Hi again! It’s been a while, but now seems like a good time for a new UniBlog to go with the new, sparkly, Unicorn Group website whose “PlayWithTheBest” title doubly resonates with me. Not only is helping players do just that my aim when designing a dart or recommending a set-up, but also, in my long-gone competitive racquet sport days, I was lucky to have had the chance to play with some of the best and most prodigiously talented individuals of the era.
I thus had the perfect opportunity to observe
It was good to see James Wade playing well and showing very encouraging signs for the future after a disappointing year.
The Unicorn pair of Wade and Gary Anderson made it through to the quarter-finals of the German Darts Masters World Series tournament in Düsseldorf on Friday night.
But Kyle Anderson was unlucky to lose a final leg decider with Mensur Suljovic.
Wade took the first steps on his road back to the top with a brilliant performance against German qualifier Kevin Munch.
The best walk on in darts will be gracing the stage at the Alexandra Palace once again, because Devon Petersen is back where he belongs - at the World Championship.
Dancing Devon's spot has just been confirmed as he qualifies on merit for being the No.1 African darts player in the world.
The Team Unicorn ace will return to the World Championship in December for a 5th time and he is guaranteed to make his mark at the Ally Pally.
And it will be just reward for Petersen after a tough year.
"2017
A case of what might have been for Joe Cullen at the World Grand Prix.
The young Unicorn ace went down 3-1 to Daryl Gurney in the second round but the scoreline only tells half the story.
Cullen found himself two sets down, but got himself back into it and should have sent the match into a deciding set.
After trailing by those two sets, Joe then reeled off three legs on the spin to get himself back in contention. He took the opening leg of set four and looked to be on a roll.
The second leg turned
Team Unicorn quartet James Wade, Michael Smith, Ian White and Ronny Huybrechts all bowed out of the World Grand Prix on day two in Dublin.
There was more woe for Wade as the Unicorn man lost in the 1st Round on the Dublin stage for the second consecutive year. The two-times World Grand Prix champion won only two legs as he was beaten by Steve West.
West took out 101, 114 and 101 again as Wade failed to make his mark. A disappointing night for 'The Machine'.
Smith had beaten Gerwyn Price in
Joe Cullen produced a terrific display on a dramatic opening night at the World Grand Prix.
Defending champion and World No.1 Michael van Gerwen was stunned by John Henderson, who beat the World Champion by two sets to one at the City West Hotel.
And after the withdrawal of Team Unicorn's expectant Dad Gary Anderson, the tournament is now wide open.
Cullen was terrific as he gets better and better every time he steps on the stage at a TV 'Major'. He came from a set down to beat Darren Webster
Team Unicorn's Latvian star Madars Razma has enjoyed his best result in the PDC!
He reached the semi-finals of Players Championship 20 in Dublin on Saturday with a brilliant display. Razma eventually lost 6-3 to Stephen Bunting but what a performance from the 29-year-old.
The tournament was won by the in-form Mensur Suljovic who beat Bunting 6-4 in the final. Suljovic had earlier beaten Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals.
Razma won three all Unicorn matches on his way to the semi-final,
Unicorn star Gary Anderson is out of the World Grand Prix in Dublin.
The Scot is staying at home in Somerset with partner Rachel who is due to give birth to the couple's second child any day.
Anderson left it as late as possible to make the decision.
Of course the Unicorn man was the runner-up in Dublin 12 months ago, but family comes first.
Welshman Mark Webster is the lucky beneficiary who takes Anderson's play in the Dublin draw.
By STUART PYKE in Ireland
Photo courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC
What an achievement and what a future lies ahead for Team Unicorn German sensation Nico Blum, who has won the boys World Masters Title.
The 16-year-old beat Ireland's Keane Barry 4-3 in a thrilling final in Bridlington on Tuesday.
It has been an outstanding year for the German teenager and everyone at Unicorn is predicting big things from Blum over the next decade. A real talent and the real deal without a doubt and winning the World Masters is just more proof of just how good he is.
After
It's been some year for Kyle Anderson and it's just got even better with the news that the Aussie has signed a new long-term deal with Team Unicorn.
The new contract will take his time with Unicorn to at least seven years. It's been a meteoric rise for the boy from Down Under who gambled everything on a darts career and won!
Kyle Anderson is destined for the world's top 16 in the next 12 months and Unicorn will be with him every step of the way as the Australian ace targets the big prizes
