In a gripping first-round encounter at the World Series of Darts Finals held in Amsterdam, Michael van Gerwen defeated Wessel Nijman, setting the stage for an exciting second-round match against Rob Cross. Van Gerwen, aiming to secure a record sixth title, edged out Nijman in a nail-biting final leg.
The match saw Nijman take early leads of 2-0, 3-1, and 5-4. However, Van Gerwen’s brilliance emerged when he clinched a remarkable 132 checkout on the bull and survived a match dart against him, ultimately sealing his victory with a 174 setup followed by a double 18, all while averaging 104.75.
“Wessel is an exceptional talent, and his accuracy was impressive throughout,” Van Gerwen commented. “I felt confident throughout the match, and this performance ranks among my best in Holland in a long time.”
In another dramatic showdown, top-ranked Luke Humphries narrowly defeated 2018 champion James Wade, overcoming two match darts in the process. Humphries recorded an impressive average of 99, launching legs of 14 and 13 darts to overturn a 5-4 deficit.
“It was a peculiar performance,” Humphries admitted. “At times, I played exceptionally well, while at others, not so much. I’m working to find my rhythm again, so I’m happy to have secured the win.”
The evening was filled with surprises as third seed Stephen Bunting was upset by Dutch No. 2 Danny Noppert, who progressed with a 6-4 victory, setting up a clash with World Cup champion Josh Rock. Rock himself advanced with a 6-3 win over Krzysztof Ratajski, highlighted by a stunning 121 checkout on the bull.
Rob Cross, returning to the Netherlands, succeeded in his match against New Zealand’s Haupai Puha with a 6-3 win and a commendable 60% success rate on doubles, marking a successful return after winning the Dutch Darts Masters earlier this year.
Luke Humphries navigated through the tough match to progress
Australian No. 1 Damon Heta also claimed a spot in the second round, defeating Joe Cullen emphatically with a 6-1 scoreline. He’ll face World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker, who triumphed over Gabriel Clemens 6-3, despite the latter missing a crucial double 12 for a potential nine-darter.
Kevin Doets opened the evening session with a hard-fought victory against Jermaine Wattimena, surviving four match darts to earn a match-up against Humphries on Saturday night.
First-Round Results from Friday Night
- Kevin Doets 6-5 Jermaine Wattimena
- Krzysztof Ratajski 3-6 Josh Rock
- Damon Heta 6-1 Joe Cullen
- Mike De Decker 6-3 Gabriel Clemens
- Luke Humphries 6-5 James Wade
- Wessel Nijman 5-6 Michael van Gerwen
- Stephen Bunting 4-6 Danny Noppert
- Rob Cross 6-3 Haupai Puha
The first-round action will continue on Saturday afternoon, featuring reigning champion Luke Littler up against Simon Whitlock. Former champions Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton are set to compete against American players Danny Lauby and Jason Brandon, while Raymond van Barneveld takes on Norway’s Cor Dekker. Other notable players such as Nathan Aspinall and Peter Wright will also be in action ahead of the second round, set to take place Saturday evening, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final scheduled for Sunday.
Upcoming Matches for Saturday Afternoon
First Round (Best of 11 Legs) – Starting at 11:45 AM
- Chris Dobey vs Luke Woodhouse
- Cameron Menzies vs Peter Wright
- Jonny Tata vs Ross Smith
- Cor Dekker vs Raymond van Barneveld
- Gerwyn Price vs Danny Lauby
- Luke Littler vs Simon Whitlock
- Jonny Clayton vs Jason Brandon
- Nathan Aspinall vs Dave Chisnall
Confirmed Second-Round Matchups
- Luke Humphries vs Kevin Doets
- Danny Noppert vs Josh Rock
- Mike De Decker vs Damon Heta
- Rob Cross vs Michael van Gerwen
Tune in to Sky Sports from October 6-12 for live coverage of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix in Leicester.