The Dutch Darts Championship delivered a string of surprises as fan favourites and top seeds suffered unexpected defeats. Stephen Bunting fell 6-5 in a tense shootout to Niko Springer, missing key match darts and allowing Springer to clinch victory with a 100 finish on double 16.
Dutchman Wessel Nijman stunned Peter Wright with a commanding 6-1 win, taking out finishes of 101, 111, and 107 to secure his first victory over ‘Snakebite’ and guarantee a local presence in the quarter-finals. He will now face compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode, who thrilled the Rosmalen crowd with a 6-3 win over James Wade, featuring sensational finishes including 112, 117, 161, and the iconic ‘Big Fish’.
Defending champion Josh Rock was another high-profile casualty, falling 6-4 to Ricardo Pietreczko in a match riddled with missed doubles. Meanwhile, Luke Humphries survived a scare against Cameron Menzies, winning 6-5 in a high-octane battle featuring 13 maximums. Humphries averaged over 105 and will now meet Michael Smith, who edged out Ryan Joyce 6-5.
Elsewhere, Ross Smith ended Raymond van Barneveld’s run with a clinical 6-2 performance, and William O’Connor, a late replacement for Gerwyn Price, beat Boris Krcmar 6-3. Jonny Clayton progressed with a 6-2 win over Max Hopp, while Michael van Gerwen withdrew from the event following the announcement of his separation from wife Daphne, handing Mickey Mansell a bye.
Other notable results included Damon Heta defeating Jeffrey Sparidaans 6-3, Ritchie Edhouse edging Dave Chisnall 6-5, and wins for Daryl Gurney, Martin Schindler, Danny Noppert, and Ryan Searle to close out a dramatic day.
Source: Swifteradio.com
