Martin Lukeman picked up one of the biggest wins of his career with an impressive 6-1 defeat of Michael van Gerwen in the Interwetten European Darts Grand Prix on Saturday.
Watford’s Lukeman reached the final of a European Tour event in Munich over Easter, and continued his love affair with German stage events by claiming the scalp of world number three Van Gerwen.
The Dutchman has won three of the six European Tour events staged so far this year, but was punished for 13 missed doubles as Lukeman claimed a memorable success at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle.
Lukeman now plays Martin Schindler in Sunday afternoon’s third round, with the German ace running out a 6-2 winner against Madars Razma.
Luke Humphries, who won his second European Tour title of 2022 in Prague last weekend, edged out Ryan Meikle 6-5 to open his challenge for another £25,000 pay-day.
The former World Youth Champion will begin Sunday’s final stages against Joe Murnan, who came from 4-2 down to defeat Jose de Sousa.
Cazoo Premier League leader Jonny Clayton hit back from 2-0 down against Adrian Lewis to move into the final day of action with a 6-3 success.
Clayton’s third round opponent will be World Champion Peter Wright in a tasty fixture after the world number one came from 2-1 down to win 6-2 against Sweden’s Johan Engstrom.
Wright had seemed set to suffer a fourth successive second round exit on the European Tour, but finishes of 110 and 121 in consecutive legs turned their tie in his favour.
UK Open champion Danny Noppert defied a 103 average from Michael Smith to progress with a 6-4 win from a top-quality contest, averaging over 102 in reply and sealing victory with a 124 checkout.
Noppert’s third round opponent will be Nathan Rafferty after the emerging Northern Irish star averaged 101.76 and took out 138 during a superb 6-3 defeat of Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Masters champion Joe Cullen was unable to repeat the form of Thursday’s Premier League triumph in London as he lost out 6-3 to Rowby-John Rodriguez.
Rodriguez now faces Daryl Gurney after the former World Grand Prix winner came from 4-3 down to defeat Eddie Lovely 6-4, sealing victory with a 120 checkout.
Ryan Searle finished six doubles from ten attempts in his 6-2 win over Adam Gawlas, checking out 143 and 114 in the process, and now plays Damon Heta after the Australian edged out Mickey Mansell in the deciding leg of a high-quality affair.
Krzysztof Ratajski produced a flawless display of finishing with six doubles from as many attempts in defeating Kim Huybrechts 6-2.
He now plays reigning European Champion Rob Cross, who was a 6-5 winner against Jelle Klaasen as a 14-darter snatched victory in their deciding leg.
Sunday’s final stages begin with the third round in the afternoon session, ahead of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in the evening session in Stuttgart.
The tournament is being broadcast live on PDCTV, exclusively on DAZN in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and through bookmakers’ websites worldwide.
Interwetten European Darts Grand Prix
Saturday May 21
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Damon Heta 6-5 Mickey Mansell
Joe Murnan 6-5 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Ryan Searle 6-2 Adam Gawlas
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Eddie Lovely
Andrew Gilding 6-5 Jose de Sousa
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-2 Kim Huybrechts
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Danny Jansen
Rob Cross 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Evening Session
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-1 Joe Cullen
Luke Humphries 6-5 Ryan Meikle
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Adrian Lewis
Martin Lukeman 6-1 Michael van Gerwen
Martin Schindler 6-2 Madars Razma
Peter Wright 6-2 Johan Engstrom
Danny Noppert 6-4 Michael Smith
Nathan Rafferty 6-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Sunday May 22
Afternoon Session (1300 local time, 1200 BST)
Third Round
Martin Lukeman v Martin Schindler
Damon Heta v Ryan Searle
Rowby-John Rodriguez v Daryl Gurney
Rob Cross v Krzysztof Ratajski
Andrew Gilding v Brendan Dolan
Joe Murnan v Luke Humphries
Peter Wright v Jonny Clayton
Danny Noppert v Nathan Rafferty
Evening Session (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Sunday’s games played in Draw Bracket order
Format
All games up to and including the quarter-finals are the best of 11 legs, with the semi-finals the best of 13 legs and the final the best of 15 legs.
—-ENDS—-
Images: Kais Bodensieck/PDC Europe
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