Sweden’s Viktor Tingstrom produced the most conspicuous upset of the opening evening at the Mr Vegas Nordic Darts Masters, eliminating defending champion Stephen Bunting, while Luke Humphries delivered a performance of extraordinary calibre to illuminate proceedings in Copenhagen.
The first session of the year’s third World Series event witnessed the elite contingent from the PDC pitted against representatives from the Nordic and Baltic regions at the Forum Copenhagen. Yet it was Tingstrom who emerged as the principal protagonist, etching his name into the tournament’s annals with a victory few had envisaged.
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Displaying immense composure under severe duress, the 25-year-old Swede withstood no fewer than seven match darts before eventually deposing Bunting. In doing so, he became only the third player from the Nordic and Baltic nations to record a victory in the competition since its inauguration in 2021.
Reflecting on the landmark triumph, Tingstrom admitted:
“I’ve had some good memories in darts, but I don’t think anything can beat this at the moment. To be the third Nordic & Baltic player ever through in this tournament, happy days.
“I just came here trying to enjoy it. I don’t put too much pressure on myself. I don’t have any pressure on me.”
The reward for the Scandinavian star is a quarter-final encounter with Michael van Gerwen. The Dutchman, champion of the inaugural edition five years ago, advanced with consummate authority courtesy of a convincing 6-2 success against Polish-born Danish representative Oskar Lukasiak.
Although Tingstrom’s heroics monopolised much of the attention, it was Humphries who furnished the evening’s most imperious exhibition. The world number two registered an exceptional 109.92 average and converted six of his nine attempts at double to subdue the in-form Jeffrey de Graaf in a contest replete with quality.
Following his emphatic display, Humphries declared:
“I felt good there. The last four to five weeks I’ve felt a lot more comfortable in my throw and I feel like I can play this level a lot more often. It just gives you confidence. I’ve had so many 100+ averages, so many good performances, and my doubles have been better.
“One thing that I’m probably guilty of is not winning many World Series events in my career. I’ve played in about 20 or 30 and won two. You know that you normally have to beat three, really, really tough players to go on and win the title, but if I keep playing like that, then I’m going to stand a good chance.”
Awaiting Humphries in the last eight is reigning European Champion Gian van Veen, who showcased his own considerable virtuosity with a majestic 167 finish during a 6-3 victory over four-time World Championship participant Daniel Larsson.
An all-Welsh confrontation will also headline Finals Day after Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price negotiated their respective first-round assignments in markedly different fashion.
Clayton launched his campaign in scintillating style, whitewashing the mercurial Andreas Harrysson while averaging 104.86 and converting an impressive three-quarters of his attempts at double in a display characterised by relentless precision.
Price, meanwhile, was forced to traverse a far more precarious path. Despite averaging beyond the 104 mark and producing finishes of 120, 128 and 156, the former World Champion edged past Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas in a pulsating deciding leg.
Remarkably, the encounter yielded six three-figure checkouts. Labanauskas contributed magnificently to the spectacle with a trio of ton-plus finishes of his own and came agonisingly close to causing a notable upset, only to squander a match dart at double 16.
Elsewhere, James Wade marked his return to the World Series stage for the first time since 2022 with an impressively clinical dismantling of Latvian number one Madars Razma.
The ten-time televised title winner relinquished just a solitary leg in a comprehensive 6-1 triumph, thereby setting up an enticing quarter-final assignment against World Champion Luke Littler.
The teenage phenomenon, seeking to annex the Nordic Darts Masters title for the first time, mirrored Wade’s scoreline against Norwegian representative Cor Dekker. Along the way, Littler punctuated proceedings with a sumptuous 129 checkout, underlining the devastating form that has made him one of the sport’s pre-eminent figures.
The 2026 Nordic Darts Masters reaches its denouement on Saturday evening, with the Forum Copenhagen staging the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in what promises to be a compelling conclusion to another memorable World Series event.
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Coverage is available live via PDCTV across all territories, while viewers in the United Kingdom can follow the action on ITV4 and ITVX. Saturday’s decisive stages commence at 1900 local time, equivalent to 1800 BST.
2026 Mr Vegas Nordic Darts Masters
Friday June 5
Round One Results
Jonny Clayton 6-0 Andreas Harrysson
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Darius Labanauskas
Viktor Tingstrom 6-5 Stephen Bunting
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 Oskar Lukasiak
James Wade 6-1 Madars Razma
Luke Littler 6-1 Cor Dekker
Luke Humphries 6-3 Jeffrey de Graaf
Gian van Veen 6-3 Daniel Larsson
Saturday June 6 (1900 local time, 1800 BST)
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen v Viktor Tingstrom
Gerwyn Price v Jonny Clayton
Luke Littler v James Wade
Gian van Veen v Luke Humphries
Best of 11 legs
Images: Kelly Deckers/PDC
