Home hero Karel Sedlacek stuns Joe Cullen at the Czech Darts Open

Karel Sedlacek thrilled a partisan crowd in Prague by defeating Joe Cullen 6-4 in Round Two of the Czech Darts Open on Saturday.

Home hero Sedlacek stole the show on Day Two of the season’s eighth European Tour event with a shock win over the 2022 Premier League finalist.

Cullen fought back from 5-1 down to threaten a remarkable comeback in the Czech capital, producing legs of 12, 11 and 11 darts in a blistering three-leg burst.

He also wired the bullseye for a spectacular 170 checkout to force a decider, before Sedlacek – aided by a 121 checkout in leg two – capitalised to progress despite a 103 average from the Yorkshireman.

The Czech number two will now take on Rob Cross in the Last 16, after the 2022 runner-up averaged 99 and registered four 180s to defeat Latvia’s Madars Razma 6-3.

Meanwhile, Luke Humphries began his title defence with a battling 6-4 victory over Ross Smith, defying two ton-plus checkouts from the European Champion to advance.

Top seed Humphries, a three-time finalist on the European Tour in 2023, now meets Premier League star Dimitri Van den Bergh – who averaged 102 to sweep aside Switzerland’s Stefan Bellmont.

Michael van Gerwen began his bid for back-to-back European Tour titles by producing a superb display of scoring to deny Belgium’s Mike De Decker 6-4.

Van Gerwen averaged 99 despite missing 14 darts at double, firing in three 180s to set up a blockbuster third round showdown against World Youth Champion Josh Rock.

Recent Austrian Open finalist Rock produced an accomplished display to end the hopes of Host Nation Qualifier Dalibor Smolik in the afternoon session.

Nathan Aspinall produced arguably the performance of the day in Prague, averaging 103.6 to account for Martin Lukeman 6-4.

Dave Chisnall averaged 100.5 as he opened his challenge for a third Euro Tour title of the year with a 6-2 drubbing of Geert Nentjes, landing four maximums along the way.

Chisnall will now face Andrew Gilding for a place in the Last Eight, after the UK Open champion kicked off Saturday’s action with a routine 6-2 victory over Vincent van der Voort.

Peter Wright survived a scare in his opener against Brendan Dolan, battling back from 5-3 down to edge out the Northern Irishman in a decider, courtesy of a clinical 116 checkout in the penultimate leg.

Wright will face Danny Noppert in the Last 16, after the Dutchman fended off a terrific fightback from Jose de Sousa to end a run of five straight defeats against the former Grand Slam champion.

Austrian Open winner Jonny Clayton reeled off six consecutive legs to demolish Martijn Kleermaker 6-1 in Saturday’s penultimate fixture, setting up a showdown against fifth seed Dirk van Duijvenbode.

Van Duijvenbode came through a hard-fought encounter against Belgian veteran Mario Vandenbogaerde, converting a brace of ton-plus checkouts to snatch victory in a last-leg decider.

Ryan Searle fought back from 3-0 down to defeat Steve Beaton 6-4, while Damon Heta turned on the style in the latter stages of his clash against Dylan Slevin to complete a 6-2 victory.

Heta’s reward is a third round meeting with Kim Huybrechts, who conjured up a majestic 170 checkout and averaged over a ton to celebrate a convincing 6-3 win over 13th seed Martin Schindler.

Czech Darts Open 2023 Day Two Results

Saturday May 13

Second Round

Afternoon Session
Andrew Gilding 6-2 Vincent van der Voort
Josh Rock 6-3 Dalibor Smolik
Damon Heta 6-2 Dylan Slevin
Ryan Searle 6-4 Steve Beaton
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Geert Nentjes
Martin Schindler 3-6 Kim Huybrechts
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-5 Mario Vandenbogaerde
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Martin Lukeman

Evening Session
Danny Noppert 6-4 Jose de Sousa
Rob Cross 6-3 Madars Razma
Peter Wright 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Mike De Decker
Joe Cullen 4-6 Karel Sedlacek
Luke Humphries 6-4 Ross Smith
Jonny Clayton 6-1 Martijn Kleermaker
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Stefan Bellmont

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