Bathed in fifty years of tungsten mythology and communal ritual, the Dutch Open Darts returned once more as a vast, pulsating carnival of arrows, ambition, and endurance, drawing thousands upon thousands into the north-eastern Dutch town of Assen for its annual celebration of organised chaos. This was not merely a tournament weekend; it was a migratory phenomenon, a rolling convergence of darting humanity where history is not simply remembered but actively manufactured.
From a leviathan field exceeding four thousand competitors, one name rose above the din. Paul Krohne carved his way into the record books, becoming the first German ever to lift the Open Singles title. At just 25, Krohne survived an almost monastic trial of stamina, prevailing in what was his eleventh match of the tournament, edging Corne Groeneveld in a last-set decider that felt less like a match and more like an ordeal of willpower.
In a curious but entirely on-brand twist, the competition shape-shifted from straight matchplay into a set format from the semi-finals onward, a structural pivot that did nothing to blunt Krohne’s momentum. En route to the final, he dismissed the prodigiously talented Jenson Walker, whose own journey to the last four proved transformative. The Coventry youngster’s deep run propelled him to the summit of the World Darts Federation Open rankings – a monumental milestone for a player still at the dawn of his career.
The Women’s Singles, numerically more modest but no less meaningful, produced its own moment of significance. Priscilla Steenbergen claimed the title for the first time, overcoming Rachna David, who herself etched history by becoming the first Norwegian woman to reach a Dutch Open final. Scale mattered little here; symbolism mattered enormously.
Beyond the singles, the Dutch Open sprawled into its customary constellation of side events. The WDF once again flung open its doors to PDC participation, prompting Dirk van Duijvenbode to gleefully accept the invitation. Partnering Maik Kuivenhoven, the pair triumphed in the Men’s Doubles, dispatching Jimmy van Schie and Danny van Trijp in an all-Dutch finale that crackled with familiarity.
The Women’s Pairs crown travelled east, claimed by Turkish duo Zehra Gemi and Aysegul Karagoz, who denied Steenbergen a double alongside Jo Rolls. Gemi’s weekend nearly became extraordinary, but in the Girls’ Singles she ran headlong into Paige Pauling, who secured a third consecutive title and further burnished her burgeoning reputation.
Youth honours continued to circulate. Belgium celebrated as Milan Vanuytrecht edged Kai Burger in a last-leg shootout to claim the Under-18s Open. In the Under-14s, German prospects Eric Petereit and Bruno Willi Sauer produced a thriller of their own, Petereit emerging victorious at the wire.
Paradarts once again commanded deserved prominence. Belgian excellence prevailed in the Wheelchair Singles as Michel van den Hengel was denied, while South Korean standout Kwanghee Cho dominated the Standing event before doubling up in the Pairs alongside Michelovic van Velzen.
As ever, the appetiser came early. Wesley Plaisier fell to van Schie in the Open warm-up, while Turkey’s golden weekend began as Ermine Dursun captured the Women’s early bird title.
Another Dutch Open concluded – vast, chaotic, relentless, and gloriously successful. Fifty years on, the festival shows no sign of slowing, only of growing louder.
—–ENDS—-
Images: Bas Van Den Berk
