Stephen Bunting seals first European Tour title at the International Darts Open
Stephen Bunting secured his first European Tour title at the 2025 International Darts Open courtesy of an 8-5 victory over Nathan Aspinall in Riesa on Sunday.
Having ended an eight-match winless run in the Premier League on Thursday night by claiming the Night Nine title in Berlin, Bunting continued his emphatic resurgence by breaking new ground at the WT Energiesysteme Arena.
The former Masters champion registered a ton-plus average in four of his five wins en route to clinching the £30,000 top prize and climbing to world number four in the process.
“I’m just so happy to get the win,” said Bunting. “I was coming in with a lot of confidence after winning in Berlin after not winning in eight in the Premier League.
“To be up on these stages, playing against the best players in the world with the best fans in the sport, it’s absolutely amazing.
“Commiserations to Nathan, he didn’t play his best there, I don’t know whether he’s struggling with an injury or something but he’s an amazing player.
“I wish him all the best for the rest of the season because I’m sure there’s more battles we’re going to have.
“The Premier League was a massive catalyst to what I’ve done these last few days and I couldn’t do it without the quality of opponents that I’m facing.
“People were writing me off, I knew I was playing well in the Premier League and I felt it was just a matter of time.”
Bunting got his campaign off and running in Riesa with a 6-4 victory over Darius Labanauskas on Saturday with a 105 average and started strongly on Sunday by defeating Cameron Menzies 6-4 with a 105.5 average.
The World Championship semi-finalist then saw off Czech star Karel Sedlacek 6-2 in the quarter-finals, before edging out world number one Luke Humphries 7-6 thanks to an 11-darter in the deciding leg.
Bunting took the opening two legs of the final to assume command before Aspinall halved the deficit with a 66 finish on the bull.
Bunting broke back immediately with a 72 finish, but only for Aspinall to make it an incredible hat-trick of bull finishes, taking out 87 and 130 to draw level.
Two missed darts at doubles from ‘The Asp’ in leg seven were punished by a 100 checkout from Bunting – who went on to make it three legs on the spin and open up a 6-3 advantage.
A 68 finish saw Aspinall stop the rot, but only for Bunting to find double ten with his last dart in hand and move within a leg of the title.
Aspinall landed his fourth 180 of the final and converted double 16 to keep his hopes alive, but Bunting dominated the following leg and duly sealed victory on double 10.
Aspinall was bidding to become only the sixth player to win back-to-back European Tour titles, having triumphed in Gottingen a fortnight ago, and he followed up Saturday’s 6-1 rout of Joe Cullen with a dramatic deciding-leg success over Gerwyn Price from 5-2 down, taking out 121 on the bull to complete the comeback.
The Stockport star then overcame Josh Rock 6-2 in the quarter-finals, before fending off a late revival from home hero Martin Schindler to seal a 7-4 victory over the defending champion with a 104 average.
International Darts Open 2025 Day Three Results
Sunday April 6
Afternoon Session
Third Round
Luke Humphries 6-2 Ross Smith
Damon Heta 2-6 Wessel Nijman
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Cameron Menzies
Raymond van Barneveld 5-6 Karel Sedlacek
Andrew Gilding 4-6 Josh Rock
Gerwyn Price 5-6 Nathan Aspinall
Martin Schindler 6-0 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Dave Chisnall 1-6 Peter Wright
Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries 6-3 Wessel Nijman
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Karel Sedlacek
Josh Rock 2-6 Nathan Aspinall
Martin Schindler 6-2 Peter Wright
Semi-Finals
Stephen Bunting 7-6 Luke Humphries
Nathan Aspinall 7-4 Martin Schindler
Final
Stephen Bunting 8-5 Nathan Aspinall
