Saturday night in Antwerp, and the locals (Antwerpians? Antwerpers? Antwerplanders? We’ll go with “locals”) packed into the arena again, hoping for a night of Belgian glory at the Flanders Darts Trophy.
They got plenty to shout about, though not without a few broken hearts along the way.
James Wade 6–3 Kim Huybrechts
So much for the perfect start. Wade’s mechanical efficiency smothered the Hurricane, leaving the Belgian faithful deflated before they’d even found their seats. Wade’s gameplan remains the same as it’s been since 2008: do just enough to be slightly better than the other bloke. If you wrote him as an equation, it’d be JW = Opponent x 1.1. Not flashy, not inspiring, but effective. Still, averaging in the mid-80s won’t cut it forever. Leon Weber, waiting in the wings, will be hoping it doesn’t cut it tomorrow either.
Ryan Searle 6–5 Raymond van Barneveld
Heavy Metal staged a comeback worthy of a aging rock band, roaring back from 4–1 down to edge out Barney. The Dutch icon even had a dart to win it with a monstrous 156, but it wasn’t to be. Searle, whose Euro Tour season so far has been as flat as a reheated pint, suddenly looks like a man with momentum. Next up? Either Littler or Slevin. Depending on when you read this, you probably already know which.
Ross Smith 5–6 Daryl Gurney
Northern Ireland’s Superchin progressed after edging out Smudger in a match full of missed chances. Smith had the advantage of throw in the decider but still let it slip, handing Gurney a rare slice of joy after a chaotic draw reshuffle thanks to a certain Welshman’s balloon hand. The upside? The average player chin size on the final day has now officially doubled.
Stephen Bunting 6–1 Joe Cullen
Wow. Cullen didn’t even play badly, but Bunting put in a performance so clinical it should be studied in medical journals. A 107.47 average, five 180s, and 75% on doubles – it was The Bullet in sniper mode. Poor Cullen just happened to be in the crosshairs. Bunting now faces Josh Rock in a showdown that could blow the roof clean off the place.
Luke Littler 6–0 Dylan Slevin
Routine demolition job from The Nuke. Slevin, sadly, was reduced to Ned Flanders levels of competitiveness in the very event that bears his name. Littler polished off the whitewash with 100% on his doubles. Given he only had emergency dental surgery a few nights ago, it was a reminder that Luke breaks more records than teeth – though he’s working on levelling up that stat pretty soon.
Michael van Gerwen 3–6 Gian van Veen
Van Veen toppled his countryman and three-time World Champion with a calm, composed display. MVG wasn’t at his devastating best (to put it kindly), but credit to Van Veen for seizing the chance. The reigning World Youth Champion looks every inch a future major winner, and this might be the night people remember as the moment he arrived. As for MVG? Expect him to regroup, refocus, and probably win something big soon anyway. Far too good to stay out of the winner’s circle for long.
Martin Schindler 6–3 Mike De Decker
Shindier spoiled the party by knocking out Belgium’s number one. Neither man set the stage alight – both averaged a tad under 90 – but Schindler’s steady stream of chances at doubles proved decisive. De Decker’s highlight was a Big Fish checkout, which got the crowd buzzing, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. The German marches on to face Van Veen, while the Belgian fans are left clinging to one last hope: Super Mario. No pressure, mate.
Jonny Clayton 3–6 Mario Vandenbogaerde
And deliver he did. The home nation finally erupted as Vandenbogaerde stunned Jonny Clayton, storming into a 5–0 lead before hanging on to seal it on tops. For Mario, it’s the first time he’s reached a Euro Tour final day, and he’s done it in front of his own people. The Ferret’s fightback came too late, leaving Antwerp with a new folk hero to cheer for on Sunday. His reward? Danny Noppert.
Sunday – Last 16 matches
Mensur Suljovic v Luke Woodhouse
Stephen Bunting v Josh Rock
James Wade v Leon Weber
Gian van Veen v Martin Schindler
Krystztof Ratajski v Daryl Gurney
Damon Heta v Ryan Joyce
Luke Littler v Ryan Searle
Danny Noppert v Mario Vandenbogaerde
—–Ends—–
Images: PDC
