Barney Through

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 2-0 MERVYN KING
(3-2, 3-1)RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD saw off Mervyn King in straight sets to progress to the second round of the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix on Monday night.

The Dutch ace, twice the runner-up in the double-start format, looked in confident mood as he followed up Sunday's nine-darter in a Players Championship in Dublin with a solid display.

He won the game's opening leg, but King recovered from missing his chance to take the lead by levelling on the bull with a 92 checkout in the second.

Van Barneveld's double five in the third was cancelled out by King's double eight in leg four, and it was the Englishman who took command in the decider by hitting a 177 to leave 132.

However, he missed the bull to check out the combination, and van Barneveld finished a key 100 on double ten to edge the set.

King replied strongly with a 116 finish to kick off the second, but van Barneveld levelled with a tricky double eight in leg two, before hitting double ten and hitting a 180 and double four to sweep to victory.

"That 100 finish in the first set was really important," said van Barneveld. "Mervyn was throwing really well in the first set but that double ten won me the game.

"I felt comfortable on stage, the crowd was behind me and I'm playing quite well. I like playing the sets format, I always do well in the World Championship and World Grand Prix and hopefully I will do well again this week."

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	2-0	Mervyn King
10	100+	14
9	140+	6
1	180	0
29.01	Ave1	28.53
87.04	Ave3	85.59
100	High Finish	116
1	Breaks of Throw	0
9/21 - 43%	Starting Doubles	9/15 - 60%
6/14 - 43%	Finishing Doubles	3/8 - 38%