Anderson hits nine-darter in whitewash semi-final victory over Klaasen at 2016 William Hill World Championship

Gary Anderson hit a nine-darter in a flawless 6-0 win over Jelle Klaasen in the semi-finals of the 2016 William Hill World Darts Championship tonight. 

The defending champion stormed into tomorrow night’s final with an impressive 107.32 average and also collected £15,000 for completing the perfect leg during the first set.

After 12 and 13 dart legs gave the Flying Scotsman a 2-0 lead in the opening set, Anderson fired in back-to-back 180s and a 141 checkout to hit the first nine-darter of the tournament.

The Scot had missed the double for a nine-dart leg in his quarter-final victory against James Wade yesterday, but made no mistake this time on double 12  to complete the ninth perfect leg at the PDC World Championship.

Anderson edged a closer second set 3-2 to establish a 2-0 lead, before threatening another nine-darter when he began set three with consecutive maximums.

The reigning Premier League champion had to settle for an 11-dart leg on that occasion, with a 142 checkout then sealing him the third set of the match.

Klaasen missed a dart to win the fourth set and was duly punished by Anderson, who hit double 10 to win the deciding leg which put him 4-0 in front.

After taking the fifth set in straight legs Anderson was on course for a whitewash victory, and despite Klaasen claiming the first leg of set six, the defending champion won the next three legs to seal a 6-0 win on the Alexandra Palace stage.

It was a tough exit from the tournament for the 2006 Lakeside winner, yet it represents his biggest payday of his career with £70,000 being awarded to the beaten semi-finalists.

Anderson will now take on Adrian Lewis tomorrow night in a repeat of the 2011 PDC World Championship final, which Jackpot won 7-5.

The Flying Scotsman is aiming to become only the fourth first-time world champion to successfully retain the title the following year, with Eric Bristow (1981), Raymond van Barneveld (1999) and Lewis (2012) the only three to have achieved that feat.

MATCH STATS