was level at six-all before Wright won four of the last five legs to book his place in Sunday afternoon’s last eight, where the Scot will face Dave Chisnall.
Night Two saw the remaining four last 16 matches take place, as 2016 Masters runner-up Chisnall came through a tight tussle with Daryl Gurney, winning 10-8 to reach the quarter-finals.
Chisnall, who sported a pair of spectacles on stage for the first time, took out finishes of 100 and 74 to lead 5-2 before world number seven Gurney hit back with checkouts of 117 and 81 to level at 5-5.
The next six legs were shared to make it 8-8 but four missed double attempts from Gurney across the next two legs were punished by Chisnall, who consigned the Northern Irishman to a third defeat in the first round in as many outings at the event.
A tight contest saw no more than two legs between the pair throughout, but at 7-7 Anderson struck a crucial 11-dart break of throw and with White unable to reply in kind for the remained of the match, Anderson advanced to the last eight.
Anderson now plays Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals, after the world number three held off Simon Whitlock’s fightback to win a thriller in a deciding leg.
Whitlock came from two legs down to lead 4-3, only for the Grand Slam champion to show his quality with a superb six-leg streak to move into a 9-4 advantage.
The Australian, though, kept the game alive with legs of 12 and 11 darts to spark a run of five straight legs as he forced a decider, but Price proved too strong to move into the last eight.
2020 Ladbrokes Masters
Saturday February 1
First Round
Dave Chisnall 10-8 Daryl Gurney
Gary Anderson 10-8 Ian White
Peter Wright 10-7 Joe Cullen
Gerwyn Price 10-9 Simon Whitlock
Sunday February 2
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Adrian Lewis v Michael Smith
Jonny Clayton v Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price v Gary Anderson
Peter Wright v Dave Chisnall
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Semi-Finals
Clayton/Aspinall v Smith/Lewis
Wright/Chisnall v Price/Anderson
Final
