With the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters a roaring success this year, Charlie Whebell is optimistic for its return to the Emirates in 2014.
The first ever Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters went down so well that its organiser plans to bring the tournament back to the UAE next year.
Barry Hearn, chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation, was uncertain as to how successful the inaugural tournament – which ran on Thursday and Friday – would be.
As he stood in the Dubai Tennis Stadium waiting for the fans to arrive on the first night, worry lines were growing on his face.
However, after watching Michael van Gerwen beat Raymond van Barneveld in an all-Dutch final, Hearn – who also promotes boxing, snooker and is chairman of English football club Leyton Orient – believes he has found a winning formula.
“Sensational,” said Hearn of what was the first ever outdoor darts tournament. “I had a feeling it was going to be good, but not that good. The crowds were brilliant and everyone has been asking me if we are coming back next year. Now I can tell them ‘yes we are’.”
Hearn hopes the tournament in Dubai will now be a regular fixture on the calendar.
“The players have loved it,” he said. “They have been treated so well, as we all have. But it was the fans that made it such a success. I really had no idea how well it would go down here, but I needn’t had worried. And it was wonderful to see so many supporters in fancy dress. It all went to make a brilliant party atmosphere.”
There were worries that the world’s top eight players would be unsettled by breeze blowing across the stage, but there was hardly any sign of that on either night.
The only real wind was the way Andy “The Hammer” Hamilton blew away the tournament favourite, 14 times PDC world champion and world No 1 Phil “The Power” Taylor on the first night.
But Hamilton’s tournament was ended in the semi-final by the eventual winner Van Gerwen, the world’s No 2 player
The final was a fitting end to what were thoroughly entertaining two nights with Van Gerwen winning 11-7 thanks to check-outs of 170 and 164. He took home a first prize of US$50,000 (Dh184,000). Van Barneveld did not do too badly either, with a runners-up cheque of $40,000.
