Home Favourite Gawlas Through to Quarters with MVG Averaging 108.52
The sixth Euro Tour of the year has certainly had its thrills and spills as the Quarter Finals were confirmed on Sunday afternoon. Last weeks European Open champion Michael van Gerwen showed huge signs of quality in his scoring to beat Micky Mansell 6-5 with an average of 108.52, whilst Adam Gawlas delighted the home faithful once more after beating Ryan Searle in a last leg decider in Prague.
Van Gerwen saw a return to the form he has been showing so consistently throughout 2022, arguably the best player of the year so far with a good run in the Premier League and multiple Euro Tour and Pro Tour titles. Mighty Mike included five maximums and a finish of 77 in the sixth leg to break the Northern Irishman’s throw and lead 4-2.
World number three van Gerwen closed out the match in the eleventh and deciding leg hitting double ten with his last dart in hand to set up a Quarter Final clash with Luke Humphries, after he beat last week’s Euro Tour runner up Dimitri van den Bergh 6-4 earlier on in the afternoon session.
Adam Gawlas is the only Czech player remaining in the tournament after the likes of Karol Sedlacek and Vitezslav Sedlak were sent home earlier in the tournament in their home capital.
Gawlas reached the Quarter Finals after beating Ryan Searle 6-5 including five maximums to delight the home faithful. Despite missing fourteen darts at double, Gawlas closed out victory with his highest checkout of the match, finishing 100 to seal his spot in the Quarter Final where he will face Vincent van der Voort.
The Dutch Destroyer beat Adrian Lewis 6-3 in the final Last 16 tie of the day, with an average of 88.53 and two maximums. Jackpot fresh of his little dispute with Gerwyn Price the night before, included a 98 checkout in the sixth leg to get his first of the match after Van der Voort raced into a 5-0 lead.
The Dutchman threw the highest checkout of the match in the third leg to break the former world champion’s throw, finishing 103 with Van der Voort only missing five darts at double in the game as he recorded a 54.55 checkout rate.
Jose de Sousa has seen a return to the form that won him the Grand Slam title as he reached the Quarter Finals, beating Jose Justicia 6-5 with a 98.83 average. The crowd saw five maximums on the oche with three in favour of the Portuguese, who included a 99 checkout in the fifth leg to break the Justicia throw.
The Spaniard threw the highest checkout of the match after finishing 103 in the eighth leg to break de Sousa back and level the score at 4-4, but it was The Special One who made it through in Prague hitting double ten with his first dart to set up a Quarter Final with Rowby-John Rodriguez who won the opening match of the day against Dirk van Duijvenbode by the same score line.
Elsewhere Rob Cross and Ross Smith complete the Quarter Final line-up, after former world champion Cross beat Rapid Ricky Evans 6-2, whilst the Smudger beat World Number 13 Dave Chisnall 6-4 to set up the Quarter Final tie with Voltage.
Action gets underway at 6 with Jose de Sousa and Rowby-John Rodriguez being the first Quarter Final up in Prague.
Czech Open: Last 16 Results
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-5 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Jose de Sousa 6-5 Jose Justicia
Luke Humphries 6-4 Dimitri van den Bergh
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Micky Mansell
Rob Cross 6-2 Ricky Evans
Ross Smith 6-4 Dave Chisnall
Adam Gawlas 6-5 Ryan Searle
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Adrian Lewis
Quarter Final: Order of Play
Rowby-John Rodriguez v Jose de Sousa
Luke Humphries v Michael van Gerwen
Rob Cross v Ross Smith
Adam Gawlas v Vincent van der Voort
—-Ends—–
Harry Masterson
Images: PDC Europe
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