Darts: 5 Notable Winners of the Belgian Darts Open

Saturday afternoon on the PDC European Tour heralds the moment of truth – the seeds enter the fray, cloaked in expectation, reputation, and ranking. Yet, as darts’ history so often reminds us, not all seeds blossom. For some, the grand entrance swiftly gives way to an abrupt and unceremonious exit.

Inside the cavernous Oktoberhallen, anticipation continues to simmer among the Flanders faithful, who must exercise patience until the evening session to witness their remaining trio of home nation protagonists. Before that, however, the second round of the Belgian Darts Open commenced with a compelling sequence of encounters.

Former European Champion Ross Smith was the first to secure his passage into Sunday’s action, demonstrating admirable resilience in recovering from an early 2-0 deficit to overcome Cameron Menzies. Smudger now awaits the victor of this evening’s intriguing clash between Premier League pacesetter Jonny Clayton and Poland’s precocious talent Sebastian Bialecki.

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Jermaine Wattimena mirrored that arc, relinquishing the opening two legs to Ryan Meikle before orchestrating a composed and assertive turnaround. The Dutchman now prepares for a tantalising all or nothing showdown with either compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode or the ever-formidable Luke Humphries.

Geordie Boy, Chris Dobey once again navigated his route safely into the final day of European Tour competition, dispatching fellow Englishman Dave Chisnall with a performance of controlled authority. Having surged into a commanding 4-1 lead, Dobey effectively extinguished any hopes of a Chisnall resurgence. Hollywood returns to the stage on Sunday, where he will face either Josh Rock or former Belgian number one Kim Huybrechts.

The Wieze crowd were then treated to the afternoon’s first genuine thriller, as Ryan Searle edged past Rapid Ricky Evans in a dramatic deciding leg encounter. The contest began at a frenetic pace, with successive breaks of throw, before evolving into a finely balanced exchange of scoring and finishing. Crucially, Searle maintained the advantage of throwing first in the decider, a marginal yet decisive factor in sealing his progression.

Danny Noppert, darts, PDC, 2023 — Danny Noppert

Searle now turns his attention to Danny Noppert, who emerged victorious in what was unquestionably the highest quality contest of the session. Luke Woodhouse produced an exceptional display, registering a 102.66 average, yet still found himself eclipsed. Noppert elevated proceedings to an even more rarefied level, surpassing the 106 mark and accelerating away from a 3-3 deadlock with clinical and unrelenting efficiency.

Fortunes diverged for the German and Australian number ones. Martin Schindler established early control against Ireland’s William O’Connor and, crucially, never relinquished it, managing the contest with composure and authority. Damon Heta, by contrast, endured a far less favourable outcome. Having rediscovered form in Göttingen, The Heat – who was anything but on the oche today – was abruptly extinguished by two-time PDC major champion Daryl Gurney, who delivered a performance of emphatic precision.

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German top dog, Schindler now awaits the outcome of a compelling encounter between former Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting and Belgium’s own Andy Baetens. Gurney, meanwhile, will prepare for a high-profile showdown against either Michael van Gerwen or Mickey Mansell.

As the session approached its midpoint, Ryan Joyce produced something of an eyebrow raising result, eliminating Nathan Aspinall with a display of composed professionalism. This was far from vintage Aspinall, particularly given his recent exploits on European soil, whereas Joyce embodied consistency and efficiency throughout. One suspects the Mancunian will be hoping for a considerably smoother journey home than the well-publicised travel tribulations he endured en route to Belgium.

By the conclusion of the evening session, the remaining eight names destined to join this afternoon’s victors will be determined. With Mike De Decker, Andy Baetens, and Kim Huybrechts all set to feature, the local support will be fervently hoping that their Belgian contingent can extend their involvement deep into the weekend’s proceedings.