The European Darts Grand Prix represents the next destination on this season’s Euro Tour darts itinerary, with Germany once again assuming the role of host nation.
Since the tournament’s inaugural staging in 2014, Sindelfingen – situated in the southern expanse of the country – has served as the primary venue on every occasion bar 2022, when Stuttgart temporarily assumed duties.
Across the years, a diverse array of champions representing six different nations have inscribed their names onto the roll of honour. Of particular note for the statisticians among us, this edition marks the earliest calendar placement the event has ever occupied.
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Mervyn King was the inaugural victor, overcoming Michael Smith to secure the silverware. Since that moment, only two arrow-smiths have managed to claim the title on multiple occasions – unsurprisingly, Michael van Gerwen is one, while the other is the reigning as well as back-to-back champion, Gary Anderson (pictured) .
A splattering of other distinguished names have also lifted the trophy, including Kim Huybrechts, Peter Wright, Ian White, José de Sousa, Luke Humphries and Rob Cross – bringing the tally to nine players who can proudly boast a European Darts Grand Prix triumph within their professional résumé.
Whether The Flying Scotsman elects to defend his title and pursue a hat-trick remains uncertain. With a notable number of withdrawals across recent Euro Tour events, predicting participation is increasingly precarious. Thus far this season, Anderson has only featured in the opening event in Poland before opting to bypass the subsequent three. However, given his evident affinity for this particular tournament, a return would not be beyond the realms of possibility.
Of the remaining former champions – aside from Humphries and Van Gerwen, who qualify automatically – only Huybrechts and Cross have secured their places in the field. King, Snakebite Wright and Diamond White will not feature, while The Special One is no longer eligible, having now lost his PDC Tour Card.
Another notable absentee is Andrew Gilding. Last year, Goldfinger produced a memorable run to the final – just his second appearance at that stage on the Euro Tour. Unfortunately for him, not only did he fall short in the decider, but he was unable to register a single leg as Anderson surged to a dominant whitewash victory.
Two additional former finalists will, however, be present in Sindelfingen. James Wade, who was defeated by Van Gerwen in 2018, and Ross Smith, who fell to Anderson during the Scotsman’s initial triumph.
Conversely, the aforementioned Peter Wright – a three-time runner-up at this event in addition to his title-winning year – did not navigate qualification on this occasion.
European Darts Grand Prix: Qualifiers and Call Ups
As is customary, the 48-strong field will comprise four home nation qualifiers, supplemented by representatives emerging from the secondary PDC tours.
The quartet of German entrants who have navigated their way through qualification are Michael Hurtz, Paul Krohne, Michael Unterbuchner and Robin Masino. Of those, only Krohne has featured on the Euro Tour circuit this season, advancing to the second round in Göttingen last month.
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Representing the Nordic and Baltic region is Latvia’s Valters Melderis, while the Eastern European contingent is bolstered by Czech thrower Petr Krivka, both having successfully negotiated their respective qualification pathways.
As is customary, the reserve list is likely to play a pivotal role once again. At the previous Euro Tour stop in Munich, four players benefitted from late call-ups – an invaluable opportunity for those poised on the periphery.
Consequently, any detailed preview remains somewhat fluid, with elements of the field subject to late alteration. Nonetheless, the historical tapestry outlined above offers a richly textured insight into the enduring narrative of the European Darts Grand Prix.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC Europe
